Of all of the military operations that occurred during the American Civil War, none was conducted in a more exotic locale than the Confederate invasion of the New Mexico Territory in early 1862. The march of the Confederate force under Brigadier General Henry Sibley from central Texas to the Rio Grande Valley at El Paso was an epic story in itself, but it was surpassed by his subsequent movement up the Rio Grande River toward the goldfields of Colorado. Equally daunting was the task before Union Brigadier General Edward Canby, who had to parry the Confederate thrust with extremely limited resources, including volunteers who had only recently become American citizens. The result was a fascinating campaign of multiple battles across a vast and forbidding landscape, a campaign in which logistical considerations were more decisive than usual in determining the outcome. Although the numbers of troops on both sides were small and the battles relatively bloodless when compared to larger actions east of the Mississippi River, the New Mexico Campaign of 1862 was replete with colorful characters, high drama and capricious fate, all played out on a physical canvas of unsurpassed beauty.

 After an overview on Thursday evening at our base hotel in Santa Fe, we will depart by bus on Friday morning and begin our study of this amazing campaign by traveling southward through Albuquerque and Socorro to the site of Fort Craig, Canby’s stronghold in central new Mexico. After lunch at the famous Owl Bar & Grill in San Antonio, New Mexico, we will visit the vicinity of the Battle of Valverde, the largest battle in the campaign and a Confederate victory. Thereafter we will return to Santa Fe, following the route of the Confederate advance. On Saturday we will follow the Santa Fe Trail northwest to Fort Union, the Federal base in northern New Mexico and rallying point for the Federal reinforcements from Colorado. After lunch in Las Vegas, New Mexico we will return to the beautiful mountainous region on the edge of the Pecos Wilderness and visit the battlefields of Apache Canyon and Glorieta Pass, the decisive struggles in the campaign. Our tour will conclude at the National Cemetery in Santa Fe, at the gravesite of Glorieta participants rediscovered in 1987.

Dr. Robertson and Colonel Clay, because of their experience and expertise in conducting staff rides for the Combat Studies Institute of the U. S. Army Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, offer the most comprehensive tour of the New Mexico Campaign to date. We hope you’ll join us in the Land of Enchantment with its breathtaking mountains and serene deserts on this compelling adventure in Civil War history!   

About our Tour Leaders

Dr. William Glenn Robertson is Deputy Director, Combat Studies Institute, US Army Command and General Staff College, and Command Historian, US Army Combined Arms Center, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. He is one of America’s finest battlefield and historical tour guides. He is the author of Back Door to Richmond: The Bermuda Hundred Campaign and The Petersburg Campaign: The Battle of Old Men and Young Boys and is writing what is expected to be the definitive study of the Chickamauga Campaign.

Lieutenant Colonel Steven E. Clay is Chief of the Staff Ride Division, Combat Studies Institute, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. He is the author of Blood and Sacrifice: The History of the 16th Infantry Regiment from the Civil War through the Gulf War

Thursday, March 22

8:00 PM – 9:00 PM         Campaign Overview – DeVargas Room, Hotel St Francis, Santa Fe, NM

Friday, March 23

7:30 AM                         Depart for Tour of Fort Craig and Valverde.

6:00 PM                          Arrive Back at Hotel St. Francis

Saturday, March 24

8:00 AM                          Depart for Tour of Fort Union, Apache Canyon, Glorieta Pass

and the National Cemetery in Santa Fe.

5:00 PM                          Arrive Back at Hotel St. Francis

REGISTRATION FEE (lodging not included):    $ 395
 

If You Must Cancel we will refund 100% of your fees paid. However, to receive a 100% refund, you must allow 30 days from the date of our receipt of your notice of cancellation

What is Included in your Registration:

·        the services of expert historians chosen for their knowledge and experience  

·        Friday & Saturday lunches

·        refreshments during the tour

·        information package

Base Location & Lodging: We will be based at the Hotel St. Francis, 210 Dan Gaspar Avenue, Santa Fe, NM 87501 where we have reserved a block of rooms at the special rates of $129.00 – Single and $159.00 Double. Rooms are limited and you should make your reservations as soon as possible. Call 800-529-5700 and identify yourself as a registrant for the Civil War Education Associtation or CWEA tour. For more information about the hotel, visit its web-site: www.hotelstfrancis.com. If there are no more rooms available when you contact the Hotel St. Francis, call us at 800-298-1861 and we will help you secure other lodging.  

• There is a parking charge of $5 per day at the hotel
• Shuttle service is available from Albuquerque International Airport to the Hotel St. Francis – call Sandia Shuttle at 888-775-5696 to arrange. The round trip shuttle fee is $45 per person. Visit www.sandiashuttle.com for more details about this shuttle service