Cuerno Verde
Encyclopedia
Cuerno Verde was a leader of the Comanche
in the late 18th century.
The success of a series of raids led by the younger Tabivo Naritgant into Nuevo Mexico
during the mid to late 1770s called him to the attention of the Spanish Viceroy in Mexico. The Viceroy offered Juan Bautista de Anza
the governorship of Nuevo Mexico in exchange for him dealing with Tabivo Naritgant. De Anza moved to Nuevo Mexico and assumed the Governorship and for a year, studied past expeditions against and encounters with Cuerno Verde. A year later, in August of 1779, de Anza led a mixed force of 500 to 800 Spanish troops and Ute, Apache, and Pueblo auxiliaries on a punitive expedition
against the Comanche.
The Comanche and Spanish forces met in a series of running battles between August 31 and September 3, 1779; Tabivo Naritgant was killed in combat, along with his first born son and fifteen others, on September 3 somewhere between the present day cities of Pueblo, Colorado
and Colorado City, Colorado
, probably in a gully of the St. Charles River. The "green horn" headress of Cuerno Verde was taken from the battlefield and presented to the Viceroy by de Anza. The Viceroy in turn presented the headress to the King of Spain. The King, in turn presented the headress to the Pope. The headress remains on display at the Vatican museum in Rome.
Hostilities in the area decreased following his death.
Although Anza called him a "cruel scourge" and made note in his diaries of atrocities attributed to him, many modern Comanches question the veracity of Anza's statements and maintain that Tabivo Naritgant was only meeting the obligations of a responsible Comanche leader of the period.
and the Greenhorn valley in south-central Colorado.
Comanche
The Comanche are a Native American ethnic group whose historic range consisted of present-day eastern New Mexico, southern Colorado, northeastern Arizona, southern Kansas, all of Oklahoma, and most of northwest Texas. Historically, the Comanches were hunter-gatherers, with a typical Plains Indian...
in the late 18th century.
Life
Cuerno Verde, which translates to "Green Horn" in English, is the Spanish name given to Tabivo Naritgant because of the green tinted horns that he wore on his head-dress in battle. The English translation of the original Comanche name is "Dangerous Man". He inherited both his name and his distinctive head dress from his father, who was killed in combat against the Spanish at Ojo Caliente, in what is now New Mexico, in October 1768.The success of a series of raids led by the younger Tabivo Naritgant into Nuevo Mexico
Nuevo México
-In Mexico:*Nuevo México, Chiapas*Nuevo México, Jalisco*Santa Fe de Nuevo México ; the province or kingdom of which Santa Fe was the capital....
during the mid to late 1770s called him to the attention of the Spanish Viceroy in Mexico. The Viceroy offered Juan Bautista de Anza
Juan Bautista de Anza
Juan Bautista de Anza Bezerra Nieto was a Novo-Spanish explorer and Governor of New Mexico for the Spanish Empire.-Early life:...
the governorship of Nuevo Mexico in exchange for him dealing with Tabivo Naritgant. De Anza moved to Nuevo Mexico and assumed the Governorship and for a year, studied past expeditions against and encounters with Cuerno Verde. A year later, in August of 1779, de Anza led a mixed force of 500 to 800 Spanish troops and Ute, Apache, and Pueblo auxiliaries on a punitive expedition
Punitive expedition
A punitive expedition is a military journey undertaken to punish a state or any group of persons outside the borders of the punishing state. It is usually undertaken in response to perceived disobedient or morally wrong behavior, but may be also be a covered revenge...
against the Comanche.
The Comanche and Spanish forces met in a series of running battles between August 31 and September 3, 1779; Tabivo Naritgant was killed in combat, along with his first born son and fifteen others, on September 3 somewhere between the present day cities of Pueblo, Colorado
Pueblo, Colorado
Pueblo is a Home Rule Municipality that is the county seat and the most populous city of Pueblo County, Colorado, United States. The population was 106,595 in 2010 census, making it the 246th most populous city in the United States....
and Colorado City, Colorado
Colorado City, Colorado
Colorado City is a census-designated place in Pueblo County, Colorado, United States. It is part of the Pueblo Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 2,193 at the 2010 census...
, probably in a gully of the St. Charles River. The "green horn" headress of Cuerno Verde was taken from the battlefield and presented to the Viceroy by de Anza. The Viceroy in turn presented the headress to the King of Spain. The King, in turn presented the headress to the Pope. The headress remains on display at the Vatican museum in Rome.
Hostilities in the area decreased following his death.
Although Anza called him a "cruel scourge" and made note in his diaries of atrocities attributed to him, many modern Comanches question the veracity of Anza's statements and maintain that Tabivo Naritgant was only meeting the obligations of a responsible Comanche leader of the period.
Legacy
Tabivo Naritgant gave the English translation of his Spanish name to Greenhorn MountainGreenhorn mountain
Greenhorn Mountain is the highest point in the Wet Mountains of southern Colorado and at elevation is just high enough to pass tree line which is about in this part of Colorado. The massive mountain can be seen from Pueblo and all along Interstate 25 rising 6,000 feet above the surrounding area...
and the Greenhorn valley in south-central Colorado.