The Battle of Las Vegas was part of the Taos Revolution. It came in the aftermath of the Mexican-American war. In the article below, we discuss how it came to be and the events of that day.
Las Vegas has not always been the glittering mecca it is now. In fact, this facet only really developed in 1905, when it was founded as a city. At a juncture at the Union Pacific Railroad, it would be an oasis in the desert for those working in the blistering heat and traveling to other places. There are very few traces of this old Las Vegas left, mainly due to how valuable land is. There is an Old Mormon Fort at Washington Avenue and Las Vegas Boulevard dating from this time, but few other man-made landmarks remain. However, it was the scene for a major turning point in the Tao revolution and the wider Mexican-American war.
Las Vegas Then and Now
Today, Las Vegas is most well known as a gambling capital. It is currently undergoing a renaissance, with footfall buoying its casinos and concert halls and land prices rocketing as a result. This has been down to the introduction of online casinos, which have removed the veil of exclusivity and opened them to a whole new audience. Websites like Casinos.com offers a no-deposit bonus so people can try games without using their bankroll from the comfort of their homes. They have then moved into physical casinos to try their luck.
At the time of the battle, Vegas was very different. It was a spot on the Spanish Trail trading route and led travelers from Santa Fe, New Mexico, to Los Angeles. In around 1844, the area was just beginning to see an influx of pioneers. However, its high elevations made it a good spot for a military lookout post and an area that needed to be under US control.
The Taos Revolt
The battle itself was part of the Taos revolt, which was itself part of the wider Mexican-American war. This two-year conflict ran from 1846 to 1848. It was a result of the annexation of Texas. Mexico still considered this area to be part of its land, despite a 1936 revolution in the state that had proven otherwise.
The Taos revolt was the aftermath of the surrender by the local population at the Battle of Santa Fe. Not a single shot had been fired, and Colonel Sterling Price was left in charge of New Mexico as the rest of the US military moved on toward the end of the conflict. However, the New Mexicans were far from happy and did not like the surrender or the way in which US soldiers were treating them. Many also worried their land rights would not transfer from Mexican to US authority.
The revolt began on January 19th, 1847. The revolutionaries led a party to the house of the US Governor. His family managed to escape by digging through the walls of their house but were soon captured once more. The governor was killed, but his wife and children were left. This coincided with many other US officials involved in the area at the time.
The next day, a second party traveled to a mill at Arroyo Hondo just outside the town. Spotted in advance, a messenger was sent to Santa Fey to request help from the US troops there. Most of the men left at the mill were killed, as were several American traders who happened to pass by. The Taos revolt had begun.
The Battle of Las Vegas
The Battle of Las Vegas happened several months after the revolt began, in June of 1847. Several cavalry horses had been stolen by the New Mexicans and taken into the mountains. The men dispatched to return them did not arrive back. They later received news that the men had been killed. The leader, Major Edmondson, ordered a march to Las Vegas in retribution. They loaded up with a force of 29 cavalry, 33 infantrymen, and a large howitzer cannon.
When they arrived, they found a sizable army waiting for them. The tactics were to split the force in two and make a simultaneous attack on the left and right flanks. However, the Mexicans had prepared and were able to fire shots into the advancing US troops. Yet after 15 minutes, the American soldiers had managed to get into the buildings and begin close combat. This left the cannon useless, and it was never used in the battle at all.
Many of the Mexicans fled into the hills, and around 50 were captured with 10 injured. Six of them were then tried and found guilty of murder. It would only be another three days, and the Taos revolt would end altogether. As a result of the wider war, the US would occupy New Mexico and California. They would then go on to take the north of Mexico itself.
This area is now as American as can be. However, it does still retain the characteristics and influence of its Mexican culture. While it may not be easy to get a feel of this wilderness from Vegas City, you only need to be a short drive out into the desert and mountains to see just how wild and rugged this country is and how hard life must have been during this dangerous time in the country’s history.
