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The so-called the Battle of Santa Fe took place without a single shot being fired on August 15, 1846, during the Mexican-American War.
[edit] Background
U.S. Army General Stephen W. Kearny had moved southwest Fort Leavenworth, Kansas with about 1,700 men in his Army of the West. Kearny's orders were to secure the New Mexico territory and Alta California.
[edit] Occupation
Kearny encountered no Mexican forces when he arrived on August 15th at Santa Fe, the capital of the Mexican Province of New Mexico. Governor Manuel Armijo and the Mexican army had fled the city on August 14th, the day before Kearny's forces arrived, and Kearny peacefully occupied the provincial capital.
[edit] Aftermath
From Santa Fe, Kearny sent Colonel Alexander Doniphan further south into Mexico. Kearny declared himself the military governor of the New Mexico Territory on August 18 and established a civilian government. He then took the remainder of his army and moved west to Alta California.
[edit] See also