1. The Battle of Glorieta Pass New Mexico History

2. 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.

3. 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.

5. Battle Map

6. Union Players General Slough General Chivington

7. Confederate Players General Sibley Colonel Scurry

8. 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.

9. 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.

10. 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.

11. 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.

12. Glorieta Totals Union Forces Commanded by Maj. John C. Chivington and Col. John P. Slough Confederate Forces Commanded by Maj. Charles L. Pyron and Lt. Col. William R. Scurry Conclusion: Union Victory StrengthKilledWoundedMissing/Captured 900327535 StrengthKilledWoundedMissing/Captured 1,100366093

13. 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.