Presidio de San Felipe y Santiago de Janos (Chihuahua, Mexico)

For a complete administrative history and chronology of the Presidio de Janos, see Part 1 of this guide.

From the guide to the Presidio de San Felipe y Santiago de Janos Records 33352846., 1706-1858, (Benson Latin American Collection, The University of Texas at Austin)

From the guide to the Presidio de San Felipe y Santiago de Janos Records 33352846., 1706-1858, (Benson Latin American Collection, The University of Texas at Austin)

From the guide to the Presidio de San Felipe y Santiago de Janos Records 33352846., 1706-1858, (Benson Latin American Collection, The University of Texas at Austin)

From the guide to the Presidio de San Felipe y Santiago de Janos Records 33352846., 1706-1858, (Benson Latin American Collection, The University of Texas at Austin)

From the guide to the Presidio de San Felipe y Santiago de Janos Records 33352846., 1706-1858, (Benson Latin American Collection, The University of Texas at Austin)

From the guide to the Presidio de San Felipe y Santiago de Janos Records 33352846., 1706-1858, (Benson Latin American Collection, The University of Texas at Austin)

Circa 1580 the town of Janos, Chihuahua, was founded by Franciscan missionaries. In 1680 its mission was destroyed in raids by Apaches and other Indians. As a consequence, a presidio, or military outpost, was established at Janos in 1686; the mission was repopulated in 1717 with Janos and Jocomes Indians. A "peace establishment" was formed to integrate Apaches into the settlement. From Janos Presidio and other presidios in the area, the Spanish military continued intermittently to make peace and do battle with the Apaches.

In 1771 Hugo Oconor (Hugh O'Connor) took over command of the northern frontier and conducted large campaigns against the Apaches. Other military personnel involved in the war with the Apaches included Teodoro de Croix, Diego Borica, Juan Bautista Perú, Narciso de Tapia, Joseph Antonio Rengel, Jacobo Ugarte y Loyola, Roque de Medina, and Antonio Cordero y Bustamente. Apache leaders included Chafalote, El Zurdo (Inclan), Pachatijú, Natanijú, El Compá, and Squielnoctero.

From 1790 to 1831 a relative degree of peace was attained. In 1791 Pedro de Nava was appointed Commandant General of Janos. As Spain's influence in Mexico waned, the administration of presidios weakened, and Mexico's relations with Indian tribes deteriorated. In 1831 an Apache uprising began, and Apaches within the peace establishment abandoned Janos. Many returned in the 1840s. By 1854 the United States had appropriated a large portion of the territory that had been under the jurisdiction of the Janos Presidio. In 1858 the last of the peaceful Apaches at Janos left, and the presidio was closed.

• 1540: first encounter of Apaches and Spaniards during the Francisco Vázquez de Coronado expedition
• 1580: town of Janos founded by Franciscan missionaries. They were killed soon afterwards.
• 1680: the Great Pueblo Revolt. Apaches destroyed the mission Nuestra Señora de la Soledad de Janos.
• 1686: establishment of Janos Presidio under the orders of Juan Fernández de la Fuente
• ca. 1704: peace treaty between Spaniards and Janos and Jocomes Indians
• 1717: The mission Nuestra Señora de la Soledad de Janos was re-established and populated with Janos and Jocomes Indians.
• 1750s: Janos records of encounters with Apaches became more detailed.
• 1760: Manuel de la Torre's military campaign against the Apaches. Chief Chafalote was killed.
• 1762: Two of Chief Chafalote's sons were killed.
• 176 - : investigative visit of Visitador José de Gálvez, minister of the Indies
• 176 - : investigative visit of Marqués de Rub', inspector of presidios
• 1768: Rub's Dictámenes on development of policy toward hostile Indians was issued.
• 1768: Gileños Chafalotes band made peace in Albuquerque.
• 1769: Lope de Cuéllar launched expedition against the Apaches.
• 1770: Bernardo de Gálvez arrived in Chihuahua and tried to drive out the Apaches, causing serious retaliatory attacks.
• 1771: Companies from Janos and San Buenaventura fought Apaches for six days at Sierra de la Boca.
• 1772: The Reglamento de 1772 was issued. Hugo Oconor took over command of the northern frontier.
• 1772: About 200 Apaches attacked Janos Presidio.
• Dec. 1772: Apaches leaders went to Janos and San Buenaventura to petition for peace.
• April 1773: Oconor led expedition into Lipan country.
• ?, 1773: Janos was surrounded by Apaches.
• Fall, 1773: Oconor led expedition against Mescaleros and Natajés.
• Jan. 10, 1774: Oconor inspected the troops in Janos and sent commander Juan Perú on an expedition to Sierra del Hacha.
• Jan. 1774 - Nov. 1775 : Oconor waged war against the Apaches, causing Apache retaliatory attacks to increase.
• Jan. 27, 1774: Apaches attacked Janos.
• Sept. 1774: Apaches battled the Third Flying Company in Janos Jurisdiction. Commander Manuel Esteban Alegre was one of the fatalities.
• Spring, 1776: Captain Antonio Esparza was among those killed in Apache retaliatory attacks.
• 1776: creation of the Comandancia General. Teodoro de Croix was selected as the first commandant general, replacing commandant inspector Hugo Oconor's command of the northern frontier.
• 1777: Apache leaders El Zurdo (Inclan), Pachatijú, and Natanijú attempted to negotiate peace with Narciso de Tapia and other Janos officials.
• 1786: Bernardo de Gálvez issued his Instrucción.
• end of 1786: Antonio Cordero assumed command of Janos from Juan Perú.
• 1787: El Zurdo (Inclan) left the Janos area.
• Spring 1787: Manuel Antonio Flores became viceroy of New Spain.
• 1788: Pachatijú was captured and removed from the Janos area.
• 1788: Chiricagui chief El Compá alligned with the Spaniards.
• Oct. 1789: Flores retired as viceroy.
• Dec. 1789: Chief Squielnoctero and his family sought peace at Janos.
• 1790: Ojos Colorados made peace with the Spaniards.
• 1791: Pedro de Nava became commandant general.
• 1792: Manta Negra the Elder made peace with the Spaniards and lived at Janos for nine months.
• 1794: death of El Compá
• 1795: Janos administration tried to get Apaches at Janos to return to the hinterlands.
• 1803 or 4: Spaniards founded Santa Rita del Cobre in Apache territory.
• 1821: Mexican independence
• 1821 - 1831 : continuation of the administration of the peace establishment at Janos
• 1830: Apache leaders Juan Diego, Pisago Cabezón, Chirimi, Feroz, and Costilla de Hueso requested the Janos commander to increase their rations.
• 1831: The Mexican system of distributing rations was ended.
• 1831: The Apaches left Janos and other peace establishments.
• 1831 - 1834 : Apache uprising and collapse of peace establishments in Chihuahua and Sonora
• Oct. 1831: Chihuahua Commandant General José Joaqu'n Calvo declared war on Apaches.
• Aug. 1832: Twenty-nine Apache leaders concluded a treaty with Captain José Ignacio Ronquillo. Juan José Compá was made paramount chief of the Apaches and set up his headquarters in Janos.
• Jan. 1833: Hostilities resumed.
• July 1833: Captain José Mar'a Zuloaga battled Apaches at Laguna de la Ascensión.
• Oct. 1834: Apache leader Tutije was captured by Mexicans.
• Nov. 1834: Twenty Apache leaders, including Juan José Compá, proposed peace.
• April 1835: A peace treaty was ratified and signed by Juan José Compá and 16 other Apache leaders. Soon hostilities resumed.
• 1836 June - Oct. 1836 : Sonorans waged campaigns against Apaches.
• 1836: The garrison at Janos was moved to Santa Rita del Cobre, and the Galenna garrison moved to Janos.
• Sept. 1836: Pisago Cabezón tried to make peace with Commander Mariano Ponce de León at Santa Rita del Cobre.
• Oct. 1836: Residents of Santa Rita assaulted 5 Apache women and two men who went to the town to trade. One woman and the two men were killed.
• Dec. 1836: The Santa Rita mine was shut down.
• April 1837: North American John Johnson's expedition massacred Apache leaders Juan José Compá, Juan Diego, Marcelo, and others. Mangas Coloradas retaliated against North Americans. Sonorans under Lieutenant Sebastián Reyes ambushed Apaches in Chihuahua.
• Oct. 1837: Apaches increased their raids around Janos.
• Dec. 1839: Chihuahua governor Irigoyen de la O contracted Santiago (James) Kirker to fight Apaches.
• Jan. 1840: Kirker attacked an encampment of Apaches involved in peace negotiations.
• March 1840: Kirker attacked an Apache camp at Laguna de Santa Mar'a.
• 1840: Kirker illegally abducted Pisago Cabezón's son Marcelo during peace negotiations. Attempts to negotiate peace between Janos and Apache leader Pisago Cabezón failed.
• 1841: Pisago Cabezón's son Marcelo was released and sent to Janos.
• 1842: Apaches again took up residence in Janos. A peace treaty was concluded with Gileño Apaches at Janos. Manuel was chosen as new Apache "general" to take Pisago Cabezón's place.
• 1844 - 1845 : Apaches left the peace establishments in part due to smallpox outbreaks.
• 1846 - 1848 : Mexican war with the United States
• 1849: Chihuahua state legislature approved bounty hunting for Apache scalps or captives.
• 1851: invasion of Janos by Sonoran troops under José Mar'a Carrasco looking for Apache refugees and stolen livestock
• 1854: Gadsen purchase
• April 1856: The Commandancy General issued instructions for the consolidation of frontier military installations.
• Jan. 1857: Láceres, Poncito, Felipe, and Pascolo and their people solicited peace at Janos.
• Nov. 1857: Michael Steck, United States Indian agent at Fort Thorn, reported that Mimbreño Apaches were returning from Janos poor, starving, grieving from the loss of many relatives, and showing symptoms of having been poisoned with arsenic.
• 1858: Apaches abandoned Janos. The Janos Presidio was closed down. The Janos garrison joined the garrison at San Elizario.

From the guide to the Presidio de San Felipe y Santiago de Janos Records 33352846., 1706-1858, (Benson Latin American Collection, The University of Texas at Austin)