Jose de Escandon
Spanish Indian-fighter
Jose de Escandon,
1st Count of Sierra Gorda (May 19, 1700, Soto de la Marina, Cantabria, Spain – 1770, New Spain) was a Spanish Indian-fighter in New Spain and the founder and first governor of the colony of Nuevo Santander, which extended from thePánuco River in the modern-day Mexican state of Veracruz to the Guadalupe River in the U.S. state of Texas.
In 1727, he
pacified the Pames, who had revolted in Celaya, and was promoted to sergeant mayor of the regiment.
In 1732, he
subdued rebels at the mines in Guanajuato, and the following year he did the same at Irapuato. In 1734 he pacified 10,000 Indian rebels at San Miguel el Grande.
For these accomplishments, he
was promoted to colonel and assigned as an aide to the captain general of the Sierra Gorda.
In 1742 he
was transferred from Querétaro to Veracruz, which was threatened by the English, but upon his arrival he received orders to return to Tehuacán.