Battle of Glorieta Pass

Battle of Glorieta Pass
Part of the Trans-Mississippi Theater of the American Civil War
Battle of Glorieta Pass by Roy Andersen
Date March 27–28, 1862 Location New Mexico, Territory; United States 35°34′18″N 105°45′18″W / 35.57167°N 105.75500°W / 35.57167; -105.75500 Result Union victory (See aftermath)
Belligerents
United States	Confederate States
Commanders and leaders
John P. Slough John M. Chivington	Charles L. Pyron William R. Scurry Henry H. Sibley
Units involved
2nd New Mexico Volunteer Infantry 1st Colorado Infantry 2nd Colorado Infantry 1st Cavalry Regiment 2nd Cavalry Regiment 3rd Cavalry Regiment	2nd Texas Mounted Rifles 4th Texas Mounted Rifles 5th Texas Mounted Rifles 7th Texas Mounted Rifles
Strength
1,300	1,100
Casualties and losses
Apache Canyon 5 killed 14 wounded 3 missing[1] Glorieta Pass 46 killed[2] 64 wounded 15 captured Total: 51 killed 78 wounded 15 captured 3 missing 147 total [3]	Apache Canyon 4 killed 20 wounded 75 captured[4] Glorieta Pass 46 killed[5] 60 wounded 17 captured Total: 50 killed 80 wounded 92 captured 222 total

The Battle of Glorieta Pass was fought March 26–28, 1862 in the northern New Mexico Territory, by Union and Confederate forces during the American Civil War. While not the largest battle of the New Mexico campaign, the Battle of Glorieta Pass ended the Confederacy's efforts to capture the territory and other parts of the western United States.^[6]

The battle took place at the eponymous mountain pass in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, in what is now Santa Fe County, New Mexico. Confederate forces sought to break the Union's possession of the West along the base of the Rocky Mountains, with the ultimate aim of controlling strategically valuable mines, railroads, and cities throughout the region.^[7] The invasion was the westernmost military operation of the war, and the South's only real attempt to conquer and occupy Union territory.^[7]

There was a skirmish on March 26 between advance elements from each army, with the main battle occurring on March 28. Although the Confederates were able to push Union forces back through the pass, they had to retreat when their supply train was destroyed and most of their horses and mules killed or driven off. Eventually, the invading force was forced to withdraw entirely from the territory, with the Union retaking full control by June.

As the Confederacy never attempted another invasion of the region, Glorieta Pass represented the climax of the ambitious New Mexico campaign, remaining an important event in New Mexico's Civil War history.