The Capture of Santa Fe, also known as the Battle of Santa Fe or the Battle of Cañoncito, took place near
Santa Fe,
New Mexico, the capital of the
Mexican
Mexican may refer to:
Mexico and its culture
*Being related to, from, or connected to the country of Mexico, in North America
** People
*** Mexicans, inhabitants of the country Mexico and their descendants
*** Mexica, ancient indigenous people ...
Province of New Mexico
A province is almost always an administrative division within a country or state. The term derives from the ancient Roman ''provincia'', which was the major territorial and administrative unit of the Roman Empire's territorial possessions outsi ...
, during the
Mexican–American War on 8 August through 14 August 1846. No shots were fired during the capturing of Santa Fe.
Background
United States Army General Stephen W. Kearny
Stephen Watts Kearny (sometimes spelled Kearney) ( ) (August 30, 1794October 31, 1848) was one of the foremost History of the United States (1789–1849), antebellum frontier officers of the United States Army. He is remembered for his significan ...
had moved southwest from
Fort Leavenworth,
Kansas with about 1,700 men in his
Army of the West. Kearny's orders were to secure the
New Mexico Territory
The Territory of New Mexico was an organized incorporated territory of the United States from September 9, 1850, until January 6, 1912. It was created from the U.S. provisional government of New Mexico, as a result of ''Santa Fe de Nuevo México ...
and
Alta California
Alta California ('Upper California'), also known as ('New California') among other names, was a province of New Spain, formally established in 1804. Along with the Baja California peninsula, it had previously comprised the province of , but ...
.
[
August 9 in Santa Fe, Governor Manuel Armijo wanted to avoid battle, but Catholic priests, Diego Archuleta (the young regular-army commander), and the young militia officers Manuel Chaves and Miguel Pino forced him to muster a defense.][ The New Mexican army retreated to Santa Fe, and Armijo fled to ]Chihuahua Chihuahua may refer to:
Places
*Chihuahua (state), a Mexican state
**Chihuahua (dog), a breed of dog named after the state
**Chihuahua cheese, a type of cheese originating in the state
**Chihuahua City, the capital city of the state
**Chihuahua Mun ...
.
Capture
Kearny and his troops encountered no Mexican forces when they arrived on August 15. Kearny and his force entered Santa Fe and claimed the New Mexico Territory for the United States without a shot being fired.
Aftermath
From Santa Fe, Kearny sent Colonel Alexander Doniphan further south into Mexico. Kearny declared himself the military governor of the New Mexico Territory
The Territory of New Mexico was an organized incorporated territory of the United States from September 9, 1850, until January 6, 1912. It was created from the U.S. provisional government of New Mexico, as a result of ''Santa Fe de Nuevo México ...
on August 18 and established a civilian government. He then took the remainder of his army west to Alta California
Alta California ('Upper California'), also known as ('New California') among other names, was a province of New Spain, formally established in 1804. Along with the Baja California peninsula, it had previously comprised the province of , but ...
.[
The New Mexicans put up no organized resistance until the Taos Revolt in early 1847, although in the month prior, a December, 1846 planned revolt in Santa Fe, involving many leading Mexican loyalists, was discovered and disrupted by General Sterling Price, after being informed of the plot by Donaciano Vigil, before it could be carried out.][ Ralph Emerson Twitchell, ]
The History of the Military Occupation of the Territory of New Mexico
' (1909) pp.310–321
See also
* Battles of the Mexican–American War
* List of battles fought in New Mexico
Notes
References
* H. Bailey Carroll, ''The Texan Santa Fé Trail'' (Canyon, Texas: Panhandle-Plains Historical Society, 1951).
* Hubert Howe Bancroft; ''History of the North Mexican States and Texas, Volume 2: 1801–1889''. Published in 1889 (index for volumes 15 and 16)
Kearny's orders
Library of Congress
{{DEFAULTSORT:Capture Of Santa Fe
1846 in Mexico
Santa Fe 1846
Santa Fe, New Mexico
History of Santa Fe County, New Mexico
August 1846 events