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Brigadier General Diego Archuleta (March 27, 1814 – 1884), was a member of the Mexican Congress. He joined the Mexican Army to fight against the United States in the
Mexican–American War The Mexican–American War, also known in the United States as the Mexican War and in Mexico as the (''United States intervention in Mexico''), was an armed conflict between the United States and Mexico from 1846 to 1848. It followed the 1 ...
. Later, he was appointed an Indian ( Native Americans) Agent by President
Abraham Lincoln Abraham Lincoln ( ; February 12, 1809 – April 15, 1865) was an American lawyer, politician, and statesman who served as the 16th president of the United States from 1861 until his assassination in 1865. Lincoln led the nation throu ...
, and joined the
Union Army During the American Civil War, the Union Army, also known as the Federal Army and the Northern Army, referring to the United States Army, was the land force that fought to preserve the Union of the collective states. It proved essential to the ...
(
US Army The United States Army (USA) is the land warfare, land military branch, service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight Uniformed services of the United States, U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army o ...
) during the American Civil War. Archuleta became the first
Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to viceroyalties form ...
to reach the military rank of
Brigadier General Brigadier general or Brigade general is a military rank used in many countries. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries. The rank is usually above a colonel, and below a major general or divisional general. When appointed to ...
.


Early years

Archuleta was born in Plaza de Los Luceros, Rio Arriba, New Mexico, then a province of New Spain. He was the son of a prominent citizen, Juan Andres Archuleta.Ralph Emerson Twitchell,
The History of the Military Occupation of the Territory of New Mexico from 1846 to 1851
' (1909)
His family were wealthy ranchers and, as such, they had the economic means to send him to
Durango Durango (), officially named Estado Libre y Soberano de Durango ( en, Free and Sovereign State of Durango; Tepehuán: ''Korian''; Nahuatl: ''Tepēhuahcān''), is one of the 31 states which make up the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico, situated in ...
, Mexico where he received his primary and secondary education. His education was intended to prepare him for the priesthood, toward which he attained the four minor orders, but he decided not to follow that vocation before leaving Durango.


Pre-war Mexican service and life

Archuleta returned home in 1840 and was commissioned as captain of the militia. In this capacity, he commanded a body of troops and assisted in the capture of Texans during the Texan Santa Fe Expedition of 1841. In that year he also married Jesusita Trujillo, who later gave him seven children. In 1843 he was elected as a Deputy from New Mexico to the National Mexican Congress, serving there for two years. In recognition of his distinguished service as an officer of the Mexican army he was awarded the golden Cross of Honor for preserving the integrity of the Mexican territory.


Mexican-American War

Archuleta supported Mexico upon the outbreak of the
Mexican–American War The Mexican–American War, also known in the United States as the Mexican War and in Mexico as the (''United States intervention in Mexico''), was an armed conflict between the United States and Mexico from 1846 to 1848. It followed the 1 ...
. The Mexican–American War was an armed conflict between the United States and
Mexico Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guatema ...
from 1846 to 1848 in the wake of the 1845 U.S.
annexation of Texas The Texas annexation was the 1845 annexation of the Republic of Texas into the United States. Texas was admitted to the Union as the 28th state on December 29, 1845. The Republic of Texas declared independence from the Republic of Mexico o ...
, which Mexico considered part of its territory despite the 1836 Texas Revolution. In 1846 and 1847, Archuleta participated and led two unsuccessful rebellions against the U.S. On August 9, 1846, Archuleta, who was appointed to the rank of Colonel in the Mexican Army, wanted to fight the invading American forces headed towards Santa Fe. He was joined by other militia officers was joined by other militia officers Manuel Chaves and Miguel Pino, who wanted Governor
Manuel Armijo Manuel Armijo (ca. 1793–1853) was a New Mexican soldier and statesman who served three times as governor of New Mexico. He was instrumental in putting down the Revolt of 1837, he led the force that captured the Texan Santa Fe Expedition, and ...
to muster a defense. Armijo set up a position in Apache Canyon, a narrow pass about southeast of the city. On August 14, before the arrival of the American Army, Armijo decided not to fight and dismissed Archuleta. No shots were fired in the
Capture of Santa Fe 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 Province of New Mexico, during the Mexican–American War on 8 August through 14 Augu ...
and the New Mexican Militia retreated from Santa Fe while 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 Mu ...
. An account by Senator Thomas H. Benton states that at least twenty-four hours before Kearny reached Apache Canyon, James Magoffin had convinced (possibly with a bribe) Manuel Armijo to make no defense, but Colonel Archuleta, second in command, was determined to fight. In order to dissuade Archuleta, Magoffin argued that Kearny was only interested in lands east of the Rio Grande which were previously claimed by Texas, and recommended that Archuleta issue a pronunciamento to seize territory west of the river for his own governance. Whereby, Archuleta agreed not to resist. Following the
Capture of Santa Fe 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 Province of New Mexico, during the Mexican–American War on 8 August through 14 Augu ...
and the discovery that U.S. military orders were to take possession of the whole territory and that General Kearny was marching toward California, Archuleta was determined to revolt. He organized the first conspiracy to overthrow General
Sterling Price Major-General Sterling "Old Pap" Price (September 14, 1809 – September 29, 1867) was a senior officer of the Confederate States Army who commanded infantry in the Western and Trans-Mississippi theaters of the American Civil War. Prior t ...
's government administration in Santa Fe, but the plot was discovered and stopped. Within another thirty days he had organized another conspiracy, which resulted in the death of Governor
Charles Bent Charles Bent (November 11, 1799 – January 19, 1847) was an American businessman and politician who served as the first civilian United States governor of the New Mexico Territory, newly acquired by the Military Governor, Stephen Watts Kearny, ...
and others. This was the
Taos Revolt The Taos Revolt was a populist insurrection in January 1847 by Hispano and Pueblo allies against the United States' occupation of present-day northern New Mexico during the Mexican–American War. Provisional governor Charles Bent and severa ...
, a popular insurrection against the American occupation of New Mexico by Mexicans and
Pueblo Indians The Puebloans or Pueblo peoples, are Native Americans in the Southwestern United States who share common agricultural, material, and religious practices. Currently 100 pueblos are actively inhabited, among which Taos, San Ildefonso, Acoma, Z ...
. Archuleta also participated in the January 24, 1847
Battle of Cañada The Battle of Cañada was a popular insurrection against the American occupation of New Mexico by Mexicans and Pueblo Indians. It took place on January 24, 1847, during the Taos Revolt, a conflict of the Mexican–American War. Background In ...
, which was part of that revolt.


New Mexico Territorial Government

The U.S. won the Mexican–American War and forced Mexico into the cession of its northern territories, which included New Mexico. After the war, Archuleta returned to New Mexico and swore allegiance to the American government. He became involved in the territorial politics and was elected to the New Mexico Territorial Legislative Assembly in a total of thirteen yearly sessions, over a period of 31 years. He represented Rio Arriba county, serving as House member each year in sessions (1853) 3rd through (1856) 6th, and also in the (1862) 12th; as President of the Council in the (1863) 13th and (1864) 14th sessions; as Council member in sessions (1867) 17th through (1871) 20th, and in the (1878) 23rd; and was finally elected to the (1884) 26th session as House member, during which, he died. He also ran as a candidate for the 1861 Thirty-seventh Congress of the United States, but was defeated by John Sebrie Watts. Watts had also advocated for Archuleta's appointment as the U.S.
Indian Indian or Indians may refer to: Peoples South Asia * Indian people, people of Indian nationality, or people who have an Indian ancestor ** Non-resident Indian, a citizen of India who has temporarily emigrated to another country * South Asia ...
agent. In 1857 Archuleta was named the U.S. Indian agent for the Ute tribe. In one of his government reports he is listed as agent for the Utahs, Capotes, and Apache Jicarillas. In March 1865, after the war's end, President Lincoln re-appointed Archuleta as an Indian agent in New Mexico.


American Civil War

From 1861 to 1865, eleven Southern
slave state In the United States before 1865, a slave state was a state in which slavery and the internal or domestic slave trade were legal, while a free state was one in which they were not. Between 1812 and 1850, it was considered by the slave states ...
s of the United States of America declared their secession from the U.S. and formed the Confederate States of America. The U.S. government ( The Union) rejected secession as illegal, and the Civil War ensued.Frank L. Owsley, ''State Rights in the Confederacy'' (Chicago, 1925). Initially, Archuleta's sympathies lay with the Confederates. This led Watts and other pro-Union colleagues to lose faith in Archuleta. In 1861, Watts asked president
Abraham Lincoln Abraham Lincoln ( ; February 12, 1809 – April 15, 1865) was an American lawyer, politician, and statesman who served as the 16th president of the United States from 1861 until his assassination in 1865. Lincoln led the nation throu ...
to replace Archuleta and to name Jose Antonio Mansinares to the position of Indian agent. Archuleta recanted from his secessionist views and joined the Union Army. He was assigned to the "New Mexico Militia" (NMM) as Lt. Colonel with Colonel Manuel Armijo (son of the late governor
Manuel Armijo Manuel Armijo (ca. 1793–1853) was a New Mexican soldier and statesman who served three times as governor of New Mexico. He was instrumental in putting down the Revolt of 1837, he led the force that captured the Texan Santa Fe Expedition, and ...
), over the 1st regiment, consisting of six companies. The smaller 2nd regiment of the NMM consisted of four companies and was under the command of Colonel Nicolas Pino, Lt. Colonel J. M. Baca y Salazar and Major Charles E. Wesche.''The Union Army'' (1908
Vol. 4
p.462
On September 9, 1861 he was appointed as Brigadier General of the 1st division of the Militia of the Territory by Henry Connelly, governor and commander in chief of the territory. The "New Mexico Volunteer Infantry" (NMVI) had the most Hispanic officers of any unit in the Union Army. The unit included Colonel Miguel E. Pino,
Lieutenant Colonel Lieutenant colonel ( , ) is a rank of commissioned officers in the armies, most marine forces and some air forces of the world, above a major and below a colonel. Several police forces in the United States use the rank of lieutenant colone ...
Jose Maria Valdez, Colonel Jose G. Gallegos, and Lieutenant Colonel Francisco Perea. These units fought in the
Battle of Valverde The Battle of Valverde, also known as the Battle of Valverde Ford, was fought from February 20 to 21, 1862, near the town of Val Verde at a ford of the Rio Grande in Union-held New Mexico Territory, in what is today the state of New Mexico. I ...
on February 21, 1862. When Archuleta was promoted to Brigadier General, he became the first Hispanic in history, to reach that rank in the
United States Military The United States Armed Forces are the military forces of the United States. The armed forces consists of six service branches: the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Space Force, and Coast Guard. The president of the United States is the ...
.


Death

On March 20, 1884, during his last session of the Assembly, he was taken suddenly ill. The following day he was assisted to his seat, cast his vote, and was then taken to his apartments, and although every known medical treatment was brought to bear, he died of heart failure. On the day of the funeral native and American citizens alike assembled in vast numbers, performing the last honor to the distinguished statesman. The procession which followed the remains to their last resting place in the Catholic cemetery was one of the largest ever seen in the City of Santa Fe. The 22d Infantry Band of the United States Army led the procession, which included the General commanding the District, Brigadier General David S. Stanley, his staff, and other officers of the U.S. Army stationed at Santa Fe, the members of the legislative assembly, the county commissioners, secret and patriotic societies. It was estimated that over 2,500 people marched in the procession. His last speech in the House of Representatives was in favor of an amendment to a pending educational bill, which declared for non-sectarian administration of the schools of New Mexico. In making this speech, he said that he was then an old man, that he expected very soon to be called to his Maker, and when that time came, he would go with the satisfaction of knowing that his vote had been cast in behalf of freedom and in behalf of free, non-sectarian education of the youth of his country. His last vote cast in the House was in favor of the construction of the Capitol building at Santa Fe. He died in Santa Fe, and was survived by seven children.


Awards and decorations

Diego Archuleta's awards and decorations include the following: File:Cwm.png, Army Civil War Campaign Medal


See also

* Hispanics in the American Civil War *
Capture of Santa Fe 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 Province of New Mexico, during the Mexican–American War on 8 August through 14 Augu ...
*
Battle of Cañada The Battle of Cañada was a popular insurrection against the American occupation of New Mexico by Mexicans and Pueblo Indians. It took place on January 24, 1847, during the Taos Revolt, a conflict of the Mexican–American War. Background In ...
*
Manuel Armijo Manuel Armijo (ca. 1793–1853) was a New Mexican soldier and statesman who served three times as governor of New Mexico. He was instrumental in putting down the Revolt of 1837, he led the force that captured the Texan Santa Fe Expedition, and ...


References


Further reading

* ''Diego Archuleta, Primer Brigadier Mexicano de Estados Unidos (Spanish);'' by Gerardo Flores; Publication: Contenido (Magazine/Journal); Publisher: Thomson Gale * ''The History Of The Military Occupation Of The Territory Of New Mexico From 1846–1851, By The Government Of The United States'' by Ralph Emerson Twitchell; Publisher: Kessinger Publishing * ''Violence Over the Land: Indians and Empires in the Early American West;'' by Ned Blackhawk; Publisher: Harvard University Press; ; * ''AASF, LDS film # 9, 10, 16976, San Juan de los Caballeros Church Baptisms, Frame 1358, entry 6. Parents residents of "Plaza de los Luceros" as stated in baptism record'' {{DEFAULTSORT:Archuleta, Diego 1814 births 1884 deaths Politicians from Albuquerque, New Mexico Union militia generals Mexican military personnel of the Mexican–American War People of New Mexico in the American Civil War People of the Taos Revolt