John Robert Baylor | |
---|---|
Born |
Paris, Kentucky |
July 27, 1822
Died | February 8, 1894 Montell, Texas |
(aged 71)
Allegiance |
Republic of Texas United States of America Confederate States of America |
Service/branch |
Texas Army Confederate States Army |
Years of service | 1840–1842 1861–1862, 1863, 1865 |
Rank | Colonel |
Battles/wars |
American Civil War - Eastern Arizona Campaign - Western Arizona Campaign - Galveston Campaign |
Other work | Military Governor of Confederate Territory of Arizona, 1861–62 |
John Robert Baylor (July 27, 1822 – February 8, 1894) was a politician in Texas and a colonel in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. He was removed as military governor of Arizona Territory by Jefferson Davis, who disapproved of his genocidal plans for the Apaches.
Baylor was born in Paris, Kentucky, the son of a United States Army surgeon, and lived on various Army posts during his youth. He moved to Texas at age 18, where he became a prominent citizen, state legislator, publisher of a newspaper called The White Man, and Indian agent.
In 1861, after the outbreak of the American Civil War, Baylor organized the 2nd Texas Mounted Rifles to drive the Union Army from the southwest on behalf of the breakaway Confederate States of America, and led his men into New Mexico Territory. Following his victory at the First Battle of Mesilla and the surrender of federal forces in the area, he proclaimed himself the military governor of the Confederate Territory of Arizona, a region encompassing the southern half of the modern states of New Mexico and Arizona. His position was confirmed by the Confederate Congress. A disagreement over critical articles in the Mesilla Times led to a fight between Baylor and the editor, Robert P. Kelly, who died of his injuries. A member of Baylor's Cabinet, Attorney General Marcus H. MacWillie, officially pardoned him and was later rewarded when Baylor orchestrated MacWillie's election to the First Confederate Congress.