Amados Compatriotas

And Other Stories from New Mexico's Mexican Period, 1821-1846

By: Robert J. Torrez

Write A Review

Paperback | 2 June 2026

At a Glance

Paperback
192 Pages

Dimensions(cm)
21.6 x 14.0 x 1.9

Paperback

RRP $46.99

$44.99

or 4 interest-free payments of $11.25 with

Ships in 5 to 10 business days

Former New Mexico State Historian Robert J. Tórrez draws from the marvelous treasure trove of primary documentation in New Mexico’s Mexican-era archives to bring to light this little-known but crucial period in the state’s history.

In a broadside dated August 27, 1821, addressed to “Amados Compatriotas” (his “Beloved Compatriots”), Alejo García Conde, the Commanding General of the Internal Provinces of the West, advised New Mexicans that Mexico’s long and difficult struggle for independence from Spain was over and called for the unity that would be needed to sustain and nourish their newfound liberty.

García Conde’s message opens with the archival collection that constitutes the Mexican Archives of New Mexico, 1821–1846, a documentary treasure that tells us much about the brief but defining twenty-five years during which New Mexico transitioned from being part of the Spanish Empire to a short-lived nascent Mexican Republic before the territory was conquered by the armed forces of the United States of America in 1846.

In more than sixty broad-ranging essays, the author mines the administrative, military, judicial, and financial records, correspondence, and reports of governors, myriad government officials, military leaders, and citizens to explore the details of governance and bring to life the agricultural practices and commercial activities by which New Mexicans made their living and supported their families. These stories explore the often-contentious relations New Mexico had with the Native peoples that inhabited and surrounded the beleaguered territory while struggling to deal with the impact and influence of trappers, adventurers, entrepreneurs, and traders that made their way to New Mexico over the Santa Fe Trail as soon as independence was achieved.

Industry Reviews

"Based on his vast knowledge of the Mexican Archives of New Mexico, Robert J. Torrez's Amados Compatriotas offers a fresh look at the Mexican period in New Mexico history. Using seldom-used primary sources, topics from education and epidemics to warfare and crime are described in a book that is bound to be a favorite among academic and general readers in New Mexico and beyond." - Richard Melzer, author of Captain Maximiliano Luna: A New Mexico Rough Rider

Shipping

	Standard Shipping	Express Shipping
Metro postcodes:	$9.99	$14.95
Regional postcodes:	$9.99	$14.95
Rural postcodes:	$9.99	$14.95

Orders over $79.00 qualify for free shipping.

How to return your order

At Booktopia, we offer hassle-free returns in accordance with our returns policy. If you wish to return an item, please get in touch with Booktopia Customer Care.

Additional postage charges may be applicable.