The Chamuscado and Rodriguez Expedition
Encyclopedia
The Chamuscado and Rodriguez Expedition visited New Mexico
in 1581-1582. The expedition was led by Francisco Sanchez, called "El Chamuscado," and Friar Augustin Rodriguez, the first Spaniards known to have visited the Pueblo Indians since Francisco Vasquez de Coronado
40 years earlier.
, the northernmost outpost of New Spain
, organized the expedition. In 1579, Rodriguez became interested when an Indian told him of settlements to the north in which the Indians grew cotton and wove cloth. To the Spanish this meant that the Indians were civilized beings who might be made Christian. Rodriguez got permission from Spanish authorities "for the purpose of preaching the Holy Gospel." Rodriguez apparently had little familiarity with Coronado's expedition but had read the account of Cabeza de Vaca.
The expedition left Santa Barbara on June 5, 1581. The appointed leader was El Chamuscado, so-called because of his flaming red beard. The expedition included nine Spanish soldiers, three Catholic clerics, including Friar Augustin, and 19 Indian servants, including two women. The soldiers were well armed and mounted; the expedition took along ninety horses and 600 sheep, goats, cattle and pigs. The expedition was also authorized to explore the country for valuable minerals#
Near La Junta, the junction of the Conchos River and the Rio Grande, Chamuscado and Rodriguez found several groups of Indians. At the junction and south were the Abraidres; northward were the Patarabueyes and Otomoacos or Amotomancos. They were friendly, the men described as "handsome" and the women "beautiful". They lived in wattled houses and grew squash and beans, but the Spanish considered them "naked and barbarous people." Northwards, near present day El Paso
lived the Caguates. They lived in mud brick houses and, while growing corn and beans, they also journeyed to the Great Plains
to hunt buffalo and ate fish caught in the river. The explorers estimated that the Indians between La Junta and El Paso numbered about 10,000. The Indians directed the Spanish to follow the Rio Grande upstream to where they would find "houses two stories high and of good appearance, built of mud walls and white inside, the people being dressed in cotton
." Scholars debate which of these various tribes, if any, were the people later known as Jumanos
.
, near the future site of Fort Craig
, and continued up the Rio Grande passing through many large and prosperous Pueblo villages. North of Albuquerque
they left the Rio Grande and journeyed eastward to the largest of the Pueblos at Pecos
. It had 400 to 500 houses and rose to four or five stories—indicating a population of perhaps more than 3,000. The Spaniards described the Pueblo Indians as "handsome and fair-skinned and some of the women had "light hair." Coronado's army may have left its seed behind. They grew corn, beans, and squash and kept turkeys and, all in all, the Spanish were impressed with them and their manner of living.
On September 10, 1581, one of the three Catholic friars, Juan de Santa Maria, decided to return to Mexico. Reluctantly, Chamuscado acceded to his desire and he departed.
The soldiers ventured eastward onto the Great Plains in search of buffalo. On the Pecos River
near Santa Rosa
they encountered a rancheria of Querecho
Indians. Four hundred men armed with bows and arrows came out to meet them, but Friar Rodriguez calmed them. The Spanish described them as "naked" -- uncivilized—people who hunted the buffalo. A short distance further east they found the buffalo in many herds of 200 to 300 and killed about 40 of them and made jerky
. The Querechos were the people who would later be called Apaches.
Returning to the Rio Grande Valley they journeyed west to Acoma Pueblo
and Zuni
but were stopped by winter snows from continuing on to the Hopi
pueblos. Then, they ventured east again to visit several Pueblos in the salinas east of the Manzano Mountains
.
The chroniclers of the expedition did not note any influence of the Coronado expedition on the Pueblos who apparently had not adopted any Spanish customs nor had they preserved any of the horses or other livestock left behind by Coronado. They had, moreover, apparently recovered in numbers from the disastrous levies on their resources that Coronado had imposed., Chamuscado and Rodriguez with their slight numbers made fewer demands on the Pueblos, although they had one altercation after Indians killed three Spanish horses.
Chamuscado and Rodriguez visited 61 Pueblo towns along the Rio Grande and its tributaries and counted a total of 7,003 houses of one or more stories in the Pueblos. If a later estimate of eight persons per house is accurate, the population of the towns visited was 56,000. In addition, they heard of other Pueblos, including the Hopi which they were unable to visit.
The two friars and their Indian servants left behind were also soon killed by the Indians although two Indians escaped and returned to Mexico to tell the story. The Chamuscado and Rodriguez expedition was a modest affair, but revived Spanish interest in New Mexico leading to a colony being established there a few years later by Juan de Onate
.
New Mexico
New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
in 1581-1582. The expedition was led by Francisco Sanchez, called "El Chamuscado," and Friar Augustin Rodriguez, the first Spaniards known to have visited the Pueblo Indians since Francisco Vasquez de Coronado
Francisco Vásquez de Coronado
Francisco Vásquez de Coronado y Luján was a Spanish conquistador, who visited New Mexico and other parts of what are now the southwestern United States between 1540 and 1542...
40 years earlier.
Background
Friar Augustine Rodriguez, stationed near the mining town of Santa Barbara, ChihuahuaSanta Bárbara, Chihuahua
Santa Bárbara is a city and seat of the municipality of Santa Bárbara, in the northern Mexican state of Chihuahua. As of 2005, the city had a total population of 8,673.-History:...
, the northernmost outpost of New Spain
New Spain
New Spain, formally called the Viceroyalty of New Spain , was a viceroyalty of the Spanish colonial empire, comprising primarily territories in what was known then as 'América Septentrional' or North America. Its capital was Mexico City, formerly Tenochtitlan, capital of the Aztec Empire...
, organized the expedition. In 1579, Rodriguez became interested when an Indian told him of settlements to the north in which the Indians grew cotton and wove cloth. To the Spanish this meant that the Indians were civilized beings who might be made Christian. Rodriguez got permission from Spanish authorities "for the purpose of preaching the Holy Gospel." Rodriguez apparently had little familiarity with Coronado's expedition but had read the account of Cabeza de Vaca.
The expedition left Santa Barbara on June 5, 1581. The appointed leader was El Chamuscado, so-called because of his flaming red beard. The expedition included nine Spanish soldiers, three Catholic clerics, including Friar Augustin, and 19 Indian servants, including two women. The soldiers were well armed and mounted; the expedition took along ninety horses and 600 sheep, goats, cattle and pigs. The expedition was also authorized to explore the country for valuable minerals#
The Route and the Indians
The expedition preceded down the Conchos River to its junction with the Rio Grande. Along more than one hundred miles of the Conchos lived the Concho and Raya Indians who spoke the same language and were "naked and lived on roots and other things." Beyond the Conchos, occupying 40 miles of the river banks were the Cabris or Pasaguantes, also "naked" but speaking a different language and cultivating squash and beans in addition to gathering wild plants. They were described as "very handsome." Both the Conchos and the Cabris had been victims of slave raids by Spaniards.Near La Junta, the junction of the Conchos River and the Rio Grande, Chamuscado and Rodriguez found several groups of Indians. At the junction and south were the Abraidres; northward were the Patarabueyes and Otomoacos or Amotomancos. They were friendly, the men described as "handsome" and the women "beautiful". They lived in wattled houses and grew squash and beans, but the Spanish considered them "naked and barbarous people." Northwards, near present day El Paso
El Paso, Texas
El Paso, is a city in and the county seat of El Paso County, Texas, United States, and lies in far West Texas. In the 2010 census, the city had a population of 649,121. It is the sixth largest city in Texas and the 19th largest city in the United States...
lived the Caguates. They lived in mud brick houses and, while growing corn and beans, they also journeyed to the Great Plains
Great Plains
The Great Plains are a broad expanse of flat land, much of it covered in prairie, steppe and grassland, which lies west of the Mississippi River and east of the Rocky Mountains in the United States and Canada. This area covers parts of the U.S...
to hunt buffalo and ate fish caught in the river. The explorers estimated that the Indians between La Junta and El Paso numbered about 10,000. The Indians directed the Spanish to follow the Rio Grande upstream to where they would find "houses two stories high and of good appearance, built of mud walls and white inside, the people being dressed in cotton
Cotton
Cotton is a soft, fluffy staple fiber that grows in a boll, or protective capsule, around the seeds of cotton plants of the genus Gossypium. The fiber is almost pure cellulose. The botanical purpose of cotton fiber is to aid in seed dispersal....
." Scholars debate which of these various tribes, if any, were the people later known as Jumanos
Jumano Indians
The Jumano Indians were a prominent Native American tribe or several tribes who inhabited western Texas and adjacent New Mexico, especially near the La Junta region. They were discovered by Spanish explorers in the 16th century. but had nearly disappeared as a people by 1750.-The Jumano...
.
The Pueblo Indians
After many days of following the Rio Grande through unoccupied territory, the expedition reached the first village of Pueblo Indians south of Socorro, New MexicoSocorro, New Mexico
Socorro is a city in Socorro County in the U.S. state of New Mexico. It stands in the Rio Grande Valley at an elevation of . The population was 9,051 at the 2010 census...
, near the future site of Fort Craig
Fort Craig
Fort Craig was a U.S. Army fort located along El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro, near Elephant Butte Lake State Park and the Rio Grande in Socorro County, New Mexico....
, and continued up the Rio Grande passing through many large and prosperous Pueblo villages. North of Albuquerque
Albuquerque, New Mexico
Albuquerque is the largest city in the state of New Mexico, United States. It is the county seat of Bernalillo County and is situated in the central part of the state, straddling the Rio Grande. The city population was 545,852 as of the 2010 Census and ranks as the 32nd-largest city in the U.S. As...
they left the Rio Grande and journeyed eastward to the largest of the Pueblos at Pecos
Pecos, New Mexico
Pecos is a village in San Miguel County, New Mexico, United States. The population was 1,441 at the 2000 census, growing much faster than in other parts of San Miguel County, partly because Pecos is within commuting distance of Santa Fe. The village is built along the Pecos River which flows from...
. It had 400 to 500 houses and rose to four or five stories—indicating a population of perhaps more than 3,000. The Spaniards described the Pueblo Indians as "handsome and fair-skinned and some of the women had "light hair." Coronado's army may have left its seed behind. They grew corn, beans, and squash and kept turkeys and, all in all, the Spanish were impressed with them and their manner of living.
On September 10, 1581, one of the three Catholic friars, Juan de Santa Maria, decided to return to Mexico. Reluctantly, Chamuscado acceded to his desire and he departed.
The soldiers ventured eastward onto the Great Plains in search of buffalo. On the Pecos River
Pecos River
The headwaters of the Pecos River are located north of Pecos, New Mexico, United States, at an elevation of over 12,000 feet on the western slope of the Sangre de Cristo mountain range in Mora County. The river flows for through the eastern portion of that state and neighboring Texas before it...
near Santa Rosa
Santa Rosa, New Mexico
Santa Rosa is a city in and the county seat of Guadalupe County, New Mexico, United States. The population was 2,744 at the 2000 census. It lies between Albuquerque and Tucumcari, situated on the Pecos River at the intersection of Interstate 40, U.S. Route 54, and U.S. Route 84...
they encountered a rancheria of Querecho
Querechos
The Querechos were a Native American people.In 1541 the Spanish conquistador Francisco Vazquez de Coronado and his army journeyed east from the Rio Grande Valley in search of a rich land called Quivira...
Indians. Four hundred men armed with bows and arrows came out to meet them, but Friar Rodriguez calmed them. The Spanish described them as "naked" -- uncivilized—people who hunted the buffalo. A short distance further east they found the buffalo in many herds of 200 to 300 and killed about 40 of them and made jerky
Jerky (food)
Jerky is lean meat that has been trimmed of fat, cut into strips, and then been dried to prevent spoilage. Normally, this drying includes the addition of salt, to prevent bacteria from developing on the meat before sufficient moisture has been removed. The word "jerky" is a bastardization of the...
. The Querechos were the people who would later be called Apaches.
Returning to the Rio Grande Valley they journeyed west to Acoma Pueblo
Acoma Pueblo
Acoma Pueblo is a Native American pueblo approximately 60 miles west of Albuquerque, New Mexico in the United States. Three reservations make up Acoma Pueblo: Sky City , Acomita, and McCartys. The Acoma Pueblo tribe is a federally recognized tribal entity...
and Zuni
Zuni Pueblo, New Mexico
Zuni Pueblo is a census-designated place in McKinley County, New Mexico, United States. The population was 6,367 at the 2000 census...
but were stopped by winter snows from continuing on to the Hopi
Hopi
The Hopi are a federally recognized tribe of indigenous Native American people, who primarily live on the Hopi Reservation in northeastern Arizona. The Hopi area according to the 2000 census has a population of 6,946 people. Their Hopi language is one of the 30 of the Uto-Aztecan language...
pueblos. Then, they ventured east again to visit several Pueblos in the salinas east of the Manzano Mountains
Manzano Mountains
The Manzano Mountains are a small mountain range in the central part of the US State of New Mexico. They are oriented north-south and are about 40 miles long. The center of the range lies about 25 miles southeast of Albuquerque, and the northern foothills are just a few miles east of the edge of...
.
The chroniclers of the expedition did not note any influence of the Coronado expedition on the Pueblos who apparently had not adopted any Spanish customs nor had they preserved any of the horses or other livestock left behind by Coronado. They had, moreover, apparently recovered in numbers from the disastrous levies on their resources that Coronado had imposed., Chamuscado and Rodriguez with their slight numbers made fewer demands on the Pueblos, although they had one altercation after Indians killed three Spanish horses.
Chamuscado and Rodriguez visited 61 Pueblo towns along the Rio Grande and its tributaries and counted a total of 7,003 houses of one or more stories in the Pueblos. If a later estimate of eight persons per house is accurate, the population of the towns visited was 56,000. In addition, they heard of other Pueblos, including the Hopi which they were unable to visit.
The Return
The Spanish learned that Friar Juan had been killed by Indians only two or three days after leaving the expedition. Despite the killing of Friar Juan, the two remaining friars were determined to stay in New Mexico. The soldiers left them, most of their supplies, and several Indian servants behind in Puaray and departed on the return to Santa Barbara on June 31, 1582. During their return, Chamuscado, almost 70 years of age, died. The eight remaining soldiers arrived in Santa Barbara on April 15, 1582.The two friars and their Indian servants left behind were also soon killed by the Indians although two Indians escaped and returned to Mexico to tell the story. The Chamuscado and Rodriguez expedition was a modest affair, but revived Spanish interest in New Mexico leading to a colony being established there a few years later by Juan de Onate
Juan de Oñate
Don Juan de Oñate y Salazar was a Spanish explorer, colonial governor of the New Spain province of New Mexico, and founder of various settlements in the present day Southwest of the United States.-Biography:...
.