In January 1822 the last Governor under the Spanish regime,
Facundo Melgares, lost the title of governor and was now called
géfe político (political chief) and
géfe militar (military chief). Melgáres left the political office on July 5, 1822, and Francisco Xavier Chavez took his place, holding office for just five months, when he was succeeded in November 1822 by Colonel
José Antonio Vizcarra. Vizcarra had succeeded Melgáres as
géfe militar in October 1822. In September 1823, a retired Militia Captain named Don
Bartolomé Baca was appointed
géfe politico. Eleven more men were to serve as either
géfe político or governor before the occupation of New Mexico in 1846 by the
United States Army during the
Mexican–American War. New Mexico was at first a province of the
Estado interno del Norte, with capital in
Chihuahua. As of July 6, 1824, New Mexico was made a separate territory, with
El Paso del Norte (now called Ciudad Juárez) transferred from New Mexico to the State of Chihuahua. ==Political chiefs and governors==