Skirmish at Albuquerque, New Mexico Territory
Skirmish at Albuquerque, New Mexico Territory - Multiple units skirmish at Albuquerque in present day Bernalillo County, New Mexico on April 8, 1862
- Also referred to as the Battle of Albuquerque
- Date also listed as April 9, 1862
The Battle of Albuquerque was a small engagement of the American Civil War in April 1862 between General Henry Hopkins Sibley's Army of New Mexico and a Union Army under Edward Richard Sprigg Canby.
Sub-Operations
- This engagement is part of the The New Mexico Campaign from December 20, 1861-July 1, 1862
Union Troops
- 2nd Colorado Infantry
- (II) Graydon's (Independent) Cavalry Company (Originally referenced as Graydon's Spy Company)
- 3rd United States Cavalry
Confederate Troops
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Battle
The Confederates were on the retreat from New Mexico Territory after the Battle of Glorieta Pass. On April 8, Sibley's 4th, 5th and 7th Texas Mounted Volunteers occupied Albuquerque for a second time as they retreated southeast to Texas. Colonel Canby moved his army up from Fort Craig to ascertain the strength of the Confederates in Albuquerque.
Canby's artillery opened fire at long range from the edge of town for two days. The Union artillery ceased firing when a local citizen informed Canby the Confederates would not permit the civilians to seek shelter. Canby felt he had accomplished his mission; he knew the Rebels were still willing to put up resistance. The Union demonstration also caused Colonel Tom Green to hastily pull out of Santa Fe and move to Sibley's aid, hoping to counter attack in the morning. Under cover of darkness Canby's forces slipped away without the rebels' knowledge.
Lacking the resources to take a large force captive, Canby hoped the Confederates would concentrate their forces together and move out of New Mexico in one unit. The rebels did indeed end their occupation of Albuquerque a few days later on April 12. Sibley left behind the sick and wounded along with eight mountain howitzers, buried near the edge of town.
Casualties
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Sources
- Dyer, Frederick H. A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion. The Dyer Publishing Company (Des Moine, 1908). (Pages 595, 615, 983)
- Wikipedia - Battle of Albuquerque
