José Antonio Vizcarra

[3] On 14 April 1824, Lieutenant Colonel José Antonio Vizcarra, Special Commander of the province, married Doña Ana Maria Ortiz, widow of Sheriff Don Fernando Delgado.

[7] News traveled slowly between Mexico City and Santa Fe, a distance of perhaps 1,500 miles (2,400 km) over poor roads.

On 31 October 1822 Agustín de Iturbide, who had been declared "constitutional emperor" of Mexico, closed down the Congress and assumed absolute power.

[8] When the news of Iturbide's coup reached Santa Fe, Colonel Viscarra arranged for a great celebration in favor of the emperor in December 1822.

[6] On 2 December, the revolutionary leader Antonio López de Santa Anna started a revolt against the emperor in Veracruz.

He and another prominent citizen decided to send a letter to the Emperor telling him that New Mexico " is not disposed to soil its hands with the vile stain of infidelity; that its people honor their solemn vows, wishing rather to be the victims of tyrants than to agree with their anarchistic ideas."

News of Iturbide's abdication reach Santa Fe at the end of May, and Vizcarra was reprimanded by the commander of Chihuahua for demonstrating loyalty to the former emperor.

[11] Facundo Melgáres, the last Spanish governor of New Mexico before independence in 1822, had conducted two unsuccessful expeditions against the Navajos, who were attacking the New Mexican settlers.

[14] While leading this force west from Jemez Pueblo, Vizcarra reported seeing the ruins of many Chacoan buildings along the route, which was to become an established trail for the next forty years.

[14] In retaliation for Vizcarra's expedition, the Navajos raided Socorro again, and attacked Tome, Albuquerque and reached the outskirts of Santa Fe.

[18] In the spring of 1829 a small contingent of U.S. Army soldiers was ordered to move to Cantonment Leavenworth to protect traders travelling between Missouri and Santa Fe, New Mexico.

[21] Vizcarra was given command of soldiers to protect a caravan of 300 people with a large herd of livestock, accompanied by about 90 traders on the return journey.