San Elizario Salt War facts for kids

The San Elizario Salt War was a big fight in the mid-1800s. It was all about who owned and controlled huge salt lakes in West Texas. The conflict started in 1866 as a political and legal battle among Texan politicians. But by 1877, it became an armed struggle.

Mexican and Tejano people living near El Paso fought against a powerful politician. This politician was supported by the Texas Rangers. The fight became very intense when about 500 local men surrounded and forced 20 Texas Rangers to surrender in the town of San Elizario, Texas.

Later, the African-American 9th Cavalry and a group of hired fighters from New Mexico arrived. This caused many Tejanos to flee to Mexico, some forever. In the end, the idea that individuals could own the salt lakes, which had always been a community resource, was made true by force.

This conflict started small but grew to involve both the Texas and U.S. governments. Newspapers across the country wrote about it. At its peak, about 650 men were fighting. Around 20 to 30 people died in this 12-year struggle for salt.

For a long time, historians described the Mexican-American uprising as a wild riot. But more recent studies show that the "mob" was actually an organized group. They wanted to regain control of their rights and their economic future.

Why Did the Salt War Happen?

The Rio Grande and San Elizario

The Rio Grande river is a natural border in West Texas. Long before Americans came, Spanish settlers and later Mexicans built towns along the river. These towns helped protect them from Comanche and Apache raids from the north.

San Elizario was a large community. It was founded in 1789. In 1829, a big flood changed the river's path. This left San Elizario on a new "island" between the old and new river channels.

This location became very important in 1836. That's when the new Republic of Texas said the Rio Grande was its southern border. The nationality of the people in San Elizario was unclear until 1848. That year, the Mexican–American War ended with the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. This treaty said the "deepest channel" of the river was the official border. San Elizario became part of the United States.

In 1853, the Gadsden Purchase made San Elizario's status even more official. At that time, San Elizario was the biggest U.S. town between San Antonio, Texas, and Santa Fe, New Mexico. It was an important stop on the Camino Real (a historic road). It was also the main town for the area.

Changes After the Civil War

The American Civil War brought big changes to West Texas politics. After the war and the period called Reconstruction, many business people moved to the area. The families in San Elizario had lived there for generations. They did not like the new people.

Many Republicans settled in Franklin, Texas. This was a small trading village across the Rio Grande from El Paso del Norte (now Ciudad Juárez).

By the early 1870s, the Democratic Party started to gain power in Texas. The people of San Elizario did not like the Democrats either. They still felt strong ties to Mexico. Over time, different groups formed alliances and rivalries. These groups included Hispanic people, Republicans, and Democrats in West Texas.

The Importance of Salt

At the base of the Guadalupe Mountains, about 100 miles (161 km) northeast of San Elizario, there are dry salt lakes. Before people started pumping water and oil from West Texas, these lakes often had shallow water. This water brought very pure salt to the surface.

This salt was very valuable. People used it to preserve meats. It also helped humans and animals stay healthy by replacing salt lost through sweating. Salt was traded along the El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro. It was also key for getting silver out of ore in Chihuahua mines.

Historically, people traveled to the salt lakes by following the Rio Grande north or using the Butterfield Overland Mail route. In 1863, the people of San Elizario built a road to the salt lakes together. Early settlers in the El Paso area had community rights to these lakes from the King of Spain. These rights were later kept by Mexico and then by the U.S. under the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo.

However, in 1866, the Texas Constitution changed. It allowed individuals to claim mineral rights. This meant that the traditional community rights to the salt lakes were overturned.

The Fight for Salt Begins

In 1870, some powerful leaders from Franklin claimed the land where the salt was found. They could not get full ownership, and so a fight over the salt began. William Wallace Mills wanted individuals to own the salt. Louis Cardis believed the salt should belong to the Hispanic community. Albert Jennings Fountain thought the county government should own it, but with community access.

Cardis and Fountain joined forces against Mills. Fountain was elected to the Texas State Senate. He tried to make his plan for county ownership happen. But Father Antonio Borrajo, a priest from San Elizario, disagreed. He got Cardis to support him. On December 7, 1870, Judge Gaylord J. Clarke, who supported Mills, was killed. Fountain and Cardis fought using every political and legal method they could. When Republicans lost control of the state government in 1873, Fountain left El Paso.

In 1872, Charles Howard came to the region. He wanted to bring the Democratic Party back to power in West Texas. He became rivals with Mills. So, he made an alliance with Cardis, who had a lot of influence with Hispanic voters. Cardis cared more about the former citizens of Mexico than about U.S. political parties. He could sway their votes in any way he thought would help the community or himself. Howard became a judge. Around the same time, he and Cardis started fighting over who would be the most powerful politician in the county.

In the summer of 1877, Howard claimed the salt lakes for his father-in-law, George B. Zimpelman. Howard offered to pay anyone who collected salt. But he insisted the salt was his. The Tejanos of San Elizario, encouraged by Father Borrajo and supported by Cardis, gathered salt anyway.

The people did not just wait for outside leaders. They used their long tradition of local self-government. They formed committees called juntas in San Elizario and nearby Tejano towns like Socorro and Ysleta, Texas. These committees met secretly to decide how to respond to Howard's actions.

The Salt War of 1877

Texas Rangers Arrive

The Anglo community in the county was small, less than 100 people out of nearly 5,000. They felt scared and asked for help. The Governor of Texas, Richard B. Hubbard, sent Major John B. Jones, a commander of the Texas Rangers' Frontier Battalion, to El Paso.

Jones arrived on November 5. He met with the junta leaders. They agreed to follow the law. Jones also arranged for Howard to return, be charged, and then released on bail. Jones also recruited 20 new Texas Rangers. This group was called the Detachment of Company C. Their leader was Lieutenant John B. Tays.

Tays was from Canada. Some people thought he was just a handyman. But later research showed he was a mining engineer and land speculator. He was also known for smuggling Mexican cattle. Leading Anglos approved his appointment to command the local Rangers. The Ranger group had both Anglos and some Tejanos. It included an old Indian fighter, Civil War veterans, a lawman, and even an outlaw. While some men were capable, the unit was new and not very organized.

The Rangers Surrender

On December 12, 1877, Howard returned to San Elizario with 20 Texas Rangers led by Tays. Again, a group of armed local people surrounded them. Howard and the Rangers took cover in buildings. They eventually hid in the town's church.

After being surrounded for two days, Tays surrendered the Rangers. This was the only time in history a Texas Ranger unit ever surrendered to its opponents. Howard, Ranger Sergeant John McBride, and a merchant named John G. Atkinson were immediately killed by a firing squad. Their bodies were then thrown into a well. The Rangers were disarmed and sent out of town. The leaders of San Elizario fled to Mexico. The people of the town looted the buildings. In total, 12 people were killed and 50 were wounded.

What Happened After the War?

Besides the many people hurt or killed, the war caused about $31,050 in property damage. Farmers also lost many crops because they could not work their fields for several months. The loss of wheat crops alone was estimated at $48,000. On top of these money losses, the Mexican-American community in El Paso County lost even more political and economic power.

Because of the fighting, San Elizario lost its status as the main town for the county. That role moved to the growing town of El Paso. The 9th Cavalry of Buffalo Soldiers were sent to rebuild Fort Bliss. Their job was to watch the border and the local Mexican population.

When the railroad came to West Texas in 1883, it did not go through San Elizario. The town's population went down. Ethnic Mexicans also lost much of their political influence in the area.