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- Subscribe - Contact Us - Rate Card - Place an Ad Valley&State Backpage O&E Sports Archives Classifieds Faith&Beliefs Obituaries Revels April 12, 2004 Food & History The Confederate Empire Jeff Cheek The infant Confederate government had grandiose plans. They would conquer and occupy New Mexico and Arizona, then take Southern California, creating a slave empire stretching from the Atlantic to the Pacific. On July 23, 1861, Col. John Baylor and 300 Texans invaded New Mexico. Union Major Issac Lynde surrendered and Baylor proclaimed the whole territory was now part of the Confederated States of America. President Jefferson Davis named Baylor military governor of New Mexico and Arizona. Meanwhile, Davis gave Brig. Gen. Henry Sibley, CSA, the mission of occupying the quartermillion square mile territory. Sibley crossed the border from Texas on December 20, 1861 with 3,700 troops. He was opposed by Col. Edward Canby with a smaller Union army. Canby decided to make a fighting retreat while awaiting reinforcements. The first battle was at Valverde, on the Rio Grande between El Paso and Albuquerque. The Yankees were defeated and continued their strategic withdrawal. Sibley's army took Albuquerque of l7 March l862 and occupied the capital, Santa Fe, a week later. Meanwhile, Canby had been reinforced by volunteers from Colorado, including a unit commanded by Major John Chivington, a Presbyterian Deacon known as "The Fighting Parson." With these reinforcements, Canby could now take the offensive. The two armies clashed at Glorieta Pass, northeast of Santa Fe, While his main body engaged the enemy, Canby sent Chivington to outflank the Rebel Army. The Colorodans attacked the Confederate supply dump, eight miles in the rear. The guards were killed or captured and the supplies destroyed. The Confederate soldier had courage, but no ammunition. Glorieta Pass was a decisive federal victory. Only l,500 rebel soldiers limped back to the safety of Texas. The Confederate dream of a coast to coast slave empire died at Glorieta. Just before the Battle of Valverde, the two armies were encamped on opposite banks of the Rio Grande. Captain "Paddy" Graydon, commanding a company of volunteers, came up with a bizarre plan that might have given the Yankees a victory. He asked for two old mules and a dozen artillery shells. He and a few picked volunteers would swim the river, infiltrate the Rebel camp, and set the lethal mules loose near the enemy corral. The mules would join the other animals, the shells would explode, and much of their supplies and transportation would be destroyed. Canby approved the plan. That night the raiders swam the river, eluded the sentries, and got within l50 yards of the enemy corral. The could smell the Rebel mules. They lit the fuses, slapped their mules on the rump, and began to escape. But they had forgotten one important detail. They had not briefed the mules on their part of the operation ! Seeing their companions leaving, the mules turned and trotted back. The Yankees took off, running pell-mell through cactus and catclaw bushes. Naturally, the mules speeded up. Now, there is a Law of Nature which says that a four legged mules can always run faster than a two legged man. The men were running, the fuses were burning, and the mules were gaining when KABOOM. A dozen 24 pound cannon balls exploded, scattering mule parts in every direction and scaring hell out of the soldiers in both camps. Paddy and his footsore Commandos limped back to camp after daybreak. Texas-style Beans is a regional dish you will enjoy. Ingredients 2 cups Pinto beans 1 cup chopped onion 1/4 pound salt pork, diced 1 clove garlic, crushed 2 14 oz cans tomatoes 1/2 cup diced green pepper 1 tablespoon sugar Preparation Cover beans with water, soak overnight. Add onion, garlic and pork, cover and boil over low heat for two hours. Add other ingredients and simmer for three more hours. Serve. DailyTidings.com Home Page Valley&State | Backpage | O&E | Sports | Archives | Weather | Classifieds Columnists | Faith&Beliefs | Obituaries | Revels | Subscribe | Contact Us Copyright 2004 Ashland Daily Tidings and Ottaway Newspapers All Rights Reserved Click Here Site Search: .:Advertisements:. RESOURCES - Mail Tribune News - ODOT Road Cams