Transcript The Battle of Glorieta Pass

The Battle of Glorieta Pass
New Mexico History
Battlefield: New Mexico
• A ranch on a stage coach stop on the Santa Fe Trail set
the scene for an epic Civil War battle in March of 1862
that shaped the history of our nation, right here in New
Mexico.
Civil War in the West
• Time Period: November 1861- May 1862
• Area: New Mexico
• Explanation: Henry H. Sibley proposed that the
Confederate government send an army of
Texans into New Mexico, from El Paso, Texas,
and press through Arizona gathering supplies
and recruits and subduing California. Certain of
much Confederate sentiment and cooperation in
the sparsely defended deserts, Confederate
officials gave Sibley a brigadier general's
commission and approval for his plan.
Battle Map
Union Players
• General Slough
General Chivington
Confederate Players
General Sibley
Colonel Scurry
Union advance
• Early in the morning of March 26,
Chivington moved toward the
Confederates. His men captured a 30-man
Confederate advance, then fell on Pyron's
main force 1.5 miles west of Pigeon's
ranch, which lay 6 miles northeast of
Johnson's ranch.
Confederate stand
• As his men reorganized at Johnson's
ranch, Pyron sent for reinforcements from
Lt. Col. William R, Scurry at Galisteo, 15
miles south of La Glorieta. Scurry arrived
on the morning of March 27, bringing the
Confederate force to 1,100 men. They
waited 24 hours at Johnson's ranch,
expecting Chivington to renew the attack.
When the Federals failed to act, Scurry
decided to take the offensive.
Battle
• Scurry had advanced down the canyon, and his
scouts saw the Union column approaching.
Immediately, he ordered his cavalry to the rear,
where they dismounted and formed a battle line.
Slough discovered the Confederate line at 800
yards, and the battle began. Slough's 8 field
guns battered the Texans artillery into
uselessness, but the Confederates were able to
keep a company of the 1st Colorado from
moving around their flank. Slough yielded
ground. Five times the Confederates charged,
losing all of their field officers killed or wounded.
Union
Victory
• Initially, Scurry believed he had repeated the
Confederate victory at Valverde, where a month earlier,
Brig. Gen. Sibley's troops had defeated a Union force
under Col. Canby. Later, he learned that Chivington had
reached Johnson's ranch, but burned the Confederate
supply wagons, bayoneted 1000 mules and horses, and
captured 17 prisoners. Chivington had destroyed nearly
all of the Confederates' supplies, forcing the
Confederates to withdraw to Texas, thus giving the
victory to the Union. So complete was their devastation
that during a truce in the early evening, the Texans even
had to borrow Union shovels to bury their dead.
Glorieta Totals
Union Forces Commanded by
Maj. John C. Chivington and
Col. John P. Slough
Strength
Killed
Wounded
Missing/Captured
900
32
75
35
Confederate Forces Commanded by
Maj. Charles L. Pyron and
Lt. Col. William R. Scurry
Strength
Killed
Wounded
Missing/Captured
1,100
36
60
93
Conclusion: Union Victory
Turning point
• The Battle of Glorieta Pass was named the "Gettysburg
of the West", it was the decisive blow by Union forces to
stop the Confederate invasion in the west.