Glorieta Pass | Civil War New Mexico

Garry continues his Civil War in New Mexico trip as he travels to the Glorieta Pass Battlefield within Pecos National Historical Park.
The American Battlefield Trust preserves America’s hallowed battlegrounds and educates the public about what happened there and why it matters. We permanently protect these battlefields for future generations as a lasting and tangible memorial to the brave soldiers who fought in the American Revolution, the War of 1812, and the Civil War.

[@wild_west_hippie]

My grandmother used to reenact with the New Mexico volunteers and reenacted with them dressed as a man in the 1970s there. And thanks to her she got me into civil war reenacting. Very special place to me for more than just its historic significance.

[@NeoThomist-sd1ue]

Sounds like your grandmother was a wonderful lady.

[@robertofunk673]

In 92 I visited Fort Craig a couple times,&once civil war enactors were engaged,sounding their huge canons a few times. I got my car stuck a mile down on the river bosque&a few Union soldiers came down to tey&get it unstuck. Union soldiers living in that desolate place sure endured alot,plus threats from native Americans,while Jefferson Davis wanted to win in this far west arena...losing thankfully.

[@Nadine-bv3jm]

Nothing new about the ladies. Some did that time even during the war.

[@2DSTORMS]

Did not realize New Mexico was so involved in the Civil War. Great job and great addition of Trace Adkins voice over.

[@rockbottom8502]

If you had ever seen The Good, The Bad And The Ugly you would have known at least a little about it, as they mention Sibley, Canby, Santa Fe and Fort Craig in it.

[@delstanley1349]

The Sergio Leone movie, "The Good the Bad & the Ugly" starring Clint Eastwood and Lee Van Cleef is loosely (very) based on this battle. The battle scenes in the movie were shot in Spain.

[@91Redmist]

I thought they said the movie battle resembled Valverde more than Glorieta Pass. Well either way, it was still the New Mexico campaign caught on cinema, in perhaps the greatest western movie ever made!

[@91Redmist]

Thanks so much for doing a segment on Glorieta Pass! On a trip out west in 2015, I drove through the battlefield on the interstate without even knowing it, or knowing that a major battle took place in the area! I don't remember how I finally got clued in, but I did my research back home here in OH and was like, "damn, I totally missed visiting a pivotal moment of the western theater!" Talk about regrets! So, thanks A TON Gary for taking me back there in the virtual sense!

[@herodotus7]

Glad you finally made it there and to New Mexico. It's a beautiful place.

[@ryanfromrust]

2014 Amarican Battlefield Trust just keeps creating amazing, top notch content. 360 VR and 3D battle maps that were made years ago. They're amazing graphics still! ...Combined with the most knowledgeable and articulate storytelling Historians makes for the most reputable, citable, and likeable American history KZbin channel. Thank you!

[@AmericanBattlefieldTrust]

Thanks!

[@robertm.9633]

There is a monument in Colorado Springs to the 1st CO. It's a LONG drive to Santa Fe. Being a history nerd stationed in CO, I was all over from Las Cruces to Cheyenne. Lots of good stuff in between. Thanks for the video, Garry!

[@tomdynia9951]

So glad to see this followup to the previous video on Ft Craig/Valverde, thanks so much! The whole New Mexico Campaign is really a story of incredible marches, starting with the movement of Sibley's brigade from San Antonio to Franklin, a fair day's drive barrelling down the interstate. And that was done by several thousand men and all the horses and mules it took to support and transport them over country where water is scarce. And coming in the opposite direction was Carleton's California Column, making its way over terrain equally if not more challenging. A book I like is "Blood and Treasure" by Donald Frazier which also goes into Baylor's capture of Ft Fillmore and the Fistful of Dollars political atmosphere of the Confederate Territory of Arizona. Another site worth visiting if you happen to be traveling in Texas is Ft Lancaster, a bit west of Ozona on the old US 290. It's a nice state historical park. One of the burials in the cemetery is one of Sibley's men who died of disease. It's a very lonely place to wait for eternity.

[@skproductions7949]

So happy to see that you finally were able to make it out here. Ft. Union and Ft. Craig are so much different from each other. Really hardy people to say the least.

[@antonioconnelly1804]

I have been waiting for a series like this for a long time. My great grandfather was govornor of new Mexico during the campaign and several of my family members fought on the union side through the campaign. The battle of peralta that occured during the retreat was at the Connelly family home in what is today Bosque Farms. My family has a lot of personal ties and to see it covered so thoroughly really means a lot to me

[@annmcgehee1728]

Great video as always! Garry’s enthusiasm is contagious. Thanks for sharing about these little known battles!!

[@hackerx9477]

Great to see another video about Sibley's New Mexico Campaign.

[@commandercero1348]

Great video Gary. I recommend to time your visit when the Park Service has a ranger giving tours of the battlefield. If you want to learn about the real Col Chivington, visit the very sad Sand Creek Massacre National Historic Site in Colorado where a group of Colorado Volunteers, under the command of Chivington murdered 70 to 600 peaceful Cheyenne and Arapaho (around two-thirds who were women and children).

[@robertbarnes801]

One of the most forgotten aspects of Glorieta Pass is that Captain James Hobart Fords Independent Company of Colorados was both present at Apache Canyon and the wagon and mule BBQ at Johnson's Ranch . Both Independent Company's of Colorados ,Captain Fords and Captain Dodds were instrumental in the New Mexico Campaign. Both of the Independent Companys fought at Albuquerque and Peralta, helping kick Sibleys Brigade back to Franklin. The Independent Companies help for the nucleus of the 2nd Colorado and were converted to Cavalry and sent to Missouri to help level the playing field in 1864-65. The damn lousy miners, pulled it off! Great video...

[@aaronkehn7764]

For reference, these books are great: - Rebels on the Rio Grande (Don Albert’s) - Three Years and a half (Ellen Williams)

[@mikebongiorni]

This battle is on my bucket list as it occurred and is the only battle during the Civil War that happened on my birthday. Thanks Garry and crew!👍

[@NJcruiser]

Loved Glorieta Pass when I visited. Had beautiful blue skies and gorgeous cool weather. Been lucky to have been there twice. Also went to nearby Pecos NP which was also fascinating. Beautiful part of the country. Also got to Fort Craig and Fort Union. Didn't get a chance to get to Valverde unfortunately.

[@jankovarik9714]

Great stuff, Garry...as always. The Civil War is endlessly fascinating to me, and there is always more to learn!

[@AmericanBattlefieldTrust]

Thanks so much!

[@kermitcook8498]

Thanks for doing the New Mexico Campaign. More people than know it have actually heard of this. It's what the action is very, very loosely based on in THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE UGLY. And when I say loosely, I mean like just the names. But if you don't know, you don't know. Hope you really enjoyed your stay.

[@tehMati]

5:05 I think they actually did the last 92 miles in *36 hours. 92 miles in 13 hours would be bonkers.

[@AmericanBattlefieldTrust]

You know, I was watching that today before it launched and was thinking that sounds impossible. Thanks. GA.

[@matthewjay660]

Thank-you for bringing us these exposés/battles that involved Texans. Hello from Houston. 🙋🏻‍♂️

[@wildcolonialman]

Startling, and a fabulous telling.

[@sunshinesteve2820]

Most Americans do not know anything about the battles west of Vicksburg.

[@JeffHenry-cq3is]

Same can be said east of Vicksburg

[@solarski2004]

I had a relative fight at the siege. He was taken prisoner and traded later.

[@Rebelmediainc]

Gary is the man!!! Thank you!

[@imperialfist93]

You are the man Gary! Great video.

[@Jerry-fn5nx]

Great vid! I have the book, the three cornered war and it is a very good book 👍

[@y00h0011]

Good job, Garry.

[@Spacemanpan]

Just started reading the 3 Cornered War a few days ago. Into chapter 2 now.

[@dannyramirez8094]

I knew nothing about the New Mexico campaign of the Civil War until I read “Blood and Thunder”. Talks about the Natives in that area, Kit Carson, Manifest Destiny, the New Mexico campaign, amongst other things.

[@hotrod101786]

My ancestors lived in Glorieta at the time of this. The Armijo and Romero families. I am also related to Carmen Ceballos, who was married to the owner of Pigeon Ranch. My great grandfathers cousin is still alive, born in the late 1920's. He said when he was a young boy, my 4th great aunt Adelaida Romero used to tell him stories of how she watched this battle when she was a little girl.

[@jorgemartinpaez4376]

Love this video Hispanos mexicanos and the US Indian wars and ACW will provide leadership among Hispanic communities in politics and arts, and journalism

[@k.c.8658]

Great place to visit!

[@joshuahoener2603]

I have been waiting for this for a long time

[@bigsarge2085]

Always interesting!

[@bryanpropp2179]

Coloradans gave the Texans a hiding! Don’t mess with Colorado!

[@thomaswilson5966]

👍👏👏👏👏 NewMexico 🤝Colorado 💪 🇺🇸 🤜🤛🏿

[@ck1578]

Great! I am from Frederick county Maryland, living less than 30 minutes from Gettysburg. So, when I lived in NM for a few years I made sure I made it to Glorieta Pass. Glad to see this video. I remember trying to see the battle at the field as depicted in the Clint Eastwood movie - I forget which one, but ine of the Spaghetti Westerns I believe. Great job Garry.

[@deerharvester7355]

Howdy neighbor. Carroll County, Maryland here!

[@davegrim4639]

The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly! Great scene, even if it’s not terribly authentic.

[@ck1578]

@@deerharvester7355 Hello, neighbor from Carroll county! Named for a great founding father most no nothing about.

[@deerharvester7355]

@@ck1578 last living signer of the Declaration. I surely did not know about him. Thanks for the info 🇺🇸

[@harveycaldwell2409]

Garry thank you for this video

[@330-Gibson]

Great video on this important and overlooked battle! As a Coloradoian CW reenactor, I remember the discovery of the bodies and was able to see the recovered accouterments. Very sobering.

[@Suppercamper]

Great show!! Planning a camping trip there soon. Thanks!

[@user-zy1qf5mj4c]

I can finally rest. My wishes have come true.

[@stevelenores5637]

I studied this during the pandemic when we all had to stay home and I didn't anything better to do.

[@davegrim4639]

I have to say… So great to see Garry out west, where there’s not a lot to see besides Glorieta Pass if you’re into Civil War history. I was a little surprised that Garry did not mention the 1864 Sand Creek Massacre when talking about John Chivington’s life after the battle. It was a little bit more than “unpopular”-it was an atrocity. And it taints Chivington’s heroics at Glorieta Pass.

[@CriticalMass-yu1ec]

Such a rich history. Thanks for this with us

[@avenaoat]

Interesting Californian soldiers occupied El Paso (Franklin) from Texas in August of 1862 as the result of the Glorita Pass. It may be the logistic problems caused this area disapeared from the Civil War after the Federal occupation of El Paso. Neither the USA nor Confederacy fought more about El Paso.

[@avenaoat]

The modern campaigns wanted steamboats and reailroads the horses and mules could not maintain big campaigns for long distance.

[@BCSchmerker]

+preservingbattlefields *Thanks for the summary o' the Battle of Glorieta Pass.*

[@FiveStringCommando]

Are you going to do one on Picacho Pass in Arizona?

[@jankovarik9714]

Hey Garry! Thanks for the recommendation of The Three-Cornered War. I've got the book now and it promises to be a good read!

[@rockbottom8502]

There weren't that many Polish people who had emmigrated to the US by the time of the Civil War, they would come in high numbers by the late 1800s and settle in places in the upper midwest like Cleveland, Detroit and Chicago. That's why I found it so odd that a Pole name Kozlowski would have had a ranch, indicating he had some amount of money in the far reaches of the mountains of New Mexico in the early 1860s.

[@Not_So_Weird_in_Austin]

The retreat back south decimated the southern forces even more. No food, limited water, brutal weather.

[@rougarou7329]

Colonel Manuel Antonio Chavez, 2nd New Mexico Infantry. Captain Rafael Chacon, 1st New Mexico Infantry.

[@Lyons44]

Very interesting video! It’s another battlefield that I have yet to visit, but am able to see and learn about due to these great videos. Thank you and I look forward to others!

[@martinp1544]

Thanks!

[@aaronkehn7764]

Brilliant! I asked for this on a video and/or Facebook months ago. Good job!

[@youtubeprofilewordsname12345]

What a great storyteller this guy is

[@vanwahlgren8451]

Great story thank you for the history, please encourage showing more maps when you can!

[@JMCAragorn]

Aw you came out west to my home. I would've taken y'all out to lunch! 💛❤️💛❤️

[@porcine83]

That is a wonderful location with tons of history besides the Civil War battles.

[@TransMissCampaigner1864]

1st comment. Come to Mansfield please! Great video as always!

[@AmericanBattlefieldTrust]

Hoping to!

[@VanlifeNoonan77]

You are my favorite historian. Flat out the Best . I from Boston and have been to New Mexico a few times. I hope you take advantage of the hot springs there. I love Truth or Consequences. some good history there. thank you

[@AmericanBattlefieldTrust]

Thanks! GA

[@andrewgonzales8943]

my great great grand father Nasario Gonzales fought in that battle as a Union officer

[@Chiller11]

In 1864 John Chivington was responsible for the Sand Creek Massacre in which approximately 150 (depending on sources) Cheyenne & Arapaho were killed. Most of the deceased were women and children. A pretty ignominious moment in the history of the 3rd Colorado Cavalry.

[@brandon7482]

2:38 My 3x great grandfather, Pvt. John W. Porter fought under Scurry in the 4th Texas Cavalry Regiment in this battle

[@deadmeat8754]

This is one of my favorite Civil Wars stories. How Colorado and New Mexico volunteers with a small cadre of Federal troops stopped the critical westward expansion of the Confederacy. the Battle of Glorieta Pass is rightly called the Gettysburg of the East because it was a strategically significant battle which effectively sealed the fate of the Confederacy years before Gettysburg actually ended it.

[@thomaswilson5966]

👍 New Mexico & Colorado 🤝 🇺🇸

[@Byzant7]

I wouldn’t really say this battle sealed the fate of the Rebs, I mean even if they won what would have happened? They gain some desert?

[@deadmeat8754]

@@Byzant7 The Confederacy had strong strategic reasons for attempting to secure the Arizona/New Mexico territory (which was drawn up differently from today's states of the same names. Among the strategic goals of the invasion was to give the Confederacy a secure _land_ border with French controlled Mexico. They would have also have been able to threaten the gold, agriculture and shipping industries of California. Securing portions of California's pacific coast would have also given the Confederacy additional ports which the USN may not have been able to effectively blockade. A successful invasion and occupation may have demonstrated to the French and British that the Confederacy _could_ win and prompt them to openly support their separation from the United States (remember, the USA was _not_ a superpower in the 1860, while Britain and France were). There was also a significant population of Confederate sympathizers in California, due to the earlier Gold Rush which had drawn many southerners. In fact, a Confederate unit of volunteers came out of California called the Los Angeles Mounted Rifles. At the _very_ least, a successful Confederate invasion and occupation of New Mexico, or Arizona territories would have forced the Union Army to divert considerable manpower to the West. This would have likely resulted in a prolongation of the war in the East and may have prevented a Gettysburg.

[@Byzant7]

@@deadmeat8754 I understand what you’re saying but I really really think you’re stretching its importance. You gotta remember, the confederates didn’t have the manpower to control these lands. They were already stretched thin as it was, but now imagine having to control massive chunks of deserts and mountains hundreds of miles from their main heartland. This is without any railroad or telegraph lines. Thats not to mention the states and territories in this area were FIRMLY pro union. California, Oregon, Nevada, Utah, and Colorado were all very much union states and it would have been a logistical, and strategical nightmare to control. Also the confederates strategy if they wanted to win over Britain and France was not to conquer Union land but to defend their land. Going on the offensive would make their whole claim of “peaceful independence” null and void. Also the US navy was large enough to blockade the western ports if the confederates would have even been able to reach them in the first place. Thats also not counting the Russian naval envoy sent to California near the start of the war,

[@deadmeat8754]

@@Byzant7 We all have opinions. I don't agree with yours. The west was sparsely populated by _both_ the Union and the Confederacy. The Battle of Glorieta Pass was fought by an ad hoc union force of mostly territorial volunteers which had to force march from Denver. That fact alone undermines your argument about the Union being sufficiently entrenched. at the time, the issue of a Confederate army moving west was of such concern to the Union that it required an immediate and difficult response. I am not going to get bogged down trying to explain to you that controlling every inch of territory is not required for a military force to exert effective control across a large region. There are simply too many US and world examples that disprove your position. As for the 1860's USN being large enough to blockade every port on both coasts and the gulf, again, respectfully, you're using a 2020's perspective to make assumptions about 1860's events and capabilities. Some of the states you claim were inviolably pro-Union weren't even states at the time. Their union governance was firmly pro-Union, but that doesn't mean their frontier populations were steadfastly pro-Union. Just as today, (free) antebellum Americans were able to go anywhere in the united States they desired. That's how the west was won, after all. the westward movement of Americans began long before the Civil War and (you may not believe this) even southerners migrated west for fame, fortune, opportunity, or wanderlust. I could go on, but whatever I say you're just going to dismiss in favor of your own rationale. So, as I said before, we are each entitled to our own opinions. In this case, I do not expect those to be reconciled.

[@dwaynef5410]

I grew up in Albuquerque in the 60’s-70’s and heard about this battle reenactment but never saw it. I would love to go back and take part of this battle. When is it? Any battle contact info?

[@demiseisdue]

Love your videos.. However the choice to describe the Sand Creek Massacre and Chivington's involvement in it as "unpopular" is a bit disappointing.

[@tallboy2234]

Great video! 👍😉

[@josephbingham1255]

Nice commentary on this little known battle. I remember when they were widening the highway and discovered a Confederate cemetery in Glorieta Pass. 12:25 I heard a story in Marrietta, Ga. that a former Gonfederate General who was influential chose Confederate tombstones to have a "pointed" top. The story being he didn't want any "damned Yankees" sitting on them. Maybe there's some truth to it ?

[@melindacash1268]

There is a ranch that we just went to that was for sale....they owned a tunnel that went from under the traintracks on the other side to the house...no one could say why it was there, i wonder if they used it for this campaign????? There was no other reason in this art of the country for that tunnel.

[@dimitristoupakisAT]

Yet another great video with a full dose of GA 👏 As always entertaining and educating! Regards from Europe.

[@jankovarik9714]

I am always astounded at Garry's ability to hold forth, unscripted...

[@AmericanBattlefieldTrust]

Thanks, to tell you the truth, sometimes, so am I. :-) this video was shot in one take. GA.

[@ericstoverink6579]

I've always heard of the Battle of Westport in Kansas City, MO referred to as the Gettysburg of the West. It effectively ended Sterling Price's campaign in Missouri. Any future plans to cover that campaign?

[@AmericanBattlefieldTrust]

Search Garry Adelman‘s Civil War page for video at Westport. The Trust may have posted it here on KZbin as well.

[@Ayala-99]

Picacho Peak just north of Tucson as well.

[@liberalman8319]

I wished you walked around with the camera 🎥

[@juliamarple3785]

Wow!

[@Spinonemaster]

Garry ... great to learn more about the activities in the far west ... love the linen jacket ! (frock ?)

[@AmericanBattlefieldTrust]

Duster or sack coat.

[@marvwatkins7029]

What's with changing hats?

[@AmericanBattlefieldTrust]

Confederate hat and Union hat

[@markserour9115]

Stonewall Jackson's so-called "foot cavalry" had NOTHING on the 1st CO Vols. in terms of marching time and distance, not to mention adverse weather conditions.

[@thomaswilson5966]

👍 🇺🇸

[@bobconnor1210]

Then there was the retreat of the surviving Confederate soldiers which left equipment and the bones of animals and men strewn for miles and miles.

[@scotthagara8200]

Love you Garry, but 92 miles in 13 hours may be a little much.

[@AmericanBattlefieldTrust]

My error! GA

[@JayTSteele]

Pyrrhic victory

[@jorgemartinpaez4376]

Gabriel Paul commander of ft Union still NPS, built by gen Sumner later in Army of the Potomac , pikes pikers Colorado vols, under guide w NM vols bof Chavez lead the attack on the Confederate supplies.

[@rachaelday6154]

Hi, Garry & Justin!!! How are you?

[@AmericanBattlefieldTrust]

Wow! Hola. GA

[@rachaelday6154]

I watch almost all of your videos!!

[@jorgemartinpaez4376]

In AZ NM csa invasion and battles Tucson AZ under CSA confed rebel AZ, Terr southern AZ NM goal. Baylor CSA,

[@ryan.coogler]

Look. See that one with the white beard, General Sibley? He looks dead. He's finally getting out of our hair. Hooray for Dixie. Hooray, hooray for Dixie.

[@MickeyJWind]

The csa did not win tactically. They got flanked and screwed. This was as decisive a loss as the war

[@avenaoat]

New Mexico was prounionist during the Civil War. The slavery economy had not much root here.

[@hossesarse]

Have been there. Jesus, history on meth.

[@Dale-qi9uy]

Gary lose the beard like ur documentary