New Mexican Patriots or Horse Thieves and Murderers in August of 1847

This post is about the drumhead court martial incident that came to be known as The Las Vegas Affair or the Battle of Las Vegas, which  was a battle associated with the Taos Revolt and fought in July of 1847 in and around Las Vegas, New Mexico. It was initiated by American troops against New Mexican insurgents at the town of Las Vegas during the Mexican-American War.

Some information can be found at the web links below:

http://www.kmitch.com/Taos/martialdeaths.html

and

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Las_Vegas_Affair

and at this one below. At this last location scroll down to page 60 otherwise you have to go through the whole magazine.

http://nmsantos.com/archive/TR57.pdf

Several men were hung as a result, the ones hung in Santa Fe on the 3rd of August of 1847 are listed below. Note: The three (3) Martín brothers executed were my relatives.

Jose Tomas Duran also known as Tomas Duran Y Chavez who was married to Maria Donicia Blea. Tomas was the son of Juan Jose Duran and Juana Francisca Montoya and left one small child as well as one on the way that his wife would give birth to on the 8th of November of 1847.

Note that Maria Donicia Blea and the three Martín brothers noted below were first cousins, all four grandchildren of Juan de Jesus Blea and Maria Matiana (Mariana) Moya.

George Rodriguez, I have not bumped into any information on George.

Manuel Saens, some information on Manuel, but nothing that I can substantiate at this time.

Pedro Esquipula Martín was baptized on the  16th of  December 1817 in San Miguel del Bado, New Mexico by his padrinos Jose Maria Romero and Antonia Corina de los Angles. His parents were Santiago Martín and Paula Blea. Pedro married Maria Getrudis Trujillo on 02 October 1842. Her parents were Juan Antonio Trujillo and Rafaela Ocana.

Pedro Esquipula Martín left a very young widow. He himself was just shy of his 29th birth date when he was tried, found guilty and executed by the Americans.

Jose Policarpio (Carpio) Martín was born and baptized on the same day, 26 November 1818 in San Miguel del Bado, New Mexico. His padrinos were Jose Rafael Baca and Maria Guadalupe Gallego. His parents are identified as Santiago Martín and Paula Blea.

Carpio, as he was known, was either single as I have found no marriage record nor other records that would indicate that he was married. He was just shy of his 28th birth date on the fatefull day of his hanging.

Jose Dionicio Martín was baptized on 11 April of 1845, his padrinos were Jose Duran and a woman named Gertrudes, last name unknown. His parents are identified as Santiago Martín and Paula Blea, He was not married that I know of and was just past his 22nd birth date when he was executed along with his two brothers and Tomas Duran who was married to his first cousin.

The Old New Mexico And Our Ancestors, Caught In A Time Warp

Alvar Nunez Cabeza de Baca. Andres Dorantes de Carranza, Alonzo del Castillo and Esteban de Dorantes started the journey through time in New Mexico in the late 1530's. They were the futuristic Spanish explorers in the vanguard of the new world exploration.

They were soon followed by Fray Marcos de Niza and once again Esteban de Dorantes in 1539. In 1540 Francisco Vasquez de Coronado followed de Niza north into New Mexico and beyond.

Vasquez de Coronado came to New Mexico and points north, east and west into what is now the American states of Texas, Kansas, and Arizona. A whirlwind of activity, exploration, battles and disappointment until he left in 1542.

A few other Spaniards and Spanish expeditions in the following years penetrated into New Mexico for various reasons. But the settlement and the end of the futuristic expeditions was initiated by don Juan de Onate in 1598. New Mexico was entering the time warp without even knowing it. 

In the he Onate era and the following 212 years, through 1810 or so, New Mexico and New Mexicans slipped further and further back in time to the point that they adapted to and adopted much of the Pueblo Indian way of life. Abandoned by Spain in the northern most province of the Spanish Empire with no access to the sea and thus no real access to the outside world. New Mexico was landlocked with no access to new technology or ideas.

In the 1810 to 1846 era the future started arriving in the form of traders and fur trappers trappers first from France then from the new nation of the United States. It was slow at first and exploded into the open with the expulsion of Spain from the New World and especially New Spain which included New Mexico.

In the late 1820's the Mexican Republic was born and its northern most province, New Mexico, opened its borders to the future in the form of traders and trappers from the United States. The future came rushing in.  By ones and twos at first and soon whole trains of Americans. It was not good or bad, but it was the future and the rush was on.

Then 248 years after the entrance into the time warp by don Juan de Onate came August of 1846 and the future in the form of the American Army of the West was here. General  Stephen Watts Kearny took possession of New Mexico in the name of the United States.

The rest, as they say, is history. The struggle of the Onate Colonists and their descendants to adapt, this time to the future. Mind you, there are a few more details and individuals in the interim. But for all intents and purposes, this is it.

¿Quiten se las como puedan?

¿Quiten se las como puedan? The true meaning lies somewhere between "tough, you figure it out" or "that is the way it is". It means you are alone to figure out your problem. There is no help to be had. It was an old New Mexican saying from antiquity.

People are looking for meaning in their lives, looking for assistance from someone, anyone. Or so it seems. They look to religion, they look to government, they look to religious or governmental institutions to alleviate their search for meaning in their lives. They look anywhere and everywhere and seem to find other like minded individuals to form some kind of a group. Looking for fellowship or some other synonym.

Being alone or having idea(s) that only you seem to have is uncomfortable for most. So we look for others who seem to share our joyous or miserable condition(s).

The quest will never end......