Some Wanted the Americans to Come

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The image is a painting of Zebulon Pike crossing into the area around the San Luis Valley in then New Spain, later the Department of New Mexico and later yet the present state of Colorado. Pike led an expedition into the area in 1806 and 1807. He was supposed to be exploring, the government in New Mexico thought he was a spy for an later invasion. New Mexico was then a part of New Spain, later it would become part of the republic of Mexico and later yet a part of the United States.

He was captured in the area and taken to Santa Fe and later on into Mexico for trespassing into the area. The group was taken to and arrived in Santa Fe on Tuesday March 3rd of 1807. From there the group was transferred into the interior where he became friends with one of his captors, don Bartolome Fernandez. While escorting the Pike group the guard had too much to drink and don Fernandes and Pike visited like old friends. To quote Pike:

After the old man had taken his quantum sifficit and gone to sleep, my friend (don Bartolome Fernandez) and myself sat up for some hours, he explaining to me their situation, the great desire they (New Mexicans) felt for a change of affairs and an open trade with the United States. I pointed out to him with chalk on the floor, the geographical connection and route from North Mexico and Louisiana and finally gave him a certificate addressed to the citizens of the United States stating his friendly disposition and his being a man of influence. This paper he seemed to estimate as a very valuable acquisition as he was decidedly of opinion we (the United States) would invade that country (New Mexico) the ensuing spring; and not all of my assurances to the contrary could eradicate that idea.


So it seems like some knew the United States were preparing to come and invade New Mexico and some like don Bartolome Fernandez wanted the United States to come. In fact they were encouraging it.

The information quoted here is from a book titled "The Great Plains" by Walter Prescott Webb published by Grosset and Dunlop in New York in 1931.