Columbus Battles To Redress Navidad: On Second Voyage: March 26, 1495

Mention must be made here of the battle led by Christopher Columbus against the locals of Hispaniola (now Dominica) in the Caribbean. His son who chronicled his life posits a number of causes but spends little time detailing any of it.

Formerly, Margalit had gone a fair distance - back to Spain - after ruining things.
The resulting report of the bad leadership by Pedro Margalit - set glowingly aright with the arrival of Admiral Columbus - looks nearly predictable in hindsight.
The rebellious underlings that were massacring locals, were swiftly brought to heel and made obedient by decisive leadership.
The swarm of several local chiefs setting their people in acts of vengeance against the Spaniards, were in turn, found out not to be that many after all, then captured and cowed into submission.

One chief, ahead of and apart from the others, came to Columbus and had his version of events told to the great Colon. He said he'd always welcomed the Europeans and provided all that was needed, so he had not got into any arrangement with the other caciques. Columbus accepted this, made himself an ally to this cacique, that the son Colon called Guacanagari, and set out again from Isabela 'prepared for war' to set things aright on March 24, 1495. Guacanagari, conveniently 'was most eager to conquer his enemies' and joined in, even though-  the son protests - it would be most difficult.

Only 200 Christians, 20 horses and about the same number of hunting dogs - that could also hunt people - were had by Guacanagari's new ally, but they were ready to go against what Colon the son estimates as  'more than 100,000 Indians'. They must have all been very good swimmers, too.

Also conveniently, Columbus knew his adversaries very well. By 26 March, Columbus split his forces with his brother Bartolome. Thus surrounding as many as possible, the intention was to then frighten the locals by discharging firearms from both directions at once. This was done, then the infantry on both sides attacked and then the dogs were set loose.

"The Indians fled like cowards in all directions, and our men pursued them, killing so many and wreaking such havoc among them that, to be brief, by God's will victory was achieved, many Indians being killed and many others captured and executed. Caonabo, the principal king of all, was taken alive with his sons and women."

The king confessed to killing 20 Christians, in Navidad on Colon's first voyage. That he had at first feigning friendship, tried to learn about the fortification-town of Isabel, just like the garrison had expected. They expected him to try to attack and told the Admiral so, such that he had 'complete knowledge' from 'various informants'.

"... and it was to punish the king for this crime and for his subsequent rebellion and raising of the Indians that the Admiral had marched against him."

Columbus sent the king and one of his brothers, to Spain. But "... since he did not want to execute justice on so important a person without the knowledge of the Catholic sovereigns. he contented himself with sentencing many of the most guilty."

What these sentences were are not mentioned. The inhabitants however, became 'obedient' and pacific, paying in Cibao, a per capita gold tribute that, the son says, made the christians very prosperous. The son then spends less than three additional pages [ch 62] on the foodstuffs, culture and political organization of the locals. In Chapter 63, on March 10, 1496 Columbus returns to Castile for the ending of the Second Voyage.
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quotes, from pp. 189-90 in: The Four Voyages, Christopher Columbus, edited, translated and with an introduction by JM Cohen, 1969 and for The Penguin Group, London, 1969