Glorieta Pass, NM

[Battle of Glorieta Pass by Roy Anderson - Courtesy of Wikipedia]

Date(s): March 26-28, 1862

Location: Please click on link below for map.

Campaign(s): Sibley’s New Mexico Campaign [1862]

Battles in Campaign:

• Valverde, NM - February 20-21, 1862 B

• Glorieta Pass, NM - March 26-28, 1862 A

Situation:

Commanders:

• Union: Maj. John C. Chivington and Col. John P. Slough

• Confederate: Maj. Charles L. Pyron and Lt. Col. William R. Scurry

Principal Forces:

• Union: Northern Division, Army of New Mexico

• Confederate: 4th, 5th, and 7th Texas Cavalry Regiment, artillery, and a company of independent volunteers

Description:

• Glorieta Pass was a strategic location, situated at the southern tip of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, southeast of Santa Fe, and on the Santa Fe Trail.

• In March 1862, a Confederate force of 200-300 Texans under the command of Maj. Charles L. Pyron camped at Johnson’s Ranch, at one end of the pass.

• Union Maj. John M. Chivington led more than 400 soldiers to the Pass and on the morning of March 26th moved out to attack.

• The two forces engaged in the afternoon, with Chivington’s men flanking the Confederate troops and capturing the rearguard. Chivington retired and camped at Kozlowski’s Ranch.

• Reinforcements arrived the next day with Lt. Col. William R. Scurry’s troops increasing the Confederate forces to about 1,100 while Union Col. John P. Slough arrived with about 900 men.

• Both Slough and Scurry decided to attack and set out early on the 28th to do so.

• The fighting continued the next day with Scurry's Confederates repulsing the Union attack and driving Slough back to Kozlowski’s Ranch.

• Scurry thought he had won the battle, however, he discovered that Chivington’s men had destroyed all Scurry’s supplies and animals at Johnson’s Ranch.

• Although Scurry had won the day he was forced to retreat to Santa Fe and then to San Antonio, Texas.

• The Union victory at Glorieta Pass was the turning point of the war in the New Mexico Territory and stopped Confederate incursions into the Southwest.

Photo Gallery:¹

Roadside marker describing the Battle of Glorieta Pass	Description of the Battles - Pecos National Historical Park	Painting of the Battle of Glorieta Pass - Pecos National Historical Park	Union troops destroy Confederate supply trains - Pecos National Historical Park
Civil War troops in New Mexico - Pecos National Historical Park	Map of Battle of Glorieta Pass - Pecos National Historical Park	The Civil War in the Pecos Valley - Pecos National Historical Park	Items found at the Glorieta Battlefield - Pecos National Historical Park
Description of battle at site of future visitor center and proposed walking tour	Description of monuments at site	Colorado Monument	Texas Monument
Site of Future Visitor Center	Site of Future Visitor Center	Buildings from Pigeon's Ranch
Well at Pigeon's Ranch	Buildings from Pigeon's Ranch

Classification²: A

Casualties³:

• Union: 142   

• Confederate: 189

Results: Union Victory

Battlefield Websites:

• Pecos National Historic Park - National Park Service

• Battle of Glorieta Pass - Wikipedia

Recommended Resources:

¹ Please click on the image to enlarge it. You may copy the images if you include the following note and link with each image: "Courtesy of civil-war-journeys.org."

² Classification:

• A - having a decisive influence on a campaign and a direct impact on the course of the war

• B - having a direct and decisive influence on their campaign

• C - having observable influence on the outcome of a campaign

• D - having a limited influence on the outcome of their campaign or operation but achieving or affecting important local objectives

³ Casualties are someone killed, injured, wounded, captured or missing.

Revised 07/17/2008