Glorieta Pass was a strategic location, southeast of Santa Fe on the Santa Fe Trail and Apache Canyon. After immobilizing the bulk of Union forces in New Mexico at Valverde, the Confederates had spread out across the Rio Grande valley and gobbled up small Union garrisons. Fort Union, northeast through the Pass, was last on their list. They knew it was lightly garrisoned, and a modest force was heading for it.

But Union reinforcements had arrived, most of the 1st Colorado Infantry, as hardy a bunch of frontiersmen as have ever enlisted. Most times when units are praised for the natural skills of their men it's polite and makes little difference, but the 1st Colorado are the exception. They out-marched even Stonewall Jackson's 'Foot Cavalry' to get to Fort Union, where they caught their breath and were re-equipped before action.

The Coloradoans weren't going to wait for a Confederate advance, and about 400 men were sent into the Canyon to capture a small party reported at the other end. Instead they found Confederates already in the Canyon, and captured pickets on the night of the 25th. The next morning they rounded up a scouting party and were doing well until they met the Confederate main body. The Rebels had brought an artillery piece, which Chivington couldn't match. Chivington forcefully rallied his men - his position as a Methodist Elder hadn't stopped him enlisting, nor would it deter him from the Sand Creek Massacre - and regrouped. Using superior numbers and the experience of his frontiersmen, he turned the Confederate flanks. The Southerners fell back to a narrower part of the canyon, but underestimated the Yankees. Climbing a portion the flat-landers reckoned impassible, they turned the Confederate flank again and a cavalry charge finished off the day. It was too late for a pursuit, but over a hundred prisoners were taken. Total Confederate losses were about 200, against 20 Coloradoans.

No fighting occurred the next day, but reinforcements arrived for both sides and the dead were buried. Scurry's troops swelled the Rebel ranks to about 1,100 while Slough arrived with about 900 Federals. Both Slough and Scurry decided to attack early on the 28th. As Scurry advanced he saw the approaching Union forces, so he deployed, dismounting his cavalry to thicken the line. For most of the day the Federal main body was on the defensive, fighting from rocks and trees. Both sides fought hard and well, at times grappling with knives and bayonets. Gradually the Federals were forced back and by nightfall had pulled back to their camps. The Confederates were too bloodied to go any further, and also pulled back after arranging an armistice until noon the next day to deal with dead and wounded. And that is when they realized what else had happened.

The Federals they had just beaten had been only part of the force, about 700 men. The other 400, under Chivington, moved by mountain paths around the scene of the main battle and had pounced on the Confederate camp. They quickly overran it (partly since some of the guards had impatiently left to join the main battle) and destroyed the entire wagon train with all the reserve ammunition, stores, and food, and then had to kill all the horses since they couldn't be removed except along the canyon.

At a stroke Sibley's whole expedition was crippled. Short of supplies when he began, few had been captured and now virtually nothing was left. And many of the men were now dismounted, facing a long walk home.

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Selected sources:
American Battlefield Protection Program, Heritage Preservation Services, National Park Service.