Juan Domínguez de Mendoza

Juan Domínguez de Mendoza (born 1631) was a Spanish soldier who played an important role in suppressing the Pueblo Revolt of 1680 and who made two major expeditions from New Mexico into Texas.

[4] He was a member of the Diego de Guadalajara expedition of 1654 from Santa Fe to what is now San Angelo, Texas, where the three main tributaries of the Concho River converge.

Rather than risking a full-scale counterattack against the Natives, New Mexican governor, Antonio de Otermin, decided to establish a fort and refuge camp at the Paso del Norte with the intent to organize a stronger military campaign at a later time.

Stepping into a quagmire mess, Cruzate faced the difficult challenge of having to re-conquer New Mexico and to prevent a social upheaval in the newer settlements along the Rio Grande.

In exchange for a permanent mission to be established with the Jumanoes near the La Junta de los Rios region (present day Presidio, Texas), Sabeata agreed to personally guide a Spanish expedition into the eastern interior of the Jumano homelands where he stated the Spaniards could find immeasurable amounts of aid from the smaller tribes of Natives in establishing a new settlement.

To add further incentives, Sabeata related a number of divine experiences that he stated he had personally witnessed from God while waging war against the encroaching Apache tribe.

In one such instance, Sabeata stated that the Jumanoes were on the verge of losing a fiercely contested battle against the Apaches when a cross appeared in the skies above the battlefield, took a physical form, and dropped from the clouds directly into his hands.

4) He was to reconnoiter the Rio de los Nueces (present day Concho River in San Angelo, Texas) and to both document and bring back examples of the natural amenities that could be found there.

They spent six weeks on what Domínguez called the "glorious San Clemente" river, building a fort, probably near the location of present-day Ballinger, Texas as defense against Apaches and hunting buffalo for hides and food.

Domínguez and López returned to El Paso, and then went on to Mexico City in 1685, where they made a strong case for sending soldiers and missionaries to the Jumano country.