New Mexico Civil War Battle Glorieta Pass American Civil War

American Civil War
March 26-28, 1862

Glorieta Pass was a strategic location, situated at the southern tip of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, southeast of Santa Fe, and on the Santa Fe Trail. In March 1862, a Confederate force of 200-300 Texans under the command of Major Charles L. Pyron encamped at Johnson's Ranch, at one end of the pass. Union Major John M. Chivington led more than 400 soldiers to the Pass and on the morning of March 26 moved out to attack.
After noon, Chivington's men captured some Rebel advance troops and then found the main force behind them. Chivington advanced on them, but their artillery fire threw him back. He regrouped, split his force to the two sides of the pass, caught the Rebels in a crossfire, and soon forced them to retire. Pyron and his men retired about a mile and a half to a narrow section of the pass and formed a defensive line before Chivington's men appeared.
The Yankees flanked Pyron's men again and punished them with enfilade fire. The Confederates fled again and the Union cavalry charged, capturing the rearguard. Chivington then retired and went into camp at Kozlowski's Ranch. No fighting occurred the next day as reinforcements arrived for both sides. Lt. Col. William R. Scurry's troops swelled the Rebel ranks to about 1,100 while Union Col. John P. Slough arrived with about 900 men.
Both Slough and Scurry decided to attack and set out early on the 28th to do so. As Scurry advanced down the canyon, he saw the Union forces approaching, so he established a battle line, including his dismounted cavalry. Slough hit them before 11:00 am. The Confederates held their ground and then attacked and counterattacked throughout the afternoon.
The fighting then ended as Slough retired first to Pigeon's Ranch and then to Kozlowski's Ranch. Scurry soon left the field also, thinking he had won the battle. Chivington's men, how-ever, had destroyed all Scurry's supplies and animals at Johnson's Ranch, forcing him to retreat to Santa Fe, the first step on the long road back to San Antonio, Texas.
The Federals had won and, thereby, stopped Confederate incursions into the Southwest. Glorieta Pass was the turning point of the war in the New Mexico Territory.
Result(s): Union victory
Location: Santa Fe County and San Miguel County
Campaign: Sibley's New Mexico Campaign (1862)
Date(s): March 26-28, 1862
Principal Commanders: Maj. John C. Chivington and Col. John P. Slough [US]; Maj. Charles L. Pyron and Lt. Col. William R. Scurry [CS]
Forces Engaged: Northern Division, Army of New Mexico [US]; 4th, 5th, and 7th Texas Cavalry Regiment, artillery, and a company of independent volunteers [CS]

Estimated Casualties: 331 total (US 142; CS 189)

The Battle of Glorieta Pass
by Thomas S. Edrington, John Taylor
A Gettysburg in the West, March 26-28, 1862

Following the third day of the Battle of Glorieta Pass, the Texans found themselves surrounded without provisions. Thomas Edrington and John Taylor combine data from records and documents with their firsthand inspections of the battlefield to reconstruct what happened on both sides of the line before, during, and after this controversial Civil War engagement. 35 photos. 14 maps.

New Mexico State Battle Map
State Battle Maps
American Civil War Exhibits
Civil War Timeline
Women in the War

American Civil War Book Titles

Keepers of the Earth: Native American Stories and Environmental Activities for Children
These are stories from the various First Nations. They are well told. Get this for your kids. In an age of instant media, the storyteller's art is one that is timeless, connecting us to our oral past. Make sure that it connects to our future, too.
Thirteen Moons on Turtle's Back
The Turtle's shell stand for the 13 cycles of the moon, each with its own name and a story that relates to the changing seasons. Joseph Bruchac and Jonathan London collaborate to reveal the beauty of the natural world around us, while Thomas Locker's illustrations honor both Native American legends and the varied American landscape
Brother Eagle Sister Sky
The Earth does not belong to us. We belong to the Earth. The great American Indian Chief Seattle spoke these words over a hundred years ago. His remarkably relevant message of respect for the Earth and every creature on it has endured the test of time and is imbued with passion born of love of the land and the environment
The Talking Earth
Billie Wind lives with her Seminole tribe. She follows their customs, but the dangers of pollution and nuclear war she's learned about in school seem much more real to her. How can she believe the Seminole legends about talking animals and earth spirits?

The Indians and the Civil War - Effects of the American Civil War on the Native American History
Native American history has always been a study full of ambiguous points. Nowadays, when the outlived tribes still live on poor circumstances and try to keep step with our running world despairingly, their unique culture deserves more attention than used to. Kindle Available

Civil War in the Indian Territory
When the war broke out, both sides wanted the Five Civilized Tribes, led by the Cherokees, and each got around half. The Confederacy sent Brigadier General Albert Pike to recruit them, and he did a pretty good job. A strange, brilliant, man, Pike's career as a General is a minor footnote in his long life
The First Americans: Prehistory-1600 A History of US
Tribes of hunters made their way from Asia across the Bering land bridge to North America. They didn't know it, but they had discovered a New World. The First Americans is a fascinating re-creation of pre-Columbian Native American life, and it's an adventure of a lifetime

Sources:

U.S. National Park Service
U.S. Library of Congress.

Keepers of the Earth: Native American Stories and Environmental Activities for Children These are stories from the various First Nations. They are well told. Get this for your kids. In an age of instant media, the storyteller's art is one that is timeless, connecting us to our oral past. Make sure that it connects to our future, too.	Thirteen Moons on Turtle's Back The Turtle's shell stand for the 13 cycles of the moon, each with its own name and a story that relates to the changing seasons. Joseph Bruchac and Jonathan London collaborate to reveal the beauty of the natural world around us, while Thomas Locker's illustrations honor both Native American legends and the varied American landscape	Brother Eagle Sister Sky The Earth does not belong to us. We belong to the Earth. The great American Indian Chief Seattle spoke these words over a hundred years ago. His remarkably relevant message of respect for the Earth and every creature on it has endured the test of time and is imbued with passion born of love of the land and the environment	The Talking Earth Billie Wind lives with her Seminole tribe. She follows their customs, but the dangers of pollution and nuclear war she's learned about in school seem much more real to her. How can she believe the Seminole legends about talking animals and earth spirits?
The Indians and the Civil War - Effects of the American Civil War on the Native American History Native American history has always been a study full of ambiguous points. Nowadays, when the outlived tribes still live on poor circumstances and try to keep step with our running world despairingly, their unique culture deserves more attention than used to.	Kindle Available Civil War in the Indian Territory When the war broke out, both sides wanted the Five Civilized Tribes, led by the Cherokees, and each got around half. The Confederacy sent Brigadier General Albert Pike to recruit them, and he did a pretty good job. A strange, brilliant, man, Pike's career as a General is a minor footnote in his long life		The First Americans: Prehistory-1600 A History of US Tribes of hunters made their way from Asia across the Bering land bridge to North America. They didn't know it, but they had discovered a New World. The First Americans is a fascinating re-creation of pre-Columbian Native American life, and it's an adventure of a lifetime

Glorieta Pass New Mexico

American Civil War March 26-28, 1862

American Civil War
March 26-28, 1862