New Mexicans surrounded by hostile enemies

Fredrick Remington, Mexican Sheepherder tortured by the Apaches.

The Hispanic and Pueblo Indian New Mexicans of the Spanish (1598 - 1821) and Mexican (1821 - 1846) era's were surrounded by hostile tribes and had to fight day and night on all fronts. The Navajo on the north and west, the Ute on the north and east, the Comanche and Pawnee on the east and the various subdivisions of Apache to the south.

In all reality the siege by hostile Indians lasted well past the American occupation and annexation of the province into the late 1870's. But the Spanish and Mexican era's were particularly difficult as the area had a small population and even smaller financial resources.

The 1850 U.S. Federal Census lists 61,547 persons. This was 4 years after the American conquest, occupation and annexation of the New Mexican province. By this time there were at least 5,000 - 6,000 Americans in New Mexico. there were probably 10,000 Pueblo's as the "savage tribes" mentioned were not part of the census. That leaves about 45,000 or so New Mexican Hispanos or Mexicans as our ancestors were known then.

The 1784 El Paso Spanish Census* lists 4,091 total "Hispanos" in the district. men were 1,220, women were 1223 boys were 820 and girls were 828. so the men comprised about 29% of the population.

We need to keep in mind that El Paso was part of New Mexico at the time and would remain so through the Mexican Period. The population in other New Mexican districts would most probably breakdown similarly by percentage.

So if the Hispanic/Mexican population was about 45,000 in 1850 we can estimate the "fighting" population in 1846 was about 29% of the 45,000 or a little over 15,000 men. If we subtract a figure to represent the men too old to be effective in war we probably end up with 11,000 to 12,000 men  capable of "bearing arms". The Pueblos were also involved in the defense of the province. 

These 11,000 - 12,000 men plus whatever number of the Pueblos assisted had to defend all of the area where they lived and their flocks and herds of animals where ever they grazed. Mostly up and down the Rio Grande but there were other places where Hispanos/Mexicans resided. When you consider or ponder the numbers of "hostiles" or "savages" that is quite a feat. A feat that the "Americanos" would have had trouble with.

As for hostile or savage Indians? Well, we do know that it is estimated that in the 1860's during the removal of this tribe to Bosque Redondo there were 12,000 to 15,000 hostile Navajos. The numbers of Apaches, Comanches, Utas, Pawnees and other Indios del Norte is not known. Neither are the numbers of hostiles that resided in the area south of El Paso.

Either way, New Mexicans and their Pueblo allies did a great job of the defense of the province. These defenders are our real heroes,  our "founders". To these defenders we owe our gratitude. The threat then was close, real and terrible. 

*Refer to the October 1977 New Mexico Historical Review article titled The Population of the El Paso Area - A Census of 1784 written by W.H. Timmons.