Rafael Chacon

Jose Rafael Sotero Chacon was born on April 22, 1833 in Santa Fe in the Territory of New Mexico when it was still under the control of Mexico. At the age of eleven, he was sent by his father Don Albino Chacon to Chihuahua, Mexico to attend military school. this was a subsidiary branch of the "Normal Military School of the Republic" located in Chalpultepec, Mexico. In 1846 Rafael was re-called back to Santa Fe due to the upcoming invasion of the Army of the West under General Stephen Watts Kearny.

Rafael was given a piece of light artillery with equipage and men under his control by General Armijo to fight the Americans at Canoncito de Los Apaches. the battle never took place due to the incompetence of the Mexican leadership.

In February 1855, Rafael was enlisted as 1st Sgt. in Co. B of St. Vrain's Battalion to fight in the 1855 Indian Campaign. He was discharged on July 31, 1855 after serving a six month term. He became a trader and in April, 1858 he married Juanita Paez.

When the news of the Civil War reached New Mexico, Rafael Chacon was told to report to Ft. Union, N.M.T. He presented himself at Ft. Union on August 13, 1861 and was made captain of Co. K of the 1st Infantry Regiment of New Mexico Volunteers under the command of "Kit" Carson.. His company was unique in that it was one of several that almost totally Spanish-speaking.

In October of 1861 he was ordered to Albuquerque to protect the area from invading Indians and the possible Texan (Confederate) Invasion. While stationed in Albuquerque he drilled his men and they were used as a police force to chase down robbers who had killed a family. His horses were getting run down and desperately needed replacements. Hew wouldn't get those replacements until February of 1862. He provided his own resources and expenses to make sure that his company remained mounted, unlike the rest of the 1st New Mexico except for Co. I under Captain Charles Deus that had lost their mounts due to lack of replacements and the Army's unwillingness to pay the men for the horses being used.

He was ordered to Ft. Craig in February of 1862 and was sent out on patrols around the area to look for and report on the Confederate locations. On Feb. 16,1862 Gen. Sibley's Confederate forces were deploying near Ft. Craig. Rafael's company and other mounted companies (Co. I and Capt. James Graydon's Independent Spies and Guides Company) charged the lines firing some shots, inflicting very little damage. The patrols of the next few days were about the same (purely harassment). On Feb. 21, 1862 Rafael Chacon and Co. went to the ford at Valverde escorting the first elements of the Union Army. Upon arriving they immediately crossed the river and began firing upon the leading elements of the Confederate Army. He and his men fought on in the morning until about midday when they saw a lone Confederate gun on the right side of the field and charged it. The gun was abandoned by the fleeing artillerymen. Cpl. Leyba (cousin of his wife, Juanita) then lassoed it along with some other man hauling it back to the Federal lines. In the late afternoon Chacon had re-joined the 1st New Mexico nd saw the capturing of Alexander McRae's guns to the enemy. The order to retreat had sounded from Col. Canby's orders, Chacon and his men were the last to cross the Rio Grande and the last to fire on the Texans on Feb. 21.

Co. K had no casualties. the next day his company was to escort the wagons to the battlefield to pick up dead and wounded.

Rafael and his company stayed around Ft. Craig well after the Confederates went up river and fought the battles of Apache Pass and Glorieta.

In April of 1862 Chacon and his company were ordered north to Albuquerque to confront and disrupt the Confederates there and in the surrounding area. He fought in the skirmishing at Albuquerque and Peralta on April 15, 1862.

He and his men pursued the retreating Confederate Army until it left New Mexico. He had taken some prisoners and had escorted them to Ft. Union

On May 25, 1862 Rafael Chacon was informed that he was to be a Captain of Co. E of the newly formed 1st Cavalry Regiment of NM volunteers under the command of Col. Carson.