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The primary Confederate objective in the New Mexico campaign was *solely* the capture of gold and silver mines.
Answer: False
While securing the region's valuable mineral resources was a significant objective, the Confederate strategy also encompassed controlling vital transportation routes and potentially accessing Pacific ports.
The Confederate invasion of New Mexico commenced successfully with General Sibley capturing Santa Fe prior to engaging Union forces at the Battle of Valverde.
Answer: False
The Confederate invasion began with initial engagements and the capture of Mesilla and federal troops, followed by the Battle of Valverde in February 1862. Santa Fe was occupied in March 1862, after Valverde, not before.
New Mexico possessed abundant resources that could easily sustain a prolonged Confederate occupation.
Answer: False
New Mexico's limited resources and lack of sustenance posed a significant challenge for a prolonged Confederate occupation, contributing to the campaign's ultimate failure.
The Confederate Arizona Territory was established after the Battle of Glorieta Pass to solidify Confederate gains.
Answer: False
The Confederate Arizona Territory was officially established in early 1862, prior to the Battle of Glorieta Pass, encompassing the southern portions of modern Arizona and New Mexico.
The Santa Fe Trail was largely irrelevant to the Confederate strategy in New Mexico.
Answer: False
The Santa Fe Trail was central to the Confederate strategy, as control of Glorieta Pass, a key point on the trail, was essential for their advance towards Union strongholds and potential expansion.
What was the primary strategic goal of the Confederate invasion of the New Mexico Territory?
Answer: To gain access to western resources like gold and silver, control railroads, and secure access to Southern California seaports.
The Confederacy sought to secure valuable western resources, control vital transportation networks, and potentially gain access to Pacific ports, thereby expanding their territory and weakening the Union.
What was the initial Confederate success in early 1862 that preceded their advance towards Glorieta Pass?
Answer: Outmaneuvering Colonel Canby at the Battle of Valverde and capturing Santa Fe.
The Confederate campaign achieved initial successes, including outmaneuvering Colonel Canby at the Battle of Valverde in February 1862 and subsequently capturing the territorial capital of Santa Fe in March.
Why was control of Glorieta Pass strategically vital for the Confederate forces?
Answer: It was a crucial mountain pass on the Santa Fe Trail, essential for advancing onto the High Plains and potentially attacking Fort Union.
Glorieta Pass represented a critical chokepoint on the Santa Fe Trail, offering the Confederates a strategic route to advance further into Union-controlled territory and threaten key installations like Fort Union.
What was the Confederate Arizona Territory?
Answer: A territory established by the Confederacy encompassing the southern halves of modern Arizona and New Mexico, with its capital at Mesilla.
The Confederate Arizona Territory was a political entity organized by the Confederacy, comprising the southern portions of present-day Arizona and New Mexico, with its administrative center at Mesilla.
What was the significance of the Santa Fe Trail in relation to the battle?
Answer: Glorieta Pass was a strategic point on the trail, crucial for Confederate advance.
The Santa Fe Trail was a primary logistical and strategic route. Control of Glorieta Pass was essential for the Confederates to secure their advance along this vital pathway.
What practical challenge did New Mexico itself present for a prolonged Confederate occupation?
Answer: New Mexico could not provide sufficient sustenance to support a prolonged occupation.
The territory's limited capacity to provide adequate provisions posed a significant logistical hurdle for sustaining a long-term Confederate presence.
Colonel Edward Canby served as the overall Union commander responsible for the defense of the New Mexico Territory during the Confederate campaign.
Answer: False
Colonel Edward Canby was the Union commander. The overall Confederate commander of the New Mexico campaign was Brigadier General Henry Hopkins Sibley.
The Union forces engaged at Glorieta Pass were composed predominantly of Texan volunteer cavalry units.
Answer: False
The Union forces primarily consisted of the 1st Colorado Infantry, elements of the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd U.S. Cavalry, and artillery batteries. The Texan volunteer cavalry units were part of the Confederate contingent.
A significant accusation leveled against Colonel John M. Chivington post-battle was that he deliberately failed to reinforce Colonel John P. Slough's command during the engagement.
Answer: False
The primary controversy surrounding Chivington involved allegations that he withheld his troops, failing to provide timely support to Colonel Slough's main force, thereby potentially hindering a decisive Union victory. The charge was not about allowing Confederate reinforcements.
Who was the main Union commander responsible for defending the New Mexico Territory during the campaign?
Answer: Colonel Edward Canby
Colonel Edward Canby commanded the Union forces tasked with defending the New Mexico Territory against the Confederate invasion.
What controversy surrounded Colonel John M. Chivington after the battle?
Answer: He was charged with failing to reinforce Colonel Slough promptly during the main battle.
Colonel Chivington faced significant criticism and accusations regarding his alleged failure to adequately support Colonel Slough's forces during the main engagement at Glorieta Pass.
Which of the following was NOT a unit comprising the Union forces at Glorieta Pass?
Answer: 2nd Texas Mounted Rifles
The 2nd Texas Mounted Rifles was a Confederate unit. Union forces included the 1st Colorado Infantry, elements of the U.S. Cavalry, and artillery batteries.
Which statement best describes the Union commander Colonel Edward Canby's actions during the campaign?
Answer: He was outmaneuvered at Valverde but remained at Fort Craig, cutting off Sibley's supply lines.
Colonel Canby employed a strategy of attrition, initially withdrawing to Fort Craig after the Battle of Valverde, thereby severing General Sibley's supply lines and preventing further Confederate advances.
Which Confederate commander took charge after reinforcements arrived on March 27, 1862?
Answer: Colonel William Read Scurry
Colonel William Read Scurry assumed command of the Confederate forces on March 27, 1862, following the arrival of reinforcements, and led them into the main battle the following day.
The Battle of Glorieta Pass, a pivotal engagement of the American Civil War, occurred in March 1862, not April 1861, and was the westernmost major conflict of the war, not the start in the West.
Answer: False
The Battle of Glorieta Pass transpired from March 26-28, 1862. While the Civil War commenced in April 1861, this battle represented a significant western engagement, not the initiation of hostilities in that theater.
Glorieta Pass was strategically unimportant as it was not located on the Santa Fe Trail.
Answer: False
Glorieta Pass was critically important due to its location on the Santa Fe Trail, a vital artery for westward expansion and commerce, making its control essential for Confederate advance.
The initial skirmish at Apache Canyon on March 26 involved Major Chivington successfully routing the Confederates without any Union casualties.
Answer: False
While Major Chivington's forces engaged the Confederates at Apache Canyon, it was not a rout without Union casualties. The engagement involved artillery fire and tactical maneuvering, with both sides sustaining losses.
Union casualties at Glorieta Pass were significantly higher than Confederate casualties.
Answer: False
Confederate casualties were higher than Union casualties at Glorieta Pass. The Union sustained approximately 147 casualties, while the Confederates suffered around 222.
The terrain of Glorieta Pass, characterized by open plains, made flanking maneuvers impossible.
Answer: False
Contrary to the statement, the mountainous terrain of Glorieta Pass, with its canyons and elevated ridges, actually facilitated flanking maneuvers and strategic positioning for both Union and Confederate forces.
Approximately how many soldiers comprised the Union and Confederate forces at the Battle of Glorieta Pass?
Answer: Union: ~1300, Confederate: ~1100
The Union forces numbered approximately 1,300 soldiers, while the Confederate forces consisted of about 1,100 men during the main engagements of the battle.
How did the terrain of Glorieta Pass influence the battle?
Answer: The mountain pass, with canyons and ridges, facilitated flanking maneuvers and strategic positioning.
The rugged terrain of Glorieta Pass, characterized by steep canyons and ridges, provided opportunities for tactical flanking movements and advantageous defensive positions for both combatant forces.
What specific action did Major John M. Chivington lead on March 26, 1862, at Apache Canyon?
Answer: He led a force that attacked Confederate pickets and engaged the main Confederate force, forcing them to retreat after regrouping.
Major Chivington's command engaged Confederate pickets and subsequently the main Confederate force under Major Pyron at Apache Canyon, compelling a Confederate withdrawal.
What was the total number of casualties for the Union forces at Glorieta Pass?
Answer: 147 (51 killed, 78 wounded, 15 captured)
The Union forces sustained a total of 147 casualties, comprising 51 killed, 78 wounded, and 15 captured soldiers during the engagements at Glorieta Pass.
The destruction of the Confederate supply train was the decisive factor that ensured their victory at Glorieta Pass.
Answer: False
The destruction of the Confederate supply train critically hampered their ability to sustain the campaign, leading to their eventual retreat. It was a strategic Union success that contributed to the Confederate failure, not their victory.
Colonel John P. Chivington received universal acclaim for his leadership during the Johnson's Ranch raid.
Answer: False
Colonel Chivington's role in the Johnson's Ranch raid was controversial. While the destruction of the supply train was critical, credit for the initiative and execution was debated, with some questioning Chivington's direct leadership.
Colonel Edward Canby was criticized for directly leading the flanking maneuver at Johnson's Ranch.
Answer: False
The flanking maneuver that led to the destruction of the Confederate supply train at Johnson's Ranch was primarily led by Union Major John M. Chivington, not Colonel Edward Canby, who remained at Fort Craig.
Native American scouts were instrumental in locating the Confederate supply train at Johnson's Ranch.
Answer: True
Native American scouts, notably those led by Lt. Col. Manuel Chaves, played a crucial role in identifying the location of the Confederate supply train at Johnson's Ranch, enabling the Union attack.
What critical action, occurring away from the main fighting at Pigeon's Ranch, severely hampered the Confederate army?
Answer: The destruction of the Confederate supply train and wagons at Johnson's Ranch.
The successful Union raid on the Confederate supply train at Johnson's Ranch deprived the invading army of essential provisions, ammunition, and transport, critically undermining their operational capacity.
How did the destruction of the Confederate supply train directly impact the outcome of the New Mexico campaign?
Answer: It forced the Confederates to abandon their invasion and retreat from New Mexico due to lack of provisions.
Deprived of essential supplies, the Confederate army lacked the means to sustain their campaign or retreat effectively, compelling them to withdraw from New Mexico Territory.
What was the immediate consequence for the Confederate army after the destruction of their supplies at Johnson's Ranch?
Answer: They were forced to retreat to Santa Fe and eventually abandon New Mexico.
The loss of their supply train rendered the Confederate army incapable of sustaining their campaign, compelling a strategic withdrawal from Santa Fe and ultimately from the entire New Mexico Territory.
The Battle of Glorieta Pass was the easternmost major engagement of the American Civil War.
Answer: False
The Battle of Glorieta Pass was, in fact, the westernmost major military engagement of the American Civil War, representing the Confederacy's furthest significant westward advance.
The Battle of Glorieta Pass earned the nickname 'Gettysburg of the West' because it was the site of the largest battle of the Civil War in terms of troop numbers.
Answer: False
The nickname 'Gettysburg of the West' is attributed to Glorieta Pass because it marked the end of the Confederacy's major westward offensive, analogous to Gettysburg's role in the East. It was not the largest battle by troop numbers.
Following the battle, the Confederates successfully maintained control of Santa Fe and planned further advances.
Answer: False
After the Battle of Glorieta Pass and the destruction of their supply train, the Confederates were forced to retreat from Santa Fe and ultimately abandon the New Mexico Territory.
The Battle of Glorieta Pass secured the Confederacy's control over the Southwest and its valuable resources for the remainder of the war.
Answer: False
The Battle of Glorieta Pass effectively ended the Confederate New Mexico campaign and thwarted their ambitions for control of the Southwest, securing the region for the Union.
The Civil War Sites Advisory Commission rated the Battle of Glorieta Pass as a minor engagement with little strategic impact.
Answer: False
The Civil War Sites Advisory Commission designated the Battle of Glorieta Pass as Priority I (Class A), signifying it as a principal strategic operation with direct impact on the war's course, comparable to major battles like Gettysburg.
The Battle of Glorieta Pass resulted in a decisive Union victory, allowing them to immediately push Confederate forces out of New Mexico.
Answer: False
While the battle's strategic outcome favored the Union, particularly due to the destruction of Confederate supplies, the immediate expulsion of Confederate forces was a consequence of their subsequent retreat necessitated by logistical collapse, not an immediate military rout.
Which battle is considered the westernmost military operation of the American Civil War?
Answer: The Battle of Glorieta Pass
The Battle of Glorieta Pass, occurring in March 1862, represents the Confederacy's most significant westward military operation and is thus considered the westernmost major engagement of the American Civil War.
The Battle of Glorieta Pass is sometimes nicknamed the 'Gettysburg of the West' primarily because:
Answer: It marked the end of the Confederacy's major westward offensive, similar to Gettysburg's role in the East.
This appellation stems from Glorieta Pass halting the Confederacy's most significant westward territorial expansion, analogous to the strategic impact of the Battle of Gettysburg in the Eastern Theater. However, historians caution that this comparison may overstate its relative importance.
The nickname 'Gettysburg of the West' is sometimes debated because:
Answer: Historians believe the nickname may overstate the strategic importance of Glorieta Pass compared to Gettysburg.
While Glorieta Pass was a critical battle halting Confederate westward expansion, its strategic scope and impact are often considered less profound than those of Gettysburg, leading to debate over the nickname's accuracy.
What rating did the Civil War Sites Advisory Commission give to the Battle of Glorieta Pass, and what does it signify?
Answer: Priority I (Class A); a principal strategic operation with direct impact on the war's course.
The Commission's highest rating indicates that Glorieta Pass was a strategically crucial battle with significant implications for the overall trajectory of the Civil War.
What was the ultimate outcome of the Confederate New Mexico campaign?
Answer: The campaign failed, forcing the Confederate forces to withdraw entirely from New Mexico Territory.
The campaign concluded with the Confederate withdrawal from New Mexico Territory, marking a failure to achieve their strategic objectives and securing it for the Union.
The entirety of the Glorieta Pass Battlefield is currently preserved and managed by the National Park Service.
Answer: False
While significant portions are preserved, only approximately 20% of the Glorieta Pass Battlefield is managed by Pecos National Historical Park. The remainder is privately owned.
In 1987, archaeologists discovered evidence of Union supply caches near Pigeon's Ranch.
Answer: False
Archaeological investigations at Pigeon's Ranch in 1987 uncovered Confederate burial sites, including the solitary grave of Major John Samuel Shropshire and a mass grave containing 30 Confederates, not Union supply caches.
The American Battlefield Trust is involved in preserving portions of the Glorieta Pass Battlefield.
Answer: True
The American Battlefield Trust, along with other organizations, actively works towards the preservation and protection of significant portions of the Glorieta Pass Battlefield.
What did the discovery of two burial sites at Pigeon's Ranch in 1987 reveal?
Answer: The solitary grave of Major John Samuel Shropshire and a mass grave of 30 Confederates.
Archaeological findings at Pigeon's Ranch in 1987 included the identification of two Confederate burial sites, providing tangible evidence of the battle's human cost.
How is the Glorieta Pass Battlefield managed and preserved today?
Answer: Approximately 20% is managed by Pecos National Historical Park, with the rest privately owned.
Preservation efforts encompass approximately 20% of the battlefield managed by Pecos National Historical Park, while the majority remains under private ownership, necessitating ongoing conservation initiatives.
How is the Battle of Glorieta Pass referenced in popular culture?
Answer: It is obliquely referenced in Sergio Leone's film *The Good, the Bad and the Ugly*.
While not explicitly depicted, the film *The Good, the Bad and the Ugly* contains narrative elements and themes that allude to the historical context and consequences of the New Mexico campaign and Glorieta Pass.