History of Arizona and New Mexico, 1530-1888, Volume XVII, Part 73

Author: Bancroft, Hubert Howe, 1832-1918; Oak, Henry Lebbeus, 1844-1905
Publication date: 1889
Publisher: San Francisco : The History Company
Number of Pages: 890

USA > Arizona > History of Arizona and New Mexico, 1530-1888, Volume XVII > Part 73
USA > New Mexico > History of Arizona and New Mexico, 1530-1888, Volume XVII > Part 73

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

8 U. S. Govt Doc., 36th cong. Ist sess., H. Rept 508; Sen, Miscel. Doc. 12, including an elaborate minority report of the house com. against the right of congress to interfere with slavery in N. Mex .; N. Mex., Message, 1861; Id., Laws, 1861-2, p. 6; 1865-6 and 1866-7.

9 Lossing and others mention an address of Delegate Otero, published in Feb. 1861, which incited the New Mexicans to rebellion. I have not seen the document. Ritch, Legis. Bluebook, app. 11, names as among the natives who distinguished themselves on the union side: Facundo Pino, José M. Gallegos, José A. Martinez, Donaciano Vigil, Trinidad Romero, Pedro Sanchez, Fran- cisco P. Abreu, Miguel E. Pino, J. F. Chavez, Francisco Perea, Manuel Cha- vez, Rafael Chacon, José D. Sena, and Manuel D. Pino. Says Gov. Wallace, N. Mex., Message, 1880: 'I have yet to hear of one native born of a Mex. mother who refused to support the old flag.' In his report to the sec. in- terior in '81 the gov. states that N. Mex. furnished over 6,000 volunteers, who did good service. See militia lists in U. S. Govt Doc., 37th cong. 2d sess., H. Ex. Doc. 58.

685

PLANS OF THE SOUTH.

As my readers well know, the acquisition of frontier territory by the Mexican war of 1846-8, and by the negotiations resulting in the Gadsden purchase of 1853-4, had been a southern measure. It has been often asserted by northern writers, and denied by those of the south, that the acquisition was made with a direct view to ultimate secession, and a southern confederacy of the future to stretch from ocean to ocean, and eventually to include still larger tracts of Mexican territory. Doubtless, the territory was ac- quired with a view to the extension of slave-state power within the union, and it is wellnigh certain that there were men who even in the early years looked forward to a separation. I am not disposed to attach too much importance to the partisan assertions of later years, or to be overmuch indignant at the al- leged iniquity of early southern plans, respecting which I have no definite opinion to offer, since these matters are beyond the field of my special research.

In 1861, however, whatever might have been the nature and scope of earlier schemes, the confederates intended to occupy all or a large portion of the terri- tory accquired in 1846-54. This is shown by their acts, as well as by statements in such documents as are extant, though I cannot claim to have made any ori- ginal research in this phase of the matter, or, indeed, to have examined all that has been made public in the voluminous war histories. It was hoped, as is shown in another work of this series,10 that California, or at least southern California, would be brought by inclina- tion and intrigue into the confederacy. It was thought that the strong southern element would be able to control Colorado. Some reliance was probably placed in the hostility of the Mormons to the government, so far as Utah was concerned. Arizona was known to be controlled by secessionists. The native New Mexicans were confidently expected to espouse the southern cause as soon as there might be a show of

10 See Hist. Cal., vii .; also Hist. Colorado.

686

CONFEDERATE INVASION OF NEW MEXICO.

success. And the Apaches and Navajos were looked upon, not exactly as partisans of the south, but as a potent factor in the defeat of union forces. Troops in the territory were barely sufficient for defensive warfare against the Indians, and New Mexico was a long way from Washington, even if there had not been a need of all available forces nearer the national capital. Moreover, there were military stores in the New Mexican forts worth capturing, to say nothing of the opportunity for a display of exuberant Texan patriot- ism, even if the Californians and Coloradans, by failing to perform their part of the contract, should render it impossible to carry out the scheme in its grander phases and extend the confederacy to the Pacific shores. The project was a grand, and from a southern point of view a legitimate, one, with good apparent prospects of success. It failed, not only because the confederate forces in general were as fully occupied in the east as were the federals, so that the enterprise had to be intrusted to the Texans alone, whose resources were limited, but because New Mexican sympathy for the south and animosity for the national government proved less potent than their union proclivities, pre- judice against African slavery, and hatred of Texas; because California not only remained true to the union, but sent a column of volunteer troops to drive the rebels out of Arizona; and above all, because Colorado under energetic union management, not only was able to control the strong secession element within her bor- ders, but to send a regiment which struck the decisive blow in ridding her southern neighbor of invaders.

My chief authorities for the subject-matter of this chapter are mentioned in a note; and it must be con- fessed that in respect of originality and conclusiveness on details of some phases they are less satisfactory than would be desirable, such being necessarily the case in most attempts to chronicle a minor topic of the great national struggle.11

11 The first place in national aspects of the matter and in respect of origi- nal research must be given to A. A. Hayes, Jr, in whose New Colorado and

687

LORING AND CRITTENDEN.

It is stated, on authority not very clearly defined, that attempts were made in the autumn of 1860 and spring of 1861 by Colonel W. H. Loring of the mounted rifles, of later fame in Egypt as Loring Pasha, temporarily in command of the department, with the aid of Colonel George B. Crittenden, com- manding an expedition against the Apaches, both officers having been sent to the territory for that special purpose, to attach the New Mexican troops through the influence of southern officers to the con- federate cause; also, that this plan was defeated by the efforts of Lieutenant-colonel B. S. Roberts. However this may have been, the rank and file remained true to their allegiance, with the exception of a single sol- dier, and even he is not known to have joined the enemy. Many of the officers, however, made haste to espouse the confederate cause, including Loring- succeeded by Canby in the command-Crittenden, and .Major H. H. Sibley. This was in June 1861; about the same time the territorial secretary, Alex-

the Santa Fé Trail, N. Y., 1880, Svo, 200 p., chapter xii., p. 160-73, of which is An unwritten episode of the late war; and who contributed to the Magazine of American History, of Feb. 1886, p. 170-84, an article entitled The New Mexi- can campaign of 1862. A stirring chapter of our late civil war. The writer has consulted original records to a considerable extent, including several MS. journals, and has conversed with many participants in the campaign, evidently making a careful use of his material, though often unable to reconcile dis- crepancies of testimony. J. M. Chivington, the fighting parson, major, and later colonel of the Colorado troops, has furnished me, in his First Colorado Regiment, MS., a concise and straightforward narrative of the campaign in which he was the leading figure. Ovando J. Hollister's History of the First Regiment of Colorado Volunteers, Denver, 1863, 8vo, 178 p., gives in the form of a diary an interesting statement of events as witnessed by himself as a soldier of the regiment, together with additional matter from other sources. To the same subject is devoted chapter xiv., p. 72-89, of the History of the City of Denver, Arapahoe County, and Colorado, published hy Baskin & Co., at Denver, 1880, which is also inserted in other local histories of the same firm. Lossing, in his Pictorial History of the Civil War, ii. 184-8, records the in- vasion of New Mexico, giving some information not found by me elsewhere, and falling evidently into some errors. The Civil war in Arizona, including events in New Mexico, is treated with some completeness on p. 69 et seq. of Elliott & Co.'s Arizona History. It is to be regretted that we have no con- secutive narrative from the confederate side, and very slight information from N. Mexican sources, most pertaining to the doings of the Colorado troops. See also testimony before cong. committee on the invasion, in U. S. Govt Doc., 37th cong. 3d sess., Sen. Rept 108, p. 364-72; Overland, xiii. 337-9; Hayes' Scraps, Angeles, vi. 101-20; Porter's West, Census, 448; Sta Fé, Centen. Celeb., 27-8; Meline's 2,000 Miles, 115-16; S. F. Alta, Nov. 19, 1862; Morris' Address before Soc. of Cal. Volunteers, S. F., 1866.

688

CONFEDERATE INVASION OF NEW MEXICO.

ander M. Jackson, resigned his office to go south ; and the project of invasion began to assume definite shape.12

Major Sibley was made brigadier-general, and ordered to Texas in July to organize and command the expedition; Ex-secretary Jackson became his assistant adjutant-general of the army of New Mex- ico; and the order for the brigade to advance from San Antonio was given on November 16th. Before Sibley's arrival, however, operations had been begun. Lieutenant-colonel John R. Baylor, second mounted rifles, C. S. A., occupied Fort Bliss on the Texas side in July, crossing into New Mexico and occupying Mesilla on the 25th. On the 1st of August he issued a proc- lamation as governor, taking possession in the name of the confederate states. 13 Major Isaac Lynde, of the seventh infantry, in command of the southern district of New Mexico, had a force of about 700 men at Fort Fillmore. He was a northern man, whether a traitor or a coward is not quite clear; but in a few days, perhaps on July 27th, he surrendered his whole; force as prisoners of war to Baylor.14 A little earlier,

12 Hayes quotes briefly some original correspondence. Sibley writes from El Paso, June 12th: "We are at last under the glorious banner of the confed- erate states ... I regret now more than ever the sickly sentimentality by which I was overruled in my desire to bring my whole command with me. I am satisfied of the disaffection of the best of the rank and file in N. Mex.' June 30th, 'chief-justice ' M. H. McWille wrote from Mesilla: 'Now, might it not be well, secretly, of course, and at an early moment, to fit out an ex- pedition to N. Mex .?... The stores, etc., in N. Mex. and Ariz. are immense, and I am decidedly of the opinion that the game is worth the ammunition ... The exped. would relieve Texas, open communication to the Pacific, and break the line of operations ... designed to circumvallate the south ... One regiment of Cherokees or Choctaws would inspire more wholesome terror in the N. Mex. population than an army of Americans.' It is charged that Sec. Floyd, besides sending Loring and Crittenden to win over the troops, had taken pains to send immense quantities of military stores to N. Mex., with a view to their falling into confederate hands. To say nothing of the somewhat threadbare nature of this charge, there is little in the prevalent complaints of preceding years to indicate any marked excess in the quantity of such stores.

13 The territory of which Baylor took possession was Arizona, to comprise all south of lat. 34°. He declared all offices vacant, organized a military gov- ernment, fixed the capital at Mesilla, divided the territory into two judicial districts, and in a proclamation of Aug. 2d appointed civil officials, including Jas A. Lucas as secretary, M. H. McWille as attorney-gen., E. Angerstein as treasurer, and Geo. M. Frazier as marshal; with H. C. Cook and Frank Higgins as judges, and J. A. Roberts as sheriff of the Ist, or eastern, judicial district. The proclamations are in Hayes' Scraps, Angeles, vi. 104, 107.

14 There are few reliable details on record respecting this disgraceful sur- render. It appears that Lynde sent a party toward Mesilla, which had a

689

SIBLEY'S ARRIVAL.

orders had been sent to the Arizona commandants to abandon forts Buchanan and Breckenridge, which they did, destroying all property that could not be removed. On the march these garrisons heard of the surrender of Lynde, and directed their course, about 450 strong, to Fort Craig. In December Baylor's con- federate force was estimated by Canby at 800 Texans, besides 200 or 300 volunteers from the floating Mexi- can population of Mesilla valley.

About the middle of December General Sibley with his brigade of Texan rangers arrived, and issued his proclamations, declaring martial law and taking pos- session of the territory.15 Meanwhile, Colonel Canby was striving to organize his forces and provide means for defence. His reports show that he was greatly embarrassed by the lack of military supplies. He re- ported the people loyal but apathetic, and doubted the possibility of raising a sufficient force within the territory, placing but very slight reliance on the vol- unteers or militia. But the legislature authorized the governor to call into service the whole force of the territory to resist invasion, volunteers were rapidly

slight skirmish with the Texans and retired to the fort. Then orders were received to march the garrison to Ft Craig or Alburquerque, and soon after starting, when, as is stated, the men had been given all the whiskey they wanted, and were mostly drunk, they met a Texan force, to which the major, after a council of officers, surrendered. It is said that the more sober of the officers and men protested and wished to fight. The paroled prisoners were allowed to go to Alburquerque, suffering intensely on the march. For this act Maj. Lynde was dismissed from the army; and Capt. A. H. Plummer, the commissary, who turned over to the enemy $17,000 in drafts, was merely reprimanded and suspended for six months. The most detailed account of the affair and of Baylor's operations is found in an article from the Mesilla Times and other clippings in Hayes' Scraps, Angeles, vi. 101 et seq. It ap- pears that there was some fighting and loss of life at the taking of Mesilla, or its attempted retaking by Lynde's force on July 25th; also that 14 federal soldiers refused parole.

15 In Miscel. Hist. Papers, 23, I have an original copy of Sibley's procl. of Dec. 16th, at Ft Bliss, declaring martial law, 'anticipating a sincere and hearty cooperation and firm support from the inhabitants.' From another procl., of Dec. 20th, Hayes quotes as follows: 'To my old comrades in arms, still in the ranks of the usurpers of their govt and liberties, I appeal in the name of former friendship. Drop at once the arms which degrade you into the tools of tyrants, renounce their service, and array yourselves under the colors of justice and freedom. I am empowered to receive you into the ser- vice of the confederate states, the officers upon their commissions, the men. upon their enlistments.'

HIST. ARIZ. AND N. MEX. 44

690

CONFEDERATE INVASION OF NEW MEXICO.

enrolled, and Governor Connelly in his message con- gratulated the people on their patriotism, announcing that the confederates had not come north of the jor- nada, and that the federal force was sufficient for their expulsion.16 At the beginning of 1862 Canby estab- lished his headquarters at Fort Craig, where he had a force of about 4,000 men, of whom, however, 1,000 were useless militia, and less than 1,000 regular troops. Sibley, on the other hand, had about 2,500 men, Texan rangers, accustomed to Indian warfare, and good fighters.17

That branch of the confederate campaign pertain- ing to Arizona has been recorded in another chapter of this volume, 18 and may be briefly disposed of here. Captain Hunter with a few hundred Texans of Sib- ley's army was despatched to the west, and in January or February occupied Tucson. There was no opposi- tion, union men-if there were any such in southern Arizona-fleeing into Sonora. Hunter sent a detach- ment to the Pima villages on the Gila, and awaited developments in the farther west, which developments, from a Texan point of view, were most unsatisfactory. The 'California column,' of 1,800 federal volunteers under Colonel Carleton, advanced eastward from Fort Yuma, and the little confederate band had to retire to the Rio Grande. A captain and three men of Carleton's advance were captured by Hunter's men on

16 N. Mex., Message of Gov., 1861; Id., Acts, 1861-2. A manifiesto of the legisl. to the people is also alluded to. The Ariz., Hist. (E. & Co.), 72, tells us that in Oct. there were two minor skirmishes near Ft Craig, in one of which Capt. Mimk's comp. of N. Mex. volunteers was defeated by a party of Texans, themselves routed in turn by regulars from the fort.

17 Canby, according to Hayes, gave his aggregate force as 3,810, and Sib- leys as 2,600. Sibley gave his own force (on the march northward, some being naturally left in garrison) as 1,750, while he attributed to Canby 5,000. A letter from a Texan volunteer, published by Hollister, represents the con- federate force leaving Ft Fillmore as 3,800 men. Canby's army was made up of 11 comp. of the 5th, 7th, and 10th U. S. inf .; 7 comp. of the Ist and 3d U. S. cavalry; McRae's battery, manned by 2 comp. of 2d and 3d cavalry; Capt. Dodd's comp. B, 2d Col. volunteers; Lieut .- col Kit Carson's Ist regt N. Mex. vol .; 17 comp. of 2d, 3d, 4th, and 5th N. Mex. vol .; a spy comp .; and 1,000 militia. Sibley had the regiments of colonels Reilly and Green; 5 comp. of Steele's regt; 5 comp. of Baylor's regt; and Teel's and Riley's bat- tery. Lossing, p. 186, gives a portrait of Gen. Sibley.

18 See chap. xx.

-- -

------

------------------ 1 1 İ

691

BATTLE OF VALVERDE.

the Gila; and on the 15th of April, in a skirmish be- tween small parties under lieutenants Swilling and Barrett, the latter with two men was killed on the federal side, while the confederates lost one or two killed and three prisoners. In May, Tucson was occu- pied by the Californians. The Apaches kept the troops busy enough for a while; but in July and Au- gust they advanced to the Rio Grande, too late to aid in expelling the invaders, but in time to do much good service against the Indians in this and the fol- lowing years.

In February 1862 Sibley advanced up the Rio Grande on the western side by way of Mesilla and Fort Thorn. On the 18th his army appeared before Fort Craig,19 and a cavalry force was sent out by Canby to defeat the apparent intention of the foe to pass to the west of the fort; but the Texans had no idea of going in that direction or of attacking the garrison. They were manœuvring to protect their crossing of the river, which was effected at the Pana- dero ford, several miles below. Next day Canby sent an artillery force supported by volunteers to occupy the bluff on the eastern bank, and here on the 20th there was some firing. As in this skirmish the vol- unteers behaved badly, as no harm could be done to the Texans, and as the latter's purpose was clearly to turn and not attack the position, the troops were with- drawn at night, and Major Roberts with an infantry force and two batteries was sent to occupy the upper, or Valverde, ford, some seven miles above.20 The

19 According to Hollister, whose account, though made up from hearsay after the Col. troops reached this region in April, is most detailed and clear- est, the approach of the Texans was known some days earlier, when Grayden's party was driven in from a scout and Wingate with an infantry battalion was sent down to the ford opposite Panadero. Subsequently, Canby came down with his whole force, but soon returned to the fort, leaving the ford to the enemy.

20 On his way 200 mules were captured, which greatly embarrassed Sibley's transportation service. Hollister represents the mareh on both sides to have been made in the night; but Hayes implies that it was in the morning of the 21st. It is said that in the skirmish of the 20th Col., Pino's 2d regiment N. Mex. vol. was thrown into confusion, while Carson's Ist regt stood firm; but such is the prevalent confusion of testimony that I attach little importance to such distinctions.

692

CONFEDERATE INVASION OF NEW MEXICO.

confederates on the other side made for the same point ; and at the ford a fight occurred early on the 21st, in which Roberts had the advantage, crossing the river, posting his batteries, and repulsing the confederate advance.21 Canby arrived on the field soon after noon, and an advance was ordered, the batteries were pushed forward, and fire was opened. One division of the Texans charged Hall's battery and was repulsed; but the movement was apparently intended as a feint to draw off supporting troops from the other battery. This latter was then attacked most furiously by 1,000 Texans; the struggle was desperate; Captain McRae was killed on his guns, and his gunners were wellnigh annihilated; the supporting troops acted very badly ; the guns were lost; and Canby's army was driven in some disorder across the river to retire to the fort, leaving the northern route open to the foe.

This fight of Valverde, as it is known, reflected little credit on the federal arms. Many individuals and a few companies fought bravely, but such is the discrepancy of testimony that I make no attempt to point out cases of bravery or cowardice, blunders or wise management. The Texans, though victorious, lost probably more than the federals, whose loss was about 90 killed and mortally wounded and 100 wounded.22 The confederates marched on up the river without opposition to Alburquerque, leaving their sick and wounded at Socorro. We have no details respecting Sibley's movements in these days, or those of a detachment sent to occupy Santa Fé, which was apparently accomplished without resistance.

21 The Colorado company is accredited with having had a desperate fight in this affair with two comp. of Texan lancers, killing a large part of their opponents and having 40 per cent of their own force put hors du com- bat. The forces engaged in this preliminary conflict were about 700 men on each side. Hollister says Canby arrived at 1 P. M .; Hayes says it was 2.45.

22 Hollister gives the federal loss as 64 killed, 26 mortally wounded, 100 wounded; Texans 200 killed, 200 wounded. Lossing says the federals lost 62 killed and 142 wounded; Texans about the same. Hayes gives no figures. Acc. to Ariz., Hist. (E. & Co.), there were about 60 killed and 140 wounded on each side.

693

THE COLORADO VOLUNTEERS.

The main force directed its march toward Fort Union, where there were stores worth about $300,000, and where Major Donaldson arrived on the 10th of March with a train of 120 wagons from Alburquerque, where he had destroyed such federal stores as could not be removed. The Texan advance under Major W. R. Scurry reached Apache Cañon on the 25th. The garrison at the fort was entirely inadequate for its defence; but aid had most opportunely arrived from the north.

Colorado's experience in the civil war has been else- where recorded in the volume devoted to that terri- tory. Here it must suffice to state that by the energetic efforts of Governor Gilpin and his asso- ciates a union force was raised, which not only defeated all confederate hopes at home, but was also able to go abroad and turn the scale in New Mexico. Two companies, which later became A and B of the second Colorado volunteers, were mustered in December 1861, going to New Mexico in January 1862. Company B, Captain T. H. Dodd, served un- der Canby at Valverde, as we have seen;23 and Com- pany A, Captain J. H. Ford, remained at Fort Union. The first regiment of Colorado volunteers was com- manded by Colonel J. P. Slough, S. F. Tappan being lieutenant-colonel, and J. M. Chivington major. The regiment was composed largely of ' Pike's Peakers,' the best of fighting material, intensely loyal to the union, always eager to go to the front, but not taking kindly to the restraints of military discipline when there was no fighting to be done. Whole companies were often under arrest for mutiny ; and an order to march to the relief of Canby-obtained by Major Chivington from General Hunter mainly with a view to prevent the disintegration of the regiment-was welcome to all. The troops left Denver in February; the different divisions united March 7th at the foot of the Raton

23 This company lost 5 killed and 38 wounded, killing 72 of Lang's Texan lancers. Denver Hist.

694

CONFEDERATE INVASION OF NEW MEXICO.

Pass; a march of 64 miles was once made in 24 hours, and the regiment arrived at Fort Union on the 11- 13th of March. Major G. R. Paul, colonel of New Mexico volunteers, was in command of the post, but was ranked by Colonel Slough, who assumed com- mand of the united forces.24

On March 22d Colonel Slough's army of 1,342 men, including 300 regular troops,25 marched from Fort Union toward Santa Fe, encamping at Bernal Spring on the 24th. On the 25th the advance of 400 men, half of them mounted, encamped near the old Pecos ruins; and a scouting party under Lieutenant Nelson captured four men of the enemy's picket, five miles farther west at Pigeon's rancho. Next morning Major Chivington advanced with all his force, and about a mile beyond the rancho, at the mouth of the Apache Cañon proper, found a Texan battery posted, which opened fire.26 This was about 2 P. M. The federal infantry, deployed to the cañon slopes as skir- mishers, advanced to the attack, the cavalry remain- ing behind a spur in the ravine, with orders to charge when the battery showed signs of retreating. The battery presently fell back a mile or more, but Cap- tain Howland failed to charge as ordered. The new position of the Texan guns was at a bend in the cañon, across a dry arroyo-bed, supported by the infantry, strongly posted among the rocks and on the summits. Chivington repeated his former manœuvre, but dis- mounting Howland's and Lord's men to strengthen the infantry on the flanks, he left the cavalry charge to 100 Colorado horsemen under Captain Cook. After a sharp fight on the flanks the battery yielded, and Cook dashed forward, his horsemen leaping the arroyo

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

History of Arizona and New Mexico, 1530-1888, Volume XVII, Part 73

Author: Bancroft, Hubert Howe, 1832-1918; Oak, Henry Lebbeus, 1844-1905 Publication date: 1889 Publisher: San Francisco : The History Company Number of Pages: 890

Author: Bancroft, Hubert Howe, 1832-1918; Oak, Henry Lebbeus, 1844-1905
Publication date: 1889
Publisher: San Francisco : The History Company
Number of Pages: 890