Battle of Mesilla

The Battle of Mesilla was a Confederate victory at Mesilla, New Mexico (the Confederate States of America's Arizona Territory) on July 25, 1861. Actually only a skirmish, the encounter took place when Major Isaac Lynde, commander of the Federal troops at nearby Fort Filmore, attempted to drive the 2nd Regiment Texas Mounted Rifles under Lieutenant Colonel John R. Baylor from Mesilla. Lynde approached the town with his command and demanded Baylor's surrender. When Baylor refused, Major Lynde opened fire with his artillery. He then ordered his cavalry to attack Baylor's men. Lynde's attack was repulsed, suffering 3 men killed and 2 officers and 4 men wounded. There were no Confederate casualties.

Following his defeat, Lynde learned that Baylor had sent for his own artillery. This caused him to abandon Fort Filmore and retreat northeast towards Fort Stanton across the dry Organ Mountains. Many Union troops apparently had filled their canteens with the fort's medicinal whiskey instead of water, hardly wise for a march across desert country. Lynde's dehydrated command was overtaken by the Confederates and forced to surrender at San Agustin Springs on July 27.

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