Taos Revolt facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Taos Revolt
Part of the Mexican–American War
The Siege of Pueblo de Taos, depicting John Burgwin's death (far right).
Date January 19–July 9, 1847 Location Northern New Mexico, United States Result American victory
Belligerents
United States	Mexico
Commanders and leaders
Gov. Charles Bent  † Sterling Price John Burgwin  † Ceran St. Vrain Israel R. Hendley  † Jesse I. Morin	Pablo Chavez  † Pablo Montoya  Jesus Tafoya  † Tomás Romero  Manuel Cortez
Casualties and losses
30 killed ~70 wounded	~250 killed ~unknown wounded ~400 captured
Civilian Casualties: ~20 killed, including Simeon Turley

The Taos Revolt was a short but important uprising in January 1847. It happened in what is now northern New Mexico. People from New Mexico, called Hispanos, and their Pueblo Native American allies rose up against the United States during the Mexican–American War.

American troops and local fighters quickly stopped the rebellion. The rebels tried to fight back a few more times. But after losing these battles, they stopped open warfare. Even though the U.S. won, the revolt helped New Mexico get fair representation. It also helped its citizens be recognized in the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, which ended the Mexican-American War.

Why the Taos Revolt Started

In August 1846, the U.S. military took control of New Mexico. At that time, New Mexico was part of Mexico. The Mexican governor, Manuel Armijo, gave up without a fight. This happened during the Capture of Santa Fe.

When General Stephen Watts Kearny left New Mexico for California, he put Colonel Sterling Price in charge. He also named Charles Bent as New Mexico's first governor under U.S. rule.

Unhappiness with U.S. Rule

Many New Mexicans were not happy about giving up. They also felt mistreated by the U.S. soldiers. Governor Bent himself said that the soldiers acted "like conquerors." He asked Colonel Alexander William Doniphan to make the soldiers respect the local people. Bent worried that serious problems would happen if things did not change.

A big concern was that many New Mexicans feared losing their land. The Mexican government had given them land titles. They worried the U.S. might not recognize these titles. They also thought that Americans would get rich at their expense.

Planning the Uprising

After Kearny left, some unhappy people in Santa Fe started planning an uprising. They wanted to start it around Christmas. But U.S. officials found out about their plans. So, the rebels had to delay their uprising.

They gained many Native American allies, including Pueblo people. These groups also wanted to force the Americans out of their land.

The Revolt Begins

The uprising started on January 19, 1847. It began in Don Fernando de Taos, which is now Taos, New Mexico, and nearby Taos Pueblo. The leaders were Pablo Montoya, a Hispano, and Tomás Romero, a Taos Puebloan. Romero was also known as Tomasito (Little Thomas).

Governor Bent's Death

Romero led a group of Native Americans to Governor Charles Bent's house. They broke down the door and attacked Bent. He was still alive, so he tried to escape with his family. They dug through the adobe walls into the next house.

When the rebels found them, they killed Governor Bent. However, they did not harm the women and children. The rebels also killed other government officials. These were people who had worked with the new U.S. government. Colonel Price said that the rebels wanted to kill "every American and every Mexican who had accepted office under the American government."

Attacks at Arroyo Hondo and Mora

The next day, about 500 Hispanos and Puebloans attacked Simeon Turley's mill and distillery. This was in Arroyo Hondo, north of Taos. An employee, Charles Autobees, rode to Santa Fe for help.

Eight to ten mountain men stayed to defend the mill. After a day of fighting, only two of them survived. They escaped on foot during the night. On the same day, rebels killed several American traders in the village of Mora. These traders were on their way to Missouri.

After the Initial Attacks

U.S. officials quickly held trials for some captured rebels. They executed some of them, including the leader Pablo Montoya. Colonel Price then set up a military court in Taos. This court would try more captured rebels.

The judges were Joab Houghton and Charles H. Beaubien. Both had been appointed judges by Governor Bent. George Bent, Charles's brother, was on the jury. The jury also included friends of the Bent family. The Anglo community in Taos was small, so finding jurors was hard.

The court found 15 men guilty of serious crimes. The judges sentenced them to death.

Executions and Legal Questions

An eyewitness named Lewis Hector Garrard described the trials. He felt it was strange for Americans to conquer a country and then accuse the local people of treason. He questioned how much the local people understood about their new loyalty to the U.S. He felt that justice was being twisted.

On April 9, U.S. forces executed six of the convicted rebels in the Taos plaza. Two weeks later, five more were executed. In total, at least 28 men were executed in Taos because of the revolt.

A year later, the United States Secretary of War reviewed the cases. He said that one man, Hipolito "Polo" Salazar, might have been wrongly convicted of treason. The Supreme Court of the United States agreed with this. However, all other convictions were upheld.

Continued Fighting

The Taos Revolt did not end after the main battle in Taos. New Mexican rebels fought U.S. forces three more times. These battles were at Red River Canyon, Las Vegas, and Cienega Creek. After the U.S. forces won each battle, the New Mexicans and Native Americans stopped their open warfare.

See also

In Spanish: Revuelta de Taos para niños