Battle of Valverde

Infobox Military Conflict
conflict=Battle of Valverde
colour_scheme=background:#ffcccc


caption=
partof=the American Civil War
date=February 20–February 21 1862
place=Valverde, New Mexico Territory
result=Confederate victory
combatant1= flagicon|USA|1861 United States (Union)
combatant2= flagicon|CSA|1861 CSA (Confederacy)
commander1=E.R.S. Canby
commander2=Henry Hopkins Sibley
strength1=3,000
strength2=2,500
casualties1=202 {68 killed, 160 wounded, 35 captured/missing}
casualties2=187

The Battle of Valverde (February 20–February 21, 1862), fought in and around the town of Valverde in the New Mexico Territory, was a major Confederate success in the New Mexico Campaign of the American Civil War, despite having to retreat later after the Battle of Glorieta Pass, which was a "Union" victory. The opposing forces were Confederate cavalry from Texas and several companies of "Arizona" (actually southern New Mexico) Confederate volunteers versus U. S. Army regulars and Union volunteers from northern New Mexico.

General Henry Hopkins Sibley led his brigade of about 2,500 men across the Rio Grande and up the eastern side of the river to the ford near Valverde, north of Fort Craig, New Mexico, hoping to cut Union ("Federal") communications between the fort and their headquarters in Santa Fe. Union Lt. Colonel Edward Richard Sprigg Canby left Fort Craig with 3,200 men to prevent the Confederates from crossing the river. Just when he was opposite them, Canby opened fire in haste and then sent Union cavalry and limited infantry and artillery over the river, forcing the Rebels back.

The Confederates halted their retreat somewhere along the Old Rio Grande river bed, which served as an excellent defensive position. After crossing over all of his men, Canby decided that a massive frontal assault would fail and deployed his force to assault the Confederate left flank. Before he could do so, the Confederates attacked. The Federals countered with a cavalry charge, but the main Confederate force pressed on in a frontal assault, capturing an artillery battery of six artillery pieces and breaking the Union battle line, which soon caused a rout. Canby quickly managed to reorganize his men and ordered a retreat back to the fort. Confederate reinforcements arrived and Sibley was going to order another attack, when Canby sent a white flag asking for a truce to remove the bodies of the dead and wounded. Sibley gentlemanly agreed.

Left in possession of the battlefield, the Confederates claimed victory but had suffered heavy casualties. Although they would go on to occupy Albuquerque and Santa Fe, they would be forced to leave the New Mexico Territory after only a few months due to a lack of supplies. The Confederates retreated to El Paso, Texas, the starting point of the campaign, with Canby's Federals slowly following but not making any attempt to renew the fighting.

Legacy

The battle represented E. R. S. Canby's low point in his military career and Henry Hopkins Sibley's high point. Both men would go opposite directions to the terms of reputation after the battle.

It is speculated that the two commanders of these battles, Canby and Sibley, who had been allies and trained together earlier, might have actually been brothers-in-law.

References

* [http://www.nps.gov/history/hps/abpp/battles/nm001.htm National Park Service battle summary]
* [http://www.blm.gov/nm/st/en/prog/recreation/socorro/fort_craig.html Fort Craig National Historic Site]