A Union Army camp during the Civil War
A Union Army camp during the Civil WarLibrary of Congress · LC-DIG-cwpb-02637
The Civil War, 1861 to 1865

New Mexico in the Civil War

New Mexico was raised entirely for the Union. Of the 26 regiments recorded in New Mexico, 26 served the United States, and none the Confederacy.

On the ground

Battles and engagements fought in New Mexico

Aubrey maps 43 documented Civil War engagements fought on New Mexico’s soil between 1861 and 1865, from decisive battles to the raids and skirmishes that filled the years between.

Every point below is placed from the source record, with the date, the units engaged, and the casualties reported exactly as the compiled histories give them.

1862 · Union victory
Glorieta Pass

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 encamped 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 26 moved out to attack. After noon, Chivington's men captured some Rebel advance troops and then found the main force behind them. Chivington advanced on them, but their artillery fire threw him back. He regrouped, split his force to the two sides of the pass, caught the Rebels in a crossfire, and soon forced them to retire. Pyron and his men retired about a mile and a half to a narrow section of the pass and formed a defensive line before Chivington's men appeared. The Yankees flanked Pyron's men again and punished them with enfilade fire. The Confederates fled again and the Union cavalry charged, capturing the rearguard. Chivington then retired and went into camp at Kozlowski's Ranch. No fighting occurred the next day as reinforcements arrived for both sides. Lt. Col. William R. Scurry's troops swelled the Rebel ranks 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. As Scurry advanced down the canyon, he saw the Union forces approaching, so he established a battle line, including his dismounted cavalry. Slough hit them before 11:00 am. The Confederates held their ground and then attacked and counterattacked throughout the afternoon. The fighting then ended as Slough retired first to Pigeon's Ranch and then to Kozlowski's Ranch. Scurry soon left the field also, thinking he had won the battle. Chivington's men, how-ever, had destroyed all Scurry's supplies and animals at Johnson's Ranch, forcing him to retreat to Santa Fe, the first step on the long road back to San Antonio, Texas. The Federals had won and, thereby, stopped Confederate incursions into the Southwest. Glorieta Pass was the turning point of the war in the New Mexico Territory.

1862 · Confederate victory
Valverde

Brig. Gen. Henry H. Sibley led his force of 2,500 men across the Rio Grande River and up the east side of the river to the ford at Valverde, north of Fort Craig, New Mexico, hoping to cut Federal communications between the fort and military headquarters in Santa Fe. Union Col. E.R.S. Canby left Fort Craig with more than 3,000 men to prevent the Confederates from crossing the river. When he was opposite them, across the river, Canby opened fire and sent Union cavalry over, forcing the Rebels back. The Confederates halted their retirement at the Old Rio Grande riverbed, which served as an excellent position. After crossing all his men, Canby decided that a frontal assault would fail and deployed his force to assault and turn the Confederate left flank. Before he could do so, though, the Rebels attacked. Federals rebuffed a cavalry charge, but the main Confederate force made a frontal attack, capturing six artillery pieces and forcing the Union battle line to break and many of the men to flee. Canby ordered a retreat. Confederate reinforcements arrived and Sibley was about to order another attack when Canby asked for a truce, by a white flag, to remove the bodies of the dead and wounded. Left in possession of the battlefield, the Confederates claimed victory but had suffered heavy casualties. Although the Confederates would soon occupy Santa Fe, they would have to leave New Mexico within four months.

Federally recognized battlefieldDocumented engagement43 of 43 placed on the map
EngagementYear ▲TypeResultUnion losses
Skirmish, Fort Craig1861Skirmish--
Operations about Fort Stanton1861Skirmish--
Skirmish, Fort Craig1861Skirmish--
Skirmish, Alamosa, near Fort Craig1861Skirmish--
Skirmish, Canada Alamosa1861SkirmishConfederate victory-
Skirmish, Cimarron River1861Skirmish--
Surrender, Fort Stanton1861Battle--
Skirmish, Mesilla1861Skirmish-3 killed, 6 wounded
Skirmish near Fort Craig1862Skirmish-3 wounded
Skirmish, Fort Craig1862Skirmish--
Capture of Cubero1862Skirmish--
Skirmish, Apache Canon, near Santa Fe1862Skirmish--
Skirmish, Comanche Canyon or Pass1862Skirmish--
Affair, Socorro1862Skirmish--
Expedition from Fort Union to Canadian River and Utah Creek1862Skirmish--
Engagement, Valverde1862BattleConfederate victory68 killed, 160 wounded
Skirmish, Albuquerque1862SkirmishUnion victory-
Evacuation of Albuquerque and Santa Fe1862Battle--
Glorieta Pass1862BattleUnion victory331 total
Valverde1862BattleConfederate victory389 total
Action, Peralta1862SkirmishUnion victory-
Skirmish, Warm Springs, Fort McRae.1863Skirmish-2 killed, 6 wounded
Skirmish near Fort Craig1863Skirmish--
Skirmish, Rio Hondo1863Skirmish-1 killed, 4 wounded
Scout from Fort Wingate to Ojo Redondo, Jacob's Well1863Skirmish--
Skirmish, Pinos Altos1864SkirmishConfederate victory-
Action, Pecos River, near Fort Sumner.1864Skirmish--
Expedition from Fort Craig to Fort Goodwin, Arizona1864Skirmish--
Expedition from Fort Wingate to Gila and St. Francis Rivers, Arizona1864Skirmish--
Scouts from Fort Sumner1864Battle--
Scouts from Fort Union1864Battle--
Scout on Cimarron River1864Skirmish--
Expedition from Fort Craig to Fort Goodwin, Arizona1864Skirmish--
Expedition from Fort Wingate1864Skirmish--
Skirmish, Red River1864Skirmish--
Skirmish, Fort Sumner1864Skirmish--
Expedition from Fort Wingate to Sierra del Datil1865Skirmish--
Expedition from Fort Wingate to Sierra del Datil1865Skirmish--
Scout from Fort Sumner1865Skirmish--
Scout from Fort Cummings1865Skirmish--
Scout from Fort Sumner.,1865Skirmish--
Scout from Fort Sumner-to Oscura Mountains1865Skirmish--
Scout from Fort Stanton1865Skirmish--

Sources · Official Records & compiled regimental histories · American Battlefield Protection Program · Aubrey Historical Database

26
Regiments raised
12,961
Men in the records
26
Union
0
Pinned to a town

Civil War regiments were raised locally: each was recruited from the eligible men of one or more nearby counties, organized at a rendezvous camp, and sent to the front. In New Mexico, 0 of the 26 regiments below are pinned to the specific town where they formed; the rest are recorded honestly at the state level. The largest single unit raised in New Mexico was the 1 New Mexico Cavalry, with 3,533 men in the records.

To search these regiments by a family surname and read the individual men who served, with their rank, company, and side, explore any location in New Mexico.

Explore more of the Civil War

Neighboring states
Texas
Across the Civil War
All 34 states ›Civil War homeBattles and engagementsSoldier recordsPhotographs

Union regiments raised in New Mexico

26 recorded, largest first. Raising town shown where documented.

  • 1 New Mexico Cavalry · Raising place not recorded · 3,533 men
  • 1 New Mexico Infantry (New Organization) · Raising place not recorded · 2,058 men
  • 2 New Mexico Infantry · Raising place not recorded · 1,285 men
  • 1 New Mexico Infantry (Old Organization) · Raising place not recorded · 1,280 men
  • 3 New Mexico Mounted Inf. 6 Months, 1861-2 · Raising place not recorded · 1,276 men
  • Batt'n. New Mexico Vols. 1866-7 · Raising place not recorded · 663 men
  • Perea's Batt'n. N. Mex. Mil. Inf. (3 Months, 1861-2.) · Raising place not recorded · 497 men
  • 4 New Mexico Infantry · Raising place not recorded · 484 men
  • 1 New Mexico Militia Inf. (3 Months, 1861-2) · Raising place not recorded · 378 men
  • 5 New Mexico Infantry · Raising place not recorded · 219 men
  • Graydon's Indpt. Co., N. Mex. Mtd. Vols. (3 Months, 1861-2) · Raising place not recorded · 149 men
  • Alarid's Indpt. Co., New Mexico Mil. Inf. (3 Months, 1861-2) · Raising place not recorded · 144 men
  • 1 New Mexico Militia Inf · Raising place not recorded · 126 men
  • Romero's Indpt. Co. (A), New Mexico Militia Infantry (3 Months, 1861-2) · Raising place not recorded · 123 men
  • Mink's Indpt. Co., New Mexico Mtd. Vols. 3 Months, 1861 · Raising place not recorded · 106 men
  • Hubbell's Indpt. Co., N. Mex. Mtd. Vols. 3 Months, 1861 · Raising place not recorded · 95 men
  • Vigil's Indpt. Co., New Mexico Mtd. Vols. 3 Months, 1861 · Raising place not recorded · 85 men
  • 1 New Mexico Infantry · Raising place not recorded · 81 men
  • Tafolla's Indpt. Co., New Mexico Militia 3 Months, 1861-2 · Raising place not recorded · 78 men
  • Gonzales' Indpt. Co., New Mexico Militia (3 Months, 1861) · Raising place not recorded · 78 men
  • Sena's Co. A, 1 New Mexico Militia 2 Months, 1862 · Raising place not recorded · 63 men
  • Duran's Company, New Mexico Militia · Raising place not recorded · 58 men
  • Simpson's Indpt. Co., New Mexico Mounted Spies and Guides · Raising place not recorded · 48 men
  • Perea's Indpt. Co., New Mexico Vols. (60 Days, 1862) · Raising place not recorded · 45 men
  • N.M. Mtd. Vols. (3 Mos., 1861) · Raising place not recorded · 5 men
  • New Mex. Mtd. Inf. (3 Months, 1861-2) · Raising place not recorded · 4 men

Explore more of the Civil War

Neighboring states
Across the Civil War
All 34 states ›Civil War homeBattles and engagementsSoldier recordsPhotographs
Aubrey Research

Research the history of any US location

Aubrey searches federal archives, archaeological records, historic registers, and primary sources to build a full historical report for any address or place in the United States.

Research your locationView a free sample report
Unlimited access

What a full report reveals, anywhere in the United States

Pick any location and Aubrey pulls together 18 strands of its history, each drawn from the record:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
First month just $5.99, then $11.99 a month. Unlimited locations, cancel anytime.

Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.

Start your first month for $5.99
Or see a real report first