New Mexico During the Civil War
The New Mexico Territory included the present-day states of New Mexico and Arizona and a small part of Nevada. The territory was far from the war's front lines. Most of the fighting was taking place in the Southern states that had left the Union. The territory was frontier, mostly wild and sparsely populated. There were no major cities in New Mexico and the villages were small and remote. But both Confederate and Union governments claimed ownership of the territory.
During the Civil War the Confederate Army invaded New Mexico territory for a few reasons. First and foremost, they wanted to expand westward. Expanding westward would give them access to the Santa Fe Trail. The trail was a major transportation and trade route. They also wanted control of gold mines in Colorado and California. The plan was to send troops from Texas to Santa Fe. Troops would capture Santa Fe then move onto Fort Union for supplies. If all went well, they would capture Colorado then move onto California.
Sibley's New Mexico Campaign and the Battle of Valverde
To expand westward, the Confederate government knew they needed to begin by reinforcing the Confederate Arizona Territory. Confederate sympathies were strong here. Southern New Mexicans felt neglected by the Union government and appealed to the rebels for help. Confederate General Henry H. Sibley responded by leading a campaign to capture Santa Fe and Albuquerque. The Confederate Arizona Territory was formed as a result of his victory in the Battle of Valverde in 1862. It was the first major Civil War battle to take place this far west.
Union War Efforts
Union war efforts in New Mexico territory began early in the fall of 1861. The territory's governor at the time was Henry Connelly. He called for Union Army volunteers. In five months, 4,000 volunteers came forward. They were organized into regiments at Fort Union. The fort was located north of Watrous, in today's Mora County, New Mexico. There they received uniforins, weapons, and basic military training.
Volunteers faced disadvantages from the very beginning. The army assembled at Fort Union didn't appear to stand a chance. Most of the men were poor and unable to read. Many spoke only Spanish. Hardly any had military experience. They also faced discrimination by military leaders. The military issued weapons to the troops that were old and outdated. Many soldiers were forced to carry twenty-five-year-old rifles. The rifles were time consuming to load and frequently misfired.
Fortunately New Mexico's regiments had a few advantages over Confederate troops. New Mexico's rugged landscape had made the men tough and smart. It gave them a home field advantage. They were familiar with the territory's dangerous terrain and wildlife. Confederates were not and suffered for it. This advantage became evident in the Battle of Glorieta Pass.
The Battle of Glorieta Pass
The Battle of Glorieta Pass was a major turning point during New Mexico's time in the Civil War. It came to be known as the Gettysburg of the West. The Confederates had won every major battle in the territory. However, in the end, that didn't matter much. When New Mexico's volunteer troops finally drove them out of the territory, they left with nothing.
The final push occurred in March of 1862, at Glorieta Pass. Union troop's knowledge of the land paid off. Fighting had been dragging on between both sides, but Confederate troops appeared to be winning. When Union troops began to fall back, the Confederates thought the battle was over. Little did they know, New Mexico's brave army was planning a surprise attack. Members of the Union's infantry snuck away in the heat of the battle. They returned to the Confederate stronghold at Johnson's ranch. To avoid being seen as they approached, they climbed a nearby mesa. Upon realizing a wagon train carrying Confederate supplies was directly below them, they rappelled down. There they overturned and burned every one of the train's eighty wagons. Confederate troops had never seen the infantrymen coming. Cut off from their supplies, they were finally forced to retreat. They returned to Santa Fe and then withdrew down the Rio Grande. By the summer, the Union controlled New Mexico again and the Confederates never returned to the area.
after reading answer the question, Describe the New Mexico volunteers who fought for the Union in 2-3 sentences