3. Despite the Anglo-American community only making up 1% of the population, the Texas Rangers were on their side…
Though the Anglo-Americans numbered only 100 of the approximately 5,000 residents of the region, the Texas Rangers came down firmly on their side. Arriving in El Paso in November, they immediately established what amounted to martial law. On December 12th, Howard led a detachment of 20 Rangers to San Elizario. Attacked by Tejano insurgents, they took refuge in the local church. After a two-day siege, they surrendered to the insurgents, who immediately executed Howard and two Rangers. The incident marked the only surrender of a Ranger unit in their long history. After the executions, the Tejanos looted the town, in the process killing several residents. The uprising spread, leading the United States Army to dispatch the 9th Cavalry to the region and reopen Fort Bliss. Fleeing Tejanos to Mexico led the Mexican government to send a unit to the south side of the Rio Grande.
The Salt War nearly led to another confrontation between the United States and Mexico. Open rebellion across the region based primarily on access to and ownership of salt led to approximately three dozen deaths and the loss of property equivalent to about $1.1 million. In the end, private ownership of the salt and the lands containing it prevailed. Mexican-Americans and Mexicans as well-received access to salt, but they had to pay for it. A large proportion of the Mexican population of the region left, either moving further west or returning to Mexico. Ever since most historians depicted the uprising as one of an uncontrolled mob bent on destruction. More recent scholarship describes the Salt War in a different light, one of Mexican culture and history in conflict with American capitalism and expansion.