USA > Arizona > History of Arizona and New Mexico, 1530-1888, Volume XVII > Part 15
USA > New Mexico > History of Arizona and New Mexico, 1530-1888, Volume XVII > Part 15
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88
115
A REMARKABLE BOOK.
with an idea that it might furnish material for a brief note as a literary curiosity ; but I found it a most com- plete narrative, very little if at all the less useful for being in verse. The subject is well enough adapted to epic narration, and in the generally smooth-flowing endecasyllabic lines of Villagrá loses nothing of its intrinsic fascination. Occasionally the author quits the realm of poesy to give us a document in plain prose ; and while enthusiastic in praise of his leader and his companions, our New Mexican Homer is modest in recounting his own exploits. Of all the territories of America-or of the world, so far as my knowledge goes-New Mexico alone may point to a poem as the original authority for its early annals. Not less re- markable is the historic accuracy of the muse in this production, or the long concealment of the book from the eye of students.5
Then, being thus by thee so highly favored, Since it is nothing less to write the story Of deeds that worthy are of the pen's record, Than to achieve deeds that no less are worthy Of being put by the same pen in writing, Nothing remains but that those men heroic, For whose sake I this task have undertaken, Should still encourage by their acts of valor The flight ambitious of a pen so humble, For in this case I think we shall see equalled Deeds by the words in which they are recorded.
Listen to me, great king, for I was witness Of all that herc, my lord, I have to tell thee.
5 In the prose documents V.'s name is generally written Villagran and sometimes Perez de V. He was procurador general in the expedition, as well as captain. Cesáreo Fernandez Duro, Don Diego de Peñalosa, 148-60, gives in 1883 an excellent summary of V.'s work, which is as I have said the first announcement to the world in modern times of its historic value. He quotes from Lopez de Haro, Nohilario, some slight biog. matter, from which it appears that Don Gaspar was of the illustrious family of the Perez of Villagra, a town in the province of Campos, Spain, a family which included several val- iant captains, among them Don Francisco de Villagrá, well known in connec- tion with the conquest of the Araucanos in S. America. Luis Cabrera de Córdoba, Historia de Felipe, ii., Madrid, 1619, gave a trashy account of the early explorations of N. Mex., and also a brief account of the conquest, in which he follows Villagra. This is the only instance known to me in which V.'s work has been consulted. The extract on N. Mex. is translated in T'er- naux-Compans, Voyages, ser. i. tom. x. p. 429-50.
Fernandez Duro, Noticia de Exped., 131, part of the work noticed ahove, cites under date of 1604 Figueredo, Relacion del viaje al Nuevo Méjico que hizo el Capitan general D. Juan de Oñate, por Fr. Roque Figueredo, misionero francis- cano en la expedicion, as a MS. mentioned by Beristain; also Oñate, Diario y re- lacion de la entrada que hizo D. Juan de Oñate en el Nuevo México, hacia el reino de Tolan, enviada al Rey, MS., cited by Barcia. From the date those MSS. may refer exclusively to O.'s expeditions from rather than to N. Mex.
116
OÑATE'S CONQUEST OF NEW MEXICO.
Viceroy Velasco on the failure of Urdiñola's project, not favoring as we have seen that of Lomas, accepted the propositions of Juan de Oñate in the autumn of 1595.6 Don Juan was a rich and prominent resident of Zacatecas, son of the brave and popular conquista- dor Don Cristóbal; married to Doña Isabel, daughter of Juan de Tolosa, granddaughter of Hernan Cortés, and great-granddaughter of Montezuma;7 and was backed by the wealth, nobility, and power of Nueva Galicia. Oñate's petition and contract are not ex- tant; but the former with marginal notes of approval and dissent was seen by Gregg at Santa Fé; and his brief résumé, confirmed by incidental allusions in other documents, shows that the contract did not differ materially from the earlier ones that have been de- scribed. The empresario agreed to raise a force of 200 men or more at his own expense; but seems to have been furnished by the king with a considerable quan- tity of arms and ammunition, and even a sum of money, being also authorized to confiscate the property of Bo- nilla and other adventurers if he could catch them. He was made governor, adelantado, and captain-general of the territories to be colonized; and his somewhat ex- travagant claims for honors, titles, lands, and other emoluments were freely granted by Velasco so far as the royal instructions would permit.8
6 Villagra says the capitulations were concluded on Aug. 24th. In the N. Mex., Mem., 188-9, it is stated that O.'s petition was dated Sept. 25th, and the contract approved Dec. (clearly a misprint for Oct.) 15th. Gregg saw the memorial at Sta Fé, and gives the date as Sept. 21st, which may be an error for 25th, or vice versa. Villagra's Aug. 24th may be the date of some pre- liminary agreement. I have no doubt the final approval by Velasco was in Oct. It was at least before the new viceroy's arrival on Nov. 5th. Torque- mada, i. 670 3, makes the date Sept. 30th; and Alaman, Disert., iii. apen. 18, says it was in '94. Velasco's instructions were issued Oct. 21, '95.
7 Fernandez Duro, 130, says Don Juan married Doña Isabel Cortés Monte- zuma, daughter of Cortés. Arlegui, Chron. Zac., 56-7, makes Doña Isabel the wife of Cristobal de Oñate and the mother of Don Juan. Bernardez, Zac., 31-4, confirms the statement of Villagra as in my text. The S. Luis Potosi, Relacion Circuns., 1, calls O. ' descubridor, conquistador, y poblador ' of S. Luis 1583, and son of Doña Isabel acc. to Haro's Nobilario.
8 According to Gregg's résumé of the memorial, O. offered to raise 200 men, and to supply at his own expense live-stock, implements, merchandise, and one year's provisions for the colony. In return, he asked for himself the titles of gov., etc., for 5 lives; 30 leagues of land with all the vassals thereon;
117
RECRUITING AN ARMY.
The contract once signed, Don Juan, securing the support of the highest officials and most influential men of Mexico, Nueva Galicia, and Nueva Vizcaya, invoking the aid of his four brothers, and the four brothers Zaldívar, his nephews, and of other active friends,9 set about the task of recruiting an army, by no means a long or difficult one. The sargento mayor, Captain Vicente Zaldívar, unfurled his enlistment ban- ner in the grand plaza of Mexico with a salute of artil- lery; the scenes of '30 and '40 under Guzman and Coronado were repeated; recruits came in from all directions, attracted by the favorable terms offered and the hope of wealth and fame in the north, and the ranks were soon full.10
All was enthusiasm; success seemed assured; and preparations for an early departure were wellnigh completed, when a change of viceroys occurred in November, the count of Monterey succeeding Velasco. This in itself naturally caused some delay; but more serious causes were at work. Oñate's brilliant pros-
a salary of 8,000 ducats, and exemption from the crown tax for working mines; for his family; hereditary nobility and liberal encomiendas; for his army, arms and ammunition; for his officers, repartimientos of native laborers; for his colony, a loan of 20,000 pesos from the royal treasury; and for the spiritual well-being of all, 6 friars and the fitting church accoutrements. He also asked for instructions respecting the forcible conversion of gentiles and the collection of tribute. Gregg does not indicate what demands were granted or declined in the marginal notes; nor is it apparent whether this was the original arrangement or the final one as modified by a new viceroy. It is stated in the N. Mex., Mem., 188-9, that Velasco accepted the offer by indorsing the several articles of the petition in marginal notes. Villagrá says O. got $1,000 in money; Torquemada and Calle add also $3,000 as a loan.
In Pino, Not. Hist., 2-3, and more complete in Davis, Span. Conq., 264-5, is the royal order of July 8, 1602, confirming the title of hijosdalgo to Oñate's associates for 5 years in the conquest, according to an article of the original contract.
9 There are named Gov. Diego Velasco of N. Vizcaya, Rodrigo del Rio de Loza, Santiago del Riego and Maldonado of the audiencia, Lequetio, Antonio de Figueroa, the Bañuelos, Ruy Blas de Mendoza, Juan Cortés-great-grand- son of Hernan-Juan de Guevara, and Salas, the alcalde of Zacatecas. Oñate's brothers were Fernando, Cristóbal, Alonso, and Luis Nuñez Perez. The Zal- dívar brothers, whose mother seems to have an Oñate, were Cristóbal, Fran- cisco, Juan, and Vicente, who were apparently the sons of the Juan Z. who was a captain of Coronado's army in '40. Villagra and some others imply that the Zaldívars were O.'s cousins; but O. calls them sobrinos. Vicente also married a daughter of Juan Oñate.
10 Salmeron and Niel say that 600 or 700 men were enlisted, though this seems doubtful, as there was no known authority to enlist more than 200.
118
OÑATE'S CONQUEST OF NEW MEXICO.
pects, and the unusual prerogatives granted him, had created jealousy; and his rivals and foes appear to have had more influence with the new viceroy than with the old one. Even before he reached the capi- tal, Monterey asked for a delay; but after Velasco had explained the matter by letter, he consented to a com- plotion of the arrangements. Arriving the 5th of November and taking possession of his office, he pro- ceeded to investigate somewhat at his leisure the ade- lantado's fitness for his position, and the truth of certain charges against him. The exact nature of the accusations is not revealed; but soon everybody seems to have had something to say against Don Juan and his enterprise; virtue, if we may credit the poet companion and eulogist, being in this instance well- nigh overpowered by calumny. A prominent ele- ment, however, in the new viceroy's policy was his favor to one Pedro Ponce de Leon, who wished to undertake the conquista himself; at any rate, he wrote to the king on December 20th, asking that ratification of Oiate's project be delayed until new information could be obtained. The poet's narrative of these and latter complications is confirmed by documents from the Spanish archives.11
11 These documents on Oñate's conquest are published in the Pacheco, Doc. xvi., and are of the greatest importance, as follows: N. Mex., Memorial sobre el Nuevo México y sus acontecimientos, 1595-1602, p. 188-227. This is a docu- mentary résumé of Oñate's negotiations, contracts, and acts, made by or for Vicente Z:l'ivar in 1602, in connection with his efforts to obtain further aid from the govt. It contains not only a résumé of documents, corresp., etc., hut much testimony taken in Mexico on O.'s achievements and the importance of continuing the conquest, alluding incidentally to the results of earlier explorations. Ytinerario de las minas del Carco, de la gobernacion de la Nueva Vizcaya . . . con los aguages y leyuas de su distancia, camino todo de carretas . . . Fecho por testi jo de vista y experiencia, y que trata verdad, y es sacerdote. Another title of the same is Discurso de lis Jornad is que hizo el campo de su Majestad desde li Nueva España a In provincia de la Nueva Merico. Año de 1536 (1597-9), p. 228-76. This is a diary, or derrotero from the Caxco mines Aug. 1, '97, to the fall of Acoma, Jan. 24, '99. It bears indications, how- ever, of having been prepared in Mex. from memory, notes, doc., etc., and not a copy of an original diary as written from day to day. It, like all the other doc., is a part of the Zaldivar expediente of 1602. Traslado de li posesion que en nombre de su Magestul tomó Don Joan de Oñate, de los Reynos y Provincias de la Nueva Mexico: y de las obediencias y rasallaje que los Judios de algunos pueblos de las dichos Reynos y provincias le dieron en el dicho nombre. Año de 1598, p. 98-141. The formal acts of taking possession of N. Mex.
119
OBSTACLES ENCOUNTERED.
At last the viceroy was induced to approve his predecessor's contract with certain modifications, in- sisting particularly that Oñate should not, as he demanded, be independent of the audiencia in the administration of justice, or of the viceroy in war and finance. Preparations were now actively renewed for the march; but when the modifications alluded to became known to some members of the colony, whose privileges were more or less curtailed, a new storm of complaints and curses burst upon the leader's head; and his foes took advantage of the occasion to renew their attacks. Oñate deemed it wiser to flee from than resist such foes; accordingly he made haste to begin his march northward.12 In Zacatecas a halt was made for final preparations. In June 1596, Lope de Ulloa y Lemos was commissioned by Monterey to make a visita general, or inspection and inventory. Ulloa was also instructed to remove the army from the settle- ments on account of certain complaints of disorderly conduct; and he began his inspection in July, appoint- ing Francisco de Esquivel as assistant or comisario. 13 This caused an annoying and seemingly needless delay from the poet's point of view; but as the viceroy
for Spain followed by the acts of submission of the pueblos and native chief- tains, with dates and witnesses, especially valuable by reason of the many pueblo names. Oñate, Copia de Carta escripta al Virrey Conde de Monterrey (por) Don Joan de Oñate, de la Nueva Mexico, á dos de Marzo de 1599 años, p. 302-15. A letter written at S. Juan, describing briefly what has been done, and dwelling particularly on the brilliant prospects-all to solicit fur- ther aid. N. Mex., Discurso y Proposicion que se hace a Vuestra Magestad de lo tocante á los Descubrimientos del Nuevo Mexico por sus capítulos de puntos diferentes, p. 38-66. A letter of Viceroy Monterey to the king, probably of 1602, containing a résumé of what had beeu doue in the Onate matter, and the viceroy's ideas of what more should be done. It is also given in Fernan- dez Duro, Don Diego de Peñalosa, 13-27. Oñate (Alonso de), Pide se confirme las capitulacion que hizo el Virey con Don Juan de Oñate, p. 316-22. Dated May 4, 1600, at Madrid, and addressed to the king. There follows a letter of May 5th of like purport and addressed to the consejo.
12 With him at this time went several Franciscans under P. Rodrigo Duran as comisario. Those named are Baltasar, Cristobal de Salazar, and Diego Marquez, or Martinez-he who had formerly been captured by 'gente lute- rana'-who went as confessor or representative of the Inquisition.
13 N. Mex., Mem., 191; Id., Dis. y Prop., 43-4. Villagrá says nothing of any complaint of disorders. Rivera, Gob. de Mex., tells us that O.'s men mutinied at Taxco, refusing to go on unless the force was increased, and cer- tain promises were fulfilled. The viceroy sent Ulloa to punish the malecon- tents and make them go on!
120
OÑATE'S CONQUEST OF NEW MEXICO.
had already sent a friendly letter, assuring the governor that the visita was a mere formality, not based on any suspicion, no serious discontent resulted at this time, and soon the force moved on, a part to the Caxco, or Taxco, mines in Durango,14 and the rest still farther to the San Bartolomé valley.
About a year had now passed since the contract was signed, and the military colony had been considerably reduced during the delay.15 A courier was daily expected with marching orders, and at last he came, the 9th of September, with a sealed packet for Ulloa, which contained, as the general and all the army thought, the welcome order. Bitter was Oñate's dis- appointment when the packet was found to be, instead, a royal order of May 8th, directing a suspension of the entrada until the receipt of further instructions, in con- sequence of the viceroy's letter of the past December and the pending negotiations with Ponce de Leon. Enclosed was the viceroy's letter of August 12th to Ulloa, instructing that officer to make known the king's will, and to order Oñate, under the severest penalties, including a revocation of all past concessions, to make no further advance.16 In October came from
1+ I do not find this place on the maps, but I have a note, of forgotten ori- gin, to the effect that it was on the Rio Nazas in central Durango. This is confirmed by the later route which led through Zarca and Cerro Gordo, and is probably correct. They reached Caxco, via Avino and S. Juan del Rio, on Nov. 1, '96. N. Mex., Ytin., 229.
15 Villagrá says reduced to 500 men; and we have noted that some authori- ties give the original force as 600 or 700; but only about 200 besides negroes, Indians, etc., are mentioned in any of the original doc. or corresp.
16 Llegó luego un correo con gran priessa Pidiendo albricias por el buen despacho,
De las nueuas alegres que traia,
De Vuestro Visorey, en que mandaua,
Que luego todo el campo se aprestase,
Y que la noble entrada prosiguiesse, Y como está mas cerca del engaño, Aquel que esta mas fuera de sospecha, Assí fué que el correo assegurado,
Con gran contento entró y dio su pliego, El qual se abrio en secreto, y con recato, Que ninguno supiesse ni entendiesse,
Lo que el cerrado pliego allí traia,
Y como no ay secreto tan oculto, Que al fin no se reuele y se nos muestre,
121
ORDERS FROM THE KING.
Mexico a repetition of the order. The governor with a heavy heart thought of his past efforts, and of the 500,000 ducats already spent; but kissed the unwel- come pliego and promised to obey. He concealed the bad news from his army for a time, and joined in their festivities. He had no thought of giving up his enter- prise; and Juan Guerra generously offered to bear a portion of the heavy expense to be entailed by this new delay, which was destined to last over a year.
It seems unnecessary to narrate in detail the history of this gloomy period. Soldiers were constantly deserting, and more than once utter failure seemed inevitable. One visita after another was ordered; but Oñate was able on each occasion to keep his force and supplies up to the standard of his contract.17 To his protests against the delay, and those of his brothers and friends, the viceroy, although professing the most friendly disposition, replied always that he could not act without royal orders. The adelantado's foes wished of course to break up the expedition alto- gether, and at times such was the policy of the gov- ernment as well; but at other times there seemed to be a desire to keep the force together until Ponce de Leon or some other royally favored individual could be in some way given the command. Padre Duran became discouraged and left the company with most of his friars in spite of all remonstrances.18 But amid all troubles. Oñate, if we may credit his somewhat
El que en aqueste pliego se encerraua, Contra las buenas nuevas que el correo, Con inocencia a todos quiso darnos. Sin quitar una letra ni añidirla,
Quiero con atencion aqui escriuirla.
And accordingly the poet dismounts from Pegasus and gives us these doc. in prose. Villagra, 54-60. They are reproduced in Fernandez Duro's summary; and the dates of reception are found in N. Mex., Mem., 192.
17 From Nov. '96 to Feb. '97 many communications between Ulloa and Oñate, in relation to the visitas, are given in N. Mex., Mem., 192-7. Part of the force at this period was at Caxco and the rest at Sta Bárbara. There were a few over 200 soldier-colonists, besides negro slaves and Indians. It is implied that O. had contracted to pay expenses of his colony only until N. Mex. was reached, so that the delay was ruinous. O. seems to have visited Mex. in the interval.
18 Torquemada and others also mention this fact.
122
OÑATE'S CONQUEST OF NEW MEXICO.
partial biographer, stood firm as a rock, sustained by his friends, and by the influence of Doña Eufemia, the beautiful wife of Alférez Peñalosa, who publicly harangued the men, urging them to imitate the forti- tude of their leader. Some were mutinous, and bent on going to New Mexico in spite of the king's pro- hibition; but cutting off the head of their leader checked the ardor of this party.
Late in 1597 came orders to get ready, to submit to a final visita, and to start. The royal cédula of April 2d, on which these orders were founded, I have not seen. In September Juan Frias de Salazar was commissioned as visitador, Esquivel retaining his position as comisario, and in December, when the army had been reunited at the Santa Bárbara mines, the final inspection began. 19 If we follow Villagra's version, the expectation was that Oñate could not pass the inspection ; and the viceroy even advised him not to attempt it but to disband his force. The general's reply was that he would submit, not only to this visita, but to as many more as the government might choose to order ; and he did submit, and successfully passed the ordeal. The viceroy states, however, that Sala- zar was secretly instructed to deal as leniently as pos- sible with Oñate, disregarding small deficiencies; and the records show that there was a deficiency in both
19 Villagrá does not name Salazar, but calls the successor of Ulloa-who was sent to China-Capt Guerrero, with Jaime Fernandez as secretary. This may be au error, or Guerrero may have been intermediate between Ulloa and Salazar. The new visitador acc. to V. was a bitter foe of Oñate, and the quarrel between the two waxed very hot. As a sample of the obstacles thrown in the way of the colony, I note the following: Instead of permitting a halt while the inspection was being conducted, as was usual and expected, the visitador ordered an immediate march. Then in some most unsuitable place he would order a halt, forbid the men for several days to leave their tents to look after the live-stock, forbid the purchase of any animals, and then suddenly order the goats or some other class to be presented immediately at his office for inspection! Villagra, Hist. N. Mex., 72-4.
The rear division of the army had left Caxco Aug. Ist, and marched via Carrizal, Zarca, Los Patos, Cerro Gordo, La Parida, Bauz, Rio Florido, aud Rio Bunuelos to Sta Bárbara in S. Bartolomé valley, where they arrived Ang. 19th, and remained till Dec. 17th. Then they pitched the camp a few leagues farther on, at the arroyo de S. Gerónimo, where the visita began Dec. 22d, and where they remained a month. N. Mer., Ytinerario, 229-32; Id., Mem., 197-5; Id., Discurso, 44.
123
SUCCESS AT LAST.
supplies and men, of whom only 130 remained. It was decided that the viceroy should raise 80 men at Oñate's expense-Juan Guerra and his wife, Ana de Mendoza, becoming sureties-and about this number were indeed sent north the next year.20
103
102
392
39-
NUEVOWIEXICO
El Paso
JR. Vacas
(R. Pecos)
219
312
Lag.de Patur
R.del Norte
odriguez
Sosa
1508
Jumanas
30
PR.Conthos
R.Guadalquivir
(Chihuahua)
Rodriguez, 1681
1000
1500
8
NUEVA
VIZCAYA
Sosa,
R. Nadadores
27
0 ...
San Bartolome
(Monclova)
(R.Florido)
-26"
105°
104°
10.3€
101°
OÑATE'S ROUTE, 1598.
22 N. Mex., Mem., 197-8; Id., Discurso, 44. As we have seen, most au- thorities speak of only short delays, and imply that the exped. started for N. Mex. in the summer of '96. The delays are attributed by Salmeron and Niel to the devil, who trembled at the prospect of losing his grasp on so many thousands of souls. Cavo, Tres Siglos, i. 225-9, like Rivera, tells us the delay was caused by a mutiny at Caxco, which Ulloa succeeded in quelling.
(R.Grande)
Espejo, 1582
Espejo's Return, 1583 Cabeza de Vaca,
R. Salado
Onate
Espejo
124
OÑATE'S CONQUEST OF NEW MEXICO.
The final inspection having been concluded the 20th of January, 1598, the army started northward six days later, and on the 30th reached the Conchos. Spanish travellers in America never encamped if it were pos- sible to avoid it, on the near, but always on the far- ther, side of a stream; therefore haste was made to cross; and the bustle and incidents of bridging and fording the river are vividly portrayed by our poet chronicler. They remained in camp on the Conchos for a week, getting rid of the visitador, who is said to have departed without bidding the colonists good-by, but also having to part with Padre Marquez, their confessor. Arrangements had, however, been made for a new band of ten Franciscans ; and these friars, under Padre Alonso Martinez, as comisario, came north with Captain Farfan and his party, who had escorted Padre Marquez on his return, and joined the army soon after the start.21
The force that left the Conchos on the 7th of Feb- ruary is given by Salmeron and Niel, and implied by Villagrá, as 400 men, 130 of whom were accompanied by their families. The documentary records indicate only the 130 soldier colonists, besides a large number of servants and Indians; and it is difficult to under- stand how there could have been more whom Oñate could not utilize to make up the 200 of his contract. Don Cristóbal de Oñate, son of Don Juan, accompanied the expedition as teniente de gobernador y capitan general, at the age of ten years! Juan de Zaldívar was maestro de campo; Don Vicente, his brother, sar- gento mayor ; Captain Villagrá, procurador general ; Captain Bartolomé Romeros, contador; Zubia, or Cubia, proveedor; and Juan Velarde and Juan Perez Donis, secretaries. I append a list of such names as
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.