For March of 1862, the Espinosas were occasional bandits amateurs if you like. But their criminal career was about to take a sharp turn in December.
Around that time, a priest from the town of Taos purported a gruesome robbery to the US cavalry stationed in Fort Garland. Two men had held up a wagon carrying some of the priest's properties.
The bandits looted the vehicle then seized the driver Juan Gonzalez. They tied the poor man underneath the wagon and then whipped, the horses sending them galloping across the rocky soil.
The drivers head and face hit every bump and stone on the path turning it into a bloody pulp. Luckily he survived and was able to identify the culprits. The Espinosa brothers of San Judas plaza.
Calvary lieutenant Hart organized an expedition in mid-january 1863 accompanied by ten horsemen and US marshal George Austin. The lawman paid two visits to Filipe Espinosa's farmhouse.
The first time they pretended to be on a recruitment mission. Most of the cavalrymen were hispanos after all.
So why not enlist them and then join the union army in the Civil War. They've been talked to the lieutenant quite civilly apparently.
It's not clear why Hart did not arrest him and Filipe then and there. Instead, the detachment left and returned five days later.
This time, Austin went straight for the arrest locking Filipe and Vivian into their house but then chaos broke loose. Apparently the Espinosas had access to a veritable arsenal which nobody had cared to confiscate.
The two brothers started firing from the windows with pistols, rifles and even bows and arrows. The cavalry shot back with little success until hot ordered the house to be set on fire.
