The 19th Century Salt war
The San Elizario Salt War, also referred to as the Salinero Rebellion or the El Paso Salt War, was a prolonged and intricate conflict in the mid-1800s centered around the control and ownership of vast salt lakes located at the foot of the Guadalupe Mountains in West Texas. It started in 1866 as a dispute over political and legal rights among Anglo Texan leaders and businessmen, escalating into a full-scale battle in 1877 involving ethnic Mexican and Tejano residents on both sides of the Rio Grande near El Paso, who were fighting against a prominent politician backed by the Texas Rangers. The conflict peaked with the capture and surrender of 20 Texas Rangers to a popular force of around 500 men in San Elizario, Texas. The situation escalated further with the arrival of the African-American 9th Cavalry and a sheriff's posse of New Mexico mercenaries, leading to hundreds of Tejano people fleeing to Mexico, some choosing to stay there permanently. The use of force was necessary to establish the right of individuals to own the salt lakes, which had previously been considered a communal resource.
The dispute started as a local dispute but escalated over time, eventually drawing the attention of both the Texas and federal governments. News outlets across the country reported on the conflict, often with a sensational tone and vivid descriptions. At its peak, the conflict involved as many as 650 men armed. The toll of the conflict was high, with an estimated 20 to 30 men losing their lives and possibly double that number being wounded in the 12-year struggle over salt.
Historians have traditionally portrayed the Mexican-American uprising during the San Elizario Salt War as a violent riot by a chaotic crowd. The Texas Rangers who surrendered, especially their leaders, have been criticized for their incompetence. However, more recent research has positioned the war within the broader context of the long and often violent struggle of Mexican-Americans to be recognized as equal citizens in the United States, rather than as oppressed individuals. More recently, the "mob" has been characterized as a well-organized political-military force aiming to regain control over their basic political rights and economic destiny.
S.K.S.C.NADARAJAN & BROR.
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