The Coronado expedition, 1540-1542/Introductory note

by George Parker Winship

 

THE CORONADO EXPEDITION, 1540-1542

 

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By George Parker Winship

 

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INTRODUCTORY NOTE

The following historical introduction, with the accompanying translations, is the result of work in the Seminary of American History at Harvard University. Undertaken as a bit of undergraduate study, it has gradually assumed a form which has been considered worthy of publication, chiefly because of the suggestions and assistance which have been given with most generous readiness by all from whom I have had occasion to ask help or advice. To Dr Justin Winsor; to Professor Henry W. Haynes, who opened the way for students of the early Spanish history of the North American southwest; to Dr J. Walter Fewkes, who has freely offered me the many results of his long-continued and minute investigations at Tusayan and Zuñi; and to the careful oversight and aid of Mr F. W. Hodge and the other members of the Bureau of Ethnology, much of the value of this work is due. Mr Augustus Hemenway has kindly permitted the use of the maps and documents deposited in the archives of the Hemenway Southwestern Archeological Expedition by Mr Adolph F. Bandelier. My indebtedness to the researches and writings of Mr Bandelier is evident throughout. Señor Joaquin Garcia Icazbalceta — whose death, in November, 1894, removed the master student of the documentary history of Mexico — most courteously gave me all the information at his command, and with his own hand copied the Relación postrera de Sívola, which is now for the first time printed. The Spanish text of Castañeda's narrative, the presentation of which for the first time in its original language affords the best reason for the present publication, has been copied and printed with the consent of the trustees of the Lenox Library in New York, in whose custody is the original manuscript. I am under many obligations to their librarian, Mr Wilberforce Eames, who has always been ready to assist me by whatever means were within his power.

The subject of this research was suggested by Professor Channing of Harvard. If my work has resulted in some contribution to the literature of the history of the Spanish conquest of America, it is because of his constant guidance and inspiration, and his persistent refusal to consent to any abandoning of the work before the results had been expressed in a manner worthy of the university.

Before the completion of the arrangements by which this essay becomes a part of the annual report of the Director of the Bureau of Ethnology, it had been accepted for publication by the Department of History of Harvard University.

George Parker Winship
Assistant in American History
in Harvard University.
Cambridge, Massachusetts,
February, 1895.

 

ITINERARY OF THE CORONADO EXPEDITIONS, 1527-1547
1527
June 17	Narvaez sails from Spain to explore the mainland north of the Gulf of Mexico.
1528
April 15	Narvaez lands in Florida.
Sept. 22	The failure of the Narvaez expedition is assured.
1535
	Cortes makes a settlement in Lower California.
	Mendoza comes to Mexico as viceroy of New Spain.
1536
April	Cabeza de Vaca and three other survivors of the Narvaez expedition arrive in New Spain.
	The Licenciate de la Torre takes the residencia of Nuño de Guzman, who is imprisoned until June 30, 1538.
1537
	Franciscan friars labor among the Indian tribes living north of New Spain.
	Coronado subdues the revolted miners of Amatepeque.
	The proposed expedition under Dorantes comes to naught.
April 20	De Soto receives a grant of the mainland of Florida.
1538
	It is rumored that Coronado has been nominated governor of New Galicia.
1539
	Pedro de Alvarado returns from Spain to the New World.
March 7	Friar Marcos de Niza, accompanied by the negro Estevan, starts from Culiacan to find the Seven Cities.
April 18	The appointment of Coronado as governor of New Galicia is confirmed.
May	De Soto sails from Habana.
May 9	Friar Marcos enters the wilderness of Arizona.
May 21	Friar Marcos learns of the death of Estevan.
May 25	De Soto lands on the coast of Florida.
July 8	Ulloa sails from Acapulco nearly to the head of the Gulf of California in command of a fleet furnished by Cortes.
	Friar Marcos returns from the north and certifies to the truth of his report before Mendoza and Coronado.
October	The news of Niza's discoveries spreads through New Spain.
November	Mendoza begins to prepare for an expedition to conquer the Seven Cities of Cibola.
	Melchior Diaz is sent to verify the reports of Friar Marcos.
	De Soto finds the remains of the camp of Narvaez at Bahia de los Cavallos.
Nov. 12	Witnesses in Habana describe the effect of the friar's reports.
1540
Jan. 1	Mendoza celebrates the new year at Pasquaro.
Jan. 9	Coronado at Guadalajara.
Feb. 5	Cortes stops at Habana on his way to Spain.
February	The members of the Cibola expedition assemble at Compostela, where the viceroy finds them on his arrival.
Feb. 22	Review of the army on Sunday.
Feb. 23	The army, under the command of Francisco Vazquez Coronado, starts for Cibola (not on February 1).
Feb. 26	Mendoza returns to Compostela, having left the army two days before, and examines witnesses to discover how many citizens of New Spain have accompanied Coronado. He writes a letter to King Charles V, which has been lost.
March	The army is delayed by the cattle in crossing the rivers. The death of the army master, Samaniego, at Chiametla. Return of Melchior Diaz and Juan de Saldivar from Chichilticalli.
March 3	Beginning of litigation in Spain over the right to explore and conquer the Cibola country.
March 28	Reception to the army at Culiacan, on Easter day.
April	The army is entertained by the citizens of Culiacan.
	Mendoza receives the report of Melchior Diaz' exploration, perhaps at Jacona.
	Coronado writes to Mendoza, giving an account of what has already happened, and of the arrangements which he has made for the rest of the journey. This letter has been lost.
April 17	Mendoza writes to the Emperor Charles V.
April 22	Coronado departs from Culiacan with about seventy-five horsemen and a few footmen.
April	Coronado passes through Petatlan, Cinaloa, Los Cedros, May Yaquemi, and other places mentioned by Jaramillo.
May 9	Alarcon sails from Acapulco to cooperate with Coronado. The army starts from Culiacan and marches toward the Corazones or Hearts valley.
May 26 June	Coronado leaves the valley of Corazones. He proceeds to Chichilticalli, passing Senora or Sonora and Ispa, and thence crosses the Arizona wilderness, fording many rivers.
	The army builds the town of San Hieronimo in Corazones valley.
July 7	Coronado reaches Cibola and captures the first city, the pueblo of Hawikuh, which he calls Granada.
July 11	The Indians retire to their stronghold on Thunder mountain.
July 15	Pedro de Tovar goes to Tusayan or Moki, returning within thirty days.
July 19	Coronado goes to Thunder mountain and returns the same day.
Aug. 3	Coronado writes to Mendoza. He sends Juan Gallego to Mexico, and Melchior Diaz to Corazones with orders for the army. Friar Marcos accompanies them.
Aug. 25(?)	Lopez de Cardenas starts to find the canyons of Colorado river, and is gone about eighty days.
Aug. 26	Alarcon enters the mouth of Colorado river.
Aug. 29	Hernando de Alvarado goes eastward to Tiguex, on the Rio Grande, and to the buffalo plains.
	Pedro de Alvarado arrives in New Spain.
Sept. 7	Hernando de Alvarado reaches Tiguex.
	Diaz and Gallego reach Corazones about the middle of September, and the army starts for Cibola.
	Coronado visits Tutahaco.
September to January	The army reaches Cibola, and goes thence to Tiguex for its winter quarters. The natives in the Rio Grande pueblos revolt and are subjugated. The Turk tells the Spaniards about Quivira.
October	Diaz starts from Corazones before the end of September, with twenty-five men, and explores the country along the Gulf of California, going beyond Colorado river.
	Diego de Alcaraz is left in command of the town of San Hieronimo.
Nov. 29	Mendoza and Pedro de Alvarado sign an agreement in regard to common explorations and conquests.
1541
Jan. 8	Diaz dies on the return from the mouth of the Colorado, and his companions return to Corazones valley.
March	Alcaraz, during the spring, moves the village of San Hieronimo from Corazones valley to the valley of Suya river.
April 20	Beginning of the Mixton war in New Galicia.
	Coronado writes a letter to the King from Tiguex, which has been lost.
	Tovar and perhaps Gallego return to Mexico
April 23	Coronado starts with all his force from Tiguex to cross the buffalo plains to Quivira.
May	The army is divided somewhere on the great plains, perhaps on Canadian river. The main body returns to Tiguex, arriving there by the middle or last of June.
	De Soto crosses the Mississippi.
June	Coronado, with thirty horsemen, rides north to Quivira, where he arrives forty-two (?) days later.
June 24	Pedro de Alvarado is killed at Nochistlan, in New Galicia.
August	Coronado spends about twenty-five days in the country of Quivira, leaving "the middle or last of August."
Sept. 28	The Indians in New Galicia attack the town of Guadalajara, but are repulsed.
Oct. 2	Coronado returns from Quivira to Tiguex and writes a letter to the King.
November	Cardenas starts to return to Mexico with some other invalids from the army. He finds the village of Suya in ruins and hastily returns to Tiguex.
	December Coronado falls from his horse and is seriously injured.
	The Mixton peñol is surrendered by the revolted Indians during holiday week.
1542
	Coronado and his soldiers determine to return to New Spain. They start in the spring, and reach Mexico probably late in the autumn. The general makes his report to the viceroy, who receives him coldly. Coronado not long after resigns his position as governor of New Galicia and retires to his estates.
April 17	De Soto reaches the mouth of Red river, where he dies, May 21.
June 27	Cabrillo starts on his voyage up the California coast. He dies in January, 1543, and the vessels return to New Spain by April, 1544.
Nov. 1	Villalobos starts across the Pacific. His fleet meets with many misfortunes and losses. The survivors, five years or more later, return to Spain.
Nov. 25	Friar Juan de la Cruz is killed at Tiguex, where he remained when the army departed for New Spain. Friar Luis also remained in the new country, at Cicuye, and Friar Juan de Padilla, at Quivira, where he is killed. The companions of Friar Juan de Padilla make their way back to Mexico, arriving before 1552.
1544
Nov. 30	Promulgation of the New Laws for the Indies.
	Sebastian Cabot publishes his map of the New World.
1547
	Mendoza, before he leaves New Spain to become viceroy of Peru, answers the charges preferred against him by the officials appointed to investigate his administration.

Southwest USA and Mexico.

 

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