The Battle of Valverde: A Strategic Victory for the Union Army

Abstract

In 1861 the United States Army in New Mexico was demoralized. The troops had not been paid in over a year, lacked provisions and ordnance, and their officers were deserting them for positions in the rebel army. Four of the five cavalry commanders resigned their US commissions and took up arms against their former comrades. Additionally, Apache, Kiowa, and Navajo tribes continued to menace the soldiers and the civilian population. Such were the conditions that Colonel Edward R. S. Canby found upon assuming command of the Department of New Mexico. Despite these seemingly insurmountable odds, Colonel Canby implemented a strategy which resulted in the Confederates eventual defeat in New Mexico.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Dec 29, 2002
Accession Number
AD1143868

Entities

People

  • Antonio S. Darosa

Organizations

  • United States Army Sergeants Major Academy

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Air Defense
  • Army
  • Artillery
  • Artillery Fire
  • Battles
  • California
  • Civil War
  • Colorado
  • Howitzers
  • Infantry
  • Munitions
  • New Mexico
  • New York
  • Order Of Battle
  • United States
  • Volunteers
  • War

Fields of Study

  • History

Readers

  • Archaeological Resource Survey
  • Military History of the United States in the 20th Century.