A
battle has been fought between the armies of the United States and the
Confederate States near Santa Fe at Glorieta
Pass. The Correspondent who
witnessed this clash of arms is no stranger to the troubles of these two
nations of Americans. Tom
R. Grandy of the Daily Richmond Examiner sent from Richmond at the
request of this newspaper with gratitude to Edward Albert Pollard;
Managing Editor and founder of Examiner; to report on this fantastic war
that has raised it’s ugly head in New Mexico Territory and here in
Santa Fe. Mr. Grandy, a
Virginian who follows the Virginia army against the army of the United
States since the beginnings of the great conflict now raging in east
United States was removed from his grand life in Virginia to New Mexico
and Santa Fe to give a first rate account of this war that has seen fit
to come to our homes and burn our lands in New Mexico.
Mr. Edward Albert Pollard of the Virginia newspaper commissioned
Grandy to tell a tale from his prospective.
It is therefore fitting that the story of war in our home; be
told by Mr. Grandy, as he be witness to the moment.
Editorial
by Collins; Managing Editor Santa Fe New Mexican
Virginia
has found her sacred soil invaded by the armies of Mr. Lincoln and war
between the Confederate States Of America and The United States has
broken out in every corner of our lands.
With the Confederate determination to be independent from the
United States it is at times nessesary to protect that independence by
commandeering areas of territory that the United States has claim, but
not ownership; as she would otherwise lay claim to have.
The territories of the Rio Grande region in the west of the
Confederate state of Texas is such a place that United States claims to
be her land, yet no state boundary of said claim exists and therefore no
nation be in control of such territories that the people of that region
have nay by vote through general election; request statehood to any
given nation, United States or Confederate States.
With this being clear, Confederate forces from Texas began an
expedition into New Mexico Territory last January with intent to claim
the areas of Arizona, New Mexico and Colorado Territories for the
Confederacy. Last February a force of some 3,000 men from Texas
commanded by Brig. Gen. Henry H. Sibley crossed the Rio Grande River and
would move to occupy the city of Santa Fe.
With this impending expedition in progress, I would leave
Virginia and after many miles by train through our heartlands and dusty
trail rides on horseback or coach I reached Santa Fe in late March. I was straight away taken to a place Southeast of Santa Fe
called Glorieta Pass, where we were upon the eve of most important
events. It must be said that we had here, at this point of our
Confederacy, and without the life of civilization left behind to the
east, two armies within a few miles of each other, surrounded by an
boundless expanse of mountain, desert and plain, presenting, perhaps,
the most remarkable spectacle of the present war. An anomaly in all
chronicles of this modern warfare showing, in a most favorable light,
the great strength of our new Confederacy. I arrived at the encampment of the 4th Texas
Mounted Volunteers, and the absence of mounts becomes a noticeable site.
Informed that the horses had been lost at all points before, from
savages, Mexican horse thieves, battle with Federals at Val Verde, and
general breakdowns that the 4th Texas would be dismounted
Cavalry. It is also
instantly perceived that our Confederate soldiers look very much Federal
in blue coats, trousers and leather belts and packs. Closer observation showed the US of the Federal belt buckle
turned down to display SN for Southern Nation.
Our soldiers acquired their new blue uniforms from capture of
Union Stores at Val Verde weeks before. This has not been unseen prior
to this, however, when at Manassas many Confederate boys were in blue
and Federals in gray, but here in New Mexico, unlike those east, there
was a strangeness about these men.
The composition of both armies is most peculiar, and all the
circumstances which surround them extraordinary, while the end which
will be achieved beyond the shadow of a doubt, will redound to the glory
of Confederate arms, as much as any campaign in Virginia that has been
or may be instituted. There
in this vast expanse of country, where human presence is but a spec of
dust upon the table, these men shall have to again contend against a
force superior in numbers; officered by men of military education, and
long experience in military affairs, equipped with the most improved
arms, and supplied with all the materials of war, and all the
convenience and necessities required by the soldier in camp or in field,
the men from Texas shall have to contend against an army acting on the
defensive, in a country abounding in natural strongholds.
The Texas Army is well officered, but was badly clothed when sent
out from San Antonio; hence the Federal uniforms, but remained badly
fed, and badly armed. Most of the soldiers carry outdated infantry
weapons or personal side arms and shotguns.
It is composed entirely of cavalry, and the men and horses; those
animals still with their human companions; are fatigued with after
tedious marching of 700 miles, yet one and all undaunted, and as
sanguine of success as ever were an army of veterans. The Federal Army does not present scarcely a single
particular, present the stamp of American nationality. The major part of
the army is composed of native New Mexican volunteers, who do not
differ, in any essential degree, from the people of Old Mexico, and
thereby nicknamed; “Greazers” by the Texans; who neither know nor
care anything about the principal involved, and are, with a facility
proverbial with the Mexican race, ready to espouse the side of
successful. If that success be it Confederate, then such men would
gladly come to join our Confederacy with hope of citizenship in the new
nation. The regular Federal troops are composed of the old U.S. Regular
Army, who were of everything but Americans, much like those presently in
Virginia as Gen. McClellan’s Army Of
The Potomac, an incongruous string of nationalities in which the German
and Irish predominate. They
differ from those east in that they enlist not for Union, but for their
pay and food, and have no warmer or higher sympathy in the present war.
The Confederate called, "Army of New Mexico", is
composed of what is probably the best material for an army that the
world affords. Much like their fellows in the east, each man of them
possesses that distinct type of manhood.
The men of Texas are the very image of southwestern frontiersman,
inured to all hardships, of indomitable energy, familiar with the use of
firearms, at home on horseback, and fired with the love of country and
for the redress of wrongs. Like those of Virginia; there is no conflict,
which they would undertake, and none can occur on these lines in which
they will not be perfectly successful.
The
area of Glorieta Pass was a strategic location, situated at the southern
tip of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. The Texans under the command of
Major Joel Nicholas encamped at Johnson's Ranch, at one end of the pass.
The Federal army encamped very near by.
Arriving the men of the 4th Texas Mounted Volunteers,
were in role call presided by Sgt. Bates of Georgia preparing for
morning drill. The
day was brilliant sunshine and the early morning chill was soon to be
replenished with the warmth of the New Mexican sun.
Major Joel Nicholas of the 4th Texas Mounted
Volunteers Co. C reviewed his troops as the colors were raised.
The colors of Texas were placed upon the staff.
The Company looked grand as any army has looked.
With morning drill in full commencement a most strange site
appeared from a nearby road. Two
Federal Cavalry troopers appeared riding towards the Confederate camp.
Major Nicholas at once ordered soldiers to stop and take prisoner
of these two Federals. They
were from the Federal position beyond a small hill and out of site.
After much request for information and general conversation,
which became as friendly as between old friends, they were paroled.
A short while later a Confederate picket; Pvt. Phil Holmes of
Capt. Robert Smith’s Co. D; appeared with yet another prisoner, a
Federal Major. The major
was captured outside of his headquarters; by a patrol sent out by Capt.
Smith; while doing his paperwork, by Holmes and brought before Major
Nicholas. Adjutant,
Lt Whitten, affectionately known by the men as “Pappy” proceeded to
question the Federal and made out his parole for his release.
The Federal Major was Major Michael Garrett of the 1st
New Mexico Volunteers and commander of the Federal forces opposite the
Confederates. A young and dapper looking fellow with a clean new
uniform, presumably for review of his troops before he was captured, was
a very pleasant fellow though seemed quite embarrassed at his
carelessness at being so easily taken by a single Confederate picket.
Later the federals sent out probes all along the Confederate
lines searching for weakness and causing more of a fuss than general
alarm. Major Nicholas sent
a company to scare off these Federal probing exhibits and not a shot had
thus been fired. After
parole, Maj. Garrett, back with his troops, led more than 400 soldiers
to the Pass and moved out to attack. After noon, Garrett’s men
captured some Texas Pickets, later paroled, and then found the main
force behind them. Garrett advanced on them, but fire from Texas Capt.
Robert Smiths Co. D threw him back. Garrett regrouped, split his force
to the two sides of the pass, caught the Texans in crossfire, and soon
forced them to retire. The Texas men retired about a mile and a half to
a narrow section of the pass and formed a defensive line before
Garrett’s men appeared. It
must be said that 4th Texas Co. C Adjutant, Lt. “Pappy”
Whitten, on the field and making attempt to keep civilian onlookers away
from the engaging armies and out of harms way had; for reasons unknown;
refused through all this fuss, to allow this Virginia War Correspondent,
veteran of some of Virginias worst and bloodiest fights, access to the
fight now in progress. After
much thought, I found a vantage point with clear view of the ongoing
battle. The Yankees flanked the Texas men again and punished them with
enfilade fire. The Confederates fled again and the Union cavalry
charged, capturing the rearguard. Confederate
Cavalry counter attacked causing Garrett to retire and into camp at
Kozlowski's Ranch. No
fighting occurred after, as reinforcements arrived for both sides.
Confederate troops swelled about 1,100 while Union about 900 men, which
came from Fort Union. As
the field became quiet, I found Major Garrett alone walking over the
field. He told me he was
pleased with the resulting battle of this day claiming a Union victory,
though he was forced to retire in the push of Confederate Cavalry and
artillery brought up in support. I
received an invitation from Major Garrett to talk with his men later
that evening, which I accepted thus discovering the disposition of the
Federal troops. In the
meantime, both sides decided to attack and would set out early on the
marrow to do so. As night
fell of this first day, the soldiers of the 4th Texas were
busy cleaning muskets for inspection by Sgt. Joel Kelley and cooking
their evening meals. In honor of my presence, I was invited to attend a dinner
with the other officers. A
splendid feast, indeed, of roasted beef fresh from the ranch the Texans
were encamped, beans, rice and lemonade with chocolate cake and cookies
for desert. All was first
rate. Later that evening
some minstrels came from nearby Santa Fe to entertain.
It was a splendid evening not to be forgotten.
As the full moon of this night rose, the men bedded down and all
became quiet, save from the sounds of the wild.
The night was cold and the ground hard for those who slept upon
it. The men slept huddled
together in lines under blankets, which made the appearance of a multi
headed beast with a hundred legs. Most
rose in the early hours and morning chill to be by the fireside to warm
themselves and boil coffee. An
early morning southwestern breakfast was prepared with food from
Johnson’s Ranch commandeered for the Texans, which was heartily
gobbled up by the starving Texans who hadn’t had such a fine meal in
months. With fresh warm food in their bellies and muskets polished,
these men of Texas were at the ready for the coming contest.
They filed into position and marched off to the battle that was
awaiting them. As the Texas
boys advanced down the canyon, they saw the Union forces approaching,
and established a battle line, including the dismounted cavalry of the 4th
Volunteers. The Federals hit them before 11:00 am. The Confederates held
their ground and then attacked and counterattacked throughout the
afternoon. Back and forth the lines rolled up and back with no one side
gaining much ground. The
fighting then ended as the Federals suddenly retired first to Pigeon's
Ranch and then to Kozlowski's Ranch as in the first day’s fight. The
Texans soon left the field also, thinking they had won the day. Federal
troops, however, had destroyed all of the Confederate supplies and
animals at Johnson's Ranch, while the fight was going on, thus forcing
the Texans to retreat to Santa Fe. The Federals had thereby won and,
thereby, stopped Confederate advancement further into the Southwest.
Glorieta Pass was a battle fought with little or no advantage for the
Confederate men. In Santa
Fe the soldiers who survived the battle went into quarters not knowing
what the morrow would bring in the vast New Mexico Territory.
I bid them well and they asked of me not to forget them nor those
who fell at Glorieta Pass. They
will be remembered as brave soldiers who did their duty for their
country and the Confederacy is forever grateful for their sacrifices.
They shall receive the undying gratitude of the entire South.
Tom R. Grandy
Santa Fe New Mexican and Daily Richmond
Examiner