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The U.S. Army invades and captures New Mexico in the Mexican-American War.
The Mexican-American War Begins. On April 25, 1846, Mexican cavalry attacked a group of U.S. soldiers in the disputed zone under the command of General Zachary Taylor, killing about a dozen. They then laid siege to an American fort along the Rio Grande. -
U.S. forces suppress the Revolt of 1847.
Rebellion of 1847 Treason Trials. The occupation of New Mexico by United States troops in 1846, like the much better known reconquest of New Mexico by Diego de Vargas in 1692, is often characterized as peaceful and bloodless because it was accomplished without firing a shot. -
The Mexican-American War ends with the singing of the treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo.
The war officially ended with the February 2, 1848, signing in Mexico of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. The treaty added an additional 525,000 square miles to United States territory, including the land that makes up all or parts of present-day Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming. -
As part of the Compromise of 1850, New Mexico becomes a territory of the United States.
It was enacted September 1850 with the following terms: California admitted as a free state. Utah Territory and New Mexico Territory organized with slavery to be decided by popular sovereignty. ... The Fugitive Slave Act was strengthened, requiring compliance by law enforcement in free states and increasing penalties. -
John Tunstall is killed, starting the Lincoln County war.
Billy the Kid was deeply affected by the murder, claiming that Tunstall was one of the only men that treated him like he was “free-born and white.” At Tunstall’s funeral Billy swore: “I’ll get every son-of-a-bitch who helped kill John if it’s the last thing I do.” Adding fuel to the fire, it was rumored that Tunstall had been murdered on the orders of James Dolan and Lawrence Murphy.
