Governor Charles Bent
The assassination of Governor Charles Bent on the night of 19 January 1847 was a complicated affair carried out by some New Mexicans and Taos Indians, heroes and patriots all of them. The actual killing was gruesome, as are all killings, but it was an assassination. The guy, Governor Bent, ended up dead and it was called a murder, but he was assassinated by New Mexican patriots. Make no mistake about it.
The Buenaventura Lobato and Mrs. Juana Catalina Valdez-Lobato mentioned in the article by E. Bennet Burton, quoted below, and published in the book noted below are in all reality Buenaventura de Jesus Valdez, my 2nd cousin several generations removed, and his wife Juana Catalina Lovato.
Buenavuntura Valdez was born 31 Jannary 1789 in Pojoque, New Mexico to Pedro Antonio Valdez y Bustos and Maria Manuela Gonzales.
Mrs. Juana Catalina Valdez-Lovato was in reality Buenaventura's wife. She was Juana Catalina Lovato, born circa 1798, the daughter of Antonio Jose Lovato and Maria Josefa Chavez. Juana Catalina Lovato was the mother of Maria Paula Lovato born 28 December 1811 in Taos. The birth of Maria Paula occurred when Juana Catalina Lovato was single. Juana Catalina Lovato's daughter Maria Paula later married Charles Hipolyte Trotier Beaubien and was the mother of Narciso Beaubien who was also killed that fateful night.
So a short explaination is in order, Buenaventura de Jesus Valdez who the article states that in a public speech, afterwards admitted his local leadership in the uprising was married to the aunt of Narciso Beaubien, Juana Catalina Valdez. It is fair to assume that if Charles Hipolyte Trotier Beaubien, Narciso's father and husband of Maria Paula had been in Taos at this moment, he would have been killed too.
The massacre at Taos was under the leadership of Pablo Montoya and Tomasito, a Taos Indian, the last named, with a murderous band, going to the home of Governor Bent and while engaging him in conversation through the closed door, fired, striking him in the chin and stomach. The door was then broken in and the Indians filled the body of the fallen man with arrows, three of which he pulled from his head and face as he lay prostrate. As the Indians were slashing his wrists and hands with their knives and axes, a Mexican named Buenaventura Lobato entered the room and seeing what they were doing, cried" "I did not tell you to kill him, but only to take him prisoner!" Lobato, in a public speech, afterwards admitted his local leadership in the uprising. Governor Bent was scalped before he died.
In the meantime, seeing that resistance was useless. Mrs. Boggs, the wife of Thomas Boggs, Mrs. Carson and Mrs. Bent, all members of the governor's household, began to dig a hole in the adobe wall of the room, using an iron spoon for the purpose, hoping to enable the governor to make his escape. Though too late to save him, they were able to make their own way into the adjoining house. They were pursued, and Mrs. Boggs and Mrs. Carson begged on their hands and knees that the assailants spare the lives of Mrs. Bent and her children. This the murderers permitted, and the three women and the Bent children escaped to the home of Mrs. Juana Catalina Valdez-Lobato, where they remained until the arrival of the troops from Santa Fe fifteen days later.
More information on Governor Charles Bent at Wikipedia below:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Bent
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