Photos Courtesy of Mark Erickson
Sen. Howie Morales and Rep. Rodolpho "Rudy" Martinez, flank guest speaker Brig. Gen. Andrew E. Salas, who made the ceremony possible.
At the military honors ceremony to honor a scout and guide, 1st Lt. Juan Arroyos, who died 138 years ago and was buried in an unmarked grave in the Santa Clara Village Cemetery, dignitaries, including Santa Clara Mayor Richard Bauch, Rep. Rodolpho "Rudy" Martinez and Sen. Howie Morales, spoke before the guest speaker, Adjutant General New Mexico National Guard Brigadier General Andrew E. Salas. Salas arranged, and, with the help of his staff, planned the ceremony.
The Santa Clara Committee on History, Culture and Tourism, headed by Anthony Romero, with members, Maria Elena Sanchez, Dillon Stone, Don Turner, Neta Pope, Onorio Rico and Bobbie Fisher, discovered Arroyos' contributions to the area. A plan was made to hold military funeral honors for the valued work of scout and guide, 1st Lt. Juan Arroyos.
Juan Arroyos was born in 1819 in an area that would become Socorro County, New Mexico. As a child, Apaches captured him. By the time he escaped, he had learned valuable skills, which he used later in life as a scout for the U.S. Army. According to reports, Arroyos was the most sought after scout and guide in New Mexico during the 1860s and 1870s.
He served a short stint in the U.S. Army in the New Mexico Mounted Volunteers. At the end of his six-month tenure in the Armed Services, he had reached the rank of first lieutenant.
As a civilian, Arroyos worked as a guide and scout at various military camps of the California Volunteers, which protected the settlers and their livestock from the Apache killing and stealing raids.
Arroyos served as a scout and guide at Fort West, the Camp on the Rio Mimbres, Fort Selden, Fort Cummings and Fort McLane. He last worked at Fort Bayard, while residing in Central City, right next door. He was buried in the Central City village cemetery, with no permanent marker.
(At left) A military headstone was secured for Arroyos, with the help of Lindee Lenox and Rep. Martinez.
(Below)Luis Terrazas of Terrazas Funeral Chapels donated the historic plaque, which is at the foot of Arroyos' grave.
In addition to Salas, Brig. Gen. Juan Griego, Col. Ken Nava, Col. Donnie Quintana, Lt. Col David Giesler, Capt. Brian Raphael, State Chief Master Sergeant John Williams, and State Command Sergeant Major Ivey were involved in the ceremony, according to a special edition memorial booklet prepared for the occasion and written by Neta Pope. The booklet cites the history that has been uncovered about the heroic scout, Arroyos, who once lived among the residents of the area.