Early Exploration Conflict: Juan Bautista de Anza and Cuerno Verde
Early 18th-century exploration in North America brought change and destruction to American Indians living in the West. American Indians often resisted European explorers. Sometimes their resistance was met with warfare.
Spanish explorer Juan Bautista de Anza encountered American Indians on his explorations. His family had a long history of being in the military. De Anza followed in his relatives' footsteps and looked for a military position when he was a young teenager. He moved up the ranks in the Spanish military.
Spanish Exploration Continued
Financial problems in Spain limited Spanish expeditions and new settlements throughout the world. De Anza, however, had an idea. He dreamed of expanding Spanish colonization and had uncharted territory in his sights. He requested a new mission that would include settlers and livestock. His eventual goal would be to map out routes and chart the locations of new settlements in what is now northern California. The request was granted, and de Anza began his journey. The expedition faced several problems. Harsh weather and the unfamiliar land slowed his progress. Still, de Anza pushed forward and ultimately located the sites of the future settlements of San Francisco and San Jose.
The Comanche
In 1777, following his successful expeditions in California, de Anza was promoted to governor of Nuevo Mexico, or New Mexico. As the Spanish pushed their empire farther north in New Mexico, they came into conflict with the Navajo, Apache, Ute, and Comanche nations. These tribes and the Spanish fought for control of the land, often in bloody conflicts. De Anza's job was to bring peace to the region by building forts to protect Spanish settlements. He also needed to make peace agreements with the local tribes.
De Anza decided he needed to deal with the most powerful tribe-the Comanche. This would be difficult because the Comanche did not have a single leader. Many different bands of Comanche roamed the region, raiding other tribes and Spanish settlements.
Cuerno Verde and Green Horn Mountain
One of the most powerful Comanche bands was led by a war chief whom the Spanish called Cuerno Verde, which means "Green Horn." Cuerno Verde wore green-colored buffalo horns on his headdress. De Anza decided to attack Cuerno Verde. In August 1779, De Anza and 600 Spanish soldiers and several hundred American Indian allies moved north into present-day Colorado. De Anza's force surprised a Comanche camp near what is now Pueblo, Colorado, and won this first battle.
The next day, near present-day Colorado City, Cuerno Verde and fewer than 100 Comanche men attacked de Anza's force. De Anza's troops trapped the Comanches in a narrow valley. The well-equipped Spanish forces quickly defeated the Comanches. Cuerno Verde, his son, and other Comanche leaders were killed in the battle.
After the battle, de Anza took the Cuerno Verde's green-horned headdress and gave it as a gift to his Spanish commander. The unrest between the Spanish colonists and the Comanche people continued until a peace treaty was established a few years later.
In the area where it is believed that the battle took place, Greenhorn Mountain and Greenhorn Creek were named in honor of Cuerno Verde.
After reading answer the question, Describe the victory of the De Anza's over Cuerno Verde's at Greenhorn Mountain. 2-3 sentences