Taos, New Mexico Revolt
The Taos, New Mexico Revolt of January 1847 stands as a stark and tragic episode in the history of the American West. It was a violent eruption of long-simmering tensions between the Hispano and Puebloan inhabitants of northern New Mexico and the newly arrived United States occupying forces, a direct consequence of the ongoing Mexican-American War. This uprising, fueled by a potent mix of cultural anxieties, land disputes, and resentment towards the perceived injustices of the American military presence, left an indelible mark on the region and its people. The events of the Taos, New Mexico Revolt reveal the complex and often brutal realities of westward expansion and the clash of cultures that defined the era.
The backdrop to the Taos, New Mexico Revolt was the Mexican-American War, a conflict sparked by territorial disputes and expansionist ambitions. In the summer of 1846, General Stephen W. Kearny, under orders from Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, led an army of 1,700 troops into Santa Fe, the capital of New Mexico. Facing no resistance, Governor Manuel Armijo surrendered the territory without a shot fired, retreating south to Chihuahua, Mexico. Kearny, upon taking control, attempted to pacify the local populace. In his inaugural address in Santa Fe, he assured the New Mexicans that the U.S. government would respect their property, religion, and protect them from raids by Native American tribes.
Kearny quickly established a provisional government, implementing what became known as the "Kearny Code." He appointed Charles Bent, a prominent trader with deep ties to the region, as the first territorial governor of New Mexico. Charles Beaubien, another influential figure, was appointed as one of three federal judges. With a semblance of order established, Kearny entrusted command of the U.S. forces in New Mexico to Colonel Sterling Price and continued his march westward towards California, leaving behind a simmering cauldron of discontent.
Initially, the New Mexicans, though disheartened by Armijo’s capitulation, did not mount any organized resistance. However, beneath the surface, deep anxieties were festering. Concerns over the validity of their land titles, a cornerstone of their economic and social structure, began to surface. The behavior of some U.S. soldiers further inflamed tensions. Accounts describe instances of soldiers acting as oppressive conquerors, requisitioning supplies from merchants without payment, committing acts of disrespect towards women, and generally disrupting the established way of life. These transgressions, though perhaps not widespread, fueled a growing resentment among the population. Adding fuel to the fire were the pronouncements of a few anti-American priests, who stirred up fears about the future of the Catholic Church under American rule.
Governor Bent, a man who understood the complexities of the situation, recognized the growing problems. He lamented the actions of the occupying troops, stating that they were acting like conquerors. In an appeal to Colonel Alexander Doniphan, Sterling Price’s superior officer, Bent implored him to intervene and compel the soldiers to respect the rights of the inhabitants, warning that the frequent outrages would inevitably lead to serious consequences. His pleas, however, seemed to have little effect in stemming the tide of resentment.
The growing discontent eventually coalesced into organized resistance. A plot for a Christmas uprising in Santa Fe was uncovered by U.S. authorities, leading to arrests and the thwarting of the planned revolt. However, the spirit of rebellion remained alive, and it found its spark in Taos, a town nestled in the northern reaches of New Mexico. On the morning of January 19, 1847, the Taos, New Mexico Revolt erupted under the leadership of Pablo Montoya, a Hispano who styled himself "the Santa Ana of the North," and Tomás Romero, a Puebloan from Taos Pueblo.
Tragically, Governor Charles Bent’s residence was located in Taos, even though his offices were in Santa Fe. On that fateful morning, Tomás Romero led a group of Native Americans to Bent’s home. They forced their way inside, attacking the governor with arrows and then brutally scalping him in front of his family. Bent’s brother-in-law, Pablo Jaramillo, was also murdered. The details of the governor’s demise are gruesome and speak to the depth of the anger and resentment that fueled the uprising.
Though initially believed dead, Bent was still alive. His wife, children, and Kit Carson’s wife, who was staying with them, managed to escape. However, the insurgents eventually discovered them, and Bent was killed, although the rest of his family was spared. The violence did not end there. For two days, the insurgents wreaked havoc, targeting American homes and slaughtering their inhabitants. Taos Sheriff Stephen Lee was shot as he hid on his roof. Narcisso Beaubien, the 19-year-old son of Judge Charles Beaubien, was discovered hiding beneath a water trough and brutally lanced to death. Cornelio Vigil, an attorney and probate judge, and J.W. Leal, a circuit attorney, also fell victim to the violence. Even Kit Carson’s house, although he was away with General Kearny in California, was pillaged.
The revolt quickly spread throughout northern New Mexico, with dispersed bands of Mexicans and Indians attacking American wagons, camps, and ranches. On January 20, a force of approximately 500 Hispano and Pueblo Indians attacked Simeon Turley’s mill and distillery in Arroyo Hondo, located several miles outside of Taos. A small group of mountain men, including William LeBlanc, John David Albert, and Tom Tobin, were inside the mill. After a day-long battle, only Simeon Turley, John David Albert, and William LeBlanc survived. Six men were killed, and the mill was burned to the ground. Turley himself was later killed after his location was betrayed by one of his Native American acquaintances. On the same day, Hispano insurgents killed seven or eight American traders traveling through the village of Mora, New Mexico, en route to Missouri.
Colonel Sterling Price, upon learning of the revolt, mobilized over 300 U.S. troops and 65 volunteers organized by Ceran St. Vrain, the business partner of the Bent brothers. They marched from Santa Fe to Taos, encountering and defeating a force of approximately 1,500 Hispano and Pueblo Indians at Santa Cruz and Embudo Pass. The insurgents retreated to Taos Pueblo, a centuries-old Native American settlement, seeking refuge within the thick-walled adobe church.
Meanwhile, U.S. Army Captain Israel R. Hendley of the Second Missouri Volunteers, stationed along the Pecos River, learned of the insurrection. On January 22, upon receiving news that the rebels had gathered a force of 150 or more men in Mora, he led 80 men to the village. Two days later, they arrived in Mora and encountered a body of armed Mexicans preparing to defend the town. An attack ensued, and Hendley was killed in what became known as the First Battle of Mora. A separate force of U.S. troops campaigned against the rebels again in Mora on February 1, 1847. This attack, led by Captain Jesse I. Morin, known as the Second Battle of Mora, resulted in the destruction of the village and effectively ended the Mora campaign of the revolt.
On February 3, Colonel Sterling Price marched through Taos unopposed, before arriving at the Taos Pueblo. There, he found the rebels heavily fortified within the church. The soldiers positioned a cannon and began to bombard the structure, breaching the thick adobe walls. In the ensuing battle, approximately 150 rebels were killed, and another 400 were captured. The church was severely damaged, and seven Americans, including Captain John H. K. Burgwin, were killed. The next day, the remaining rebels surrendered. The Siege of Pueblo de Taos marked the final major battle of the Taos, New Mexico Revolt.
The aftermath of the revolt was marked by trials and executions. Pablo Montoya and Tomás Romero, the leaders of the rebellion, were captured. Romero was killed in his cell by a private before he could be brought to trial. On February 6, Montoya was convicted of treason and sentenced to death. He was hanged in Taos on February 7, 1847. Subsequent trials resulted in the public hangings of 14 other individuals on April 9, April 30, and May 7. Presiding over this court was Judge Charles Beaubien, the father of the slain Narcisso and the father-in-law of Sheriff Stephen Lee, creating a stark picture of the personal tragedies intertwined with the legal proceedings.
An eyewitness to the trials, Lewis Hector Garrard, offered a scathing critique of the proceedings, questioning the legitimacy of the American authorities trying the rebels for treason. He described the scene as a "strange mixture of violence and justice," highlighting the inherent conflict of interest in the American judges and jury condemning those who had fought to defend their country and homes.
Although the Siege of Taos Pueblo was the final major battle, New Mexican rebels continued to engage U.S. forces in several skirmishes in the following months, including the Battle of Red River Canyon, the Battle of Las Vegas, and the Battle of Cienega Creek. These smaller engagements served as a lingering reminder of the deep divisions and unresolved tensions that persisted in the region. The Taos, New Mexico Revolt, though ultimately unsuccessful, remains a significant event in the history of New Mexico, reflecting the complex dynamics of cultural conflict and resistance in the face of American expansion.