The Civil War in the Southwest

Date: February 24, 2012
Contact: Valerie Durán, 505-425-8025 ext.221

Glimpses of the Past: March 15, 2012 "The Civil War in the Southwest"

Las Vegas, NM: Fort Union National Monument announces its monthly Glimpses of the Past presentation, "The Civil War in the Southwest" as part of our Civil War 150^th Anniversary Series to be held at the CCHP/Santa Fe Trail Interpretive Center, 116 Bridge Street, in Las Vegas, Thursday, March 15, 2012, at 7:00PM. In the early days of the Civil War, eyes turned towards the Southwest as thousands of Confederate soldiers marched from Texas into the New Mexico Territory to claim land for the Confederacy. Were it not for the combined efforts of U.S. Army regulars and the citizenry of Colorado and New Mexico, the dream of a Confederate Territory of New Mexico would have succeeded. Join historian and award winning author John Taylor and discover the compelling story of the bloody events that occurred on New Mexico's soil 150 years ago and how New Mexico persevered, fought, and repelled the Confederate onslaught. 

John Taylor, a resident of Valencia County, received his master's degree in nuclear engineering from Stanford University and served as a member of the Sandia National Laboratories Technical and Management Staff from 1975-2010. In addition to publishing over 50 technical reports and papers he authored and co-authored two of the most comprehensive and detailed books on the Civil War in the Southwest, Bloody Valverde and The Battle of Glorieta Pass that have received historical and national acclaim.

The "Glimpses of the Past Series" are free in partnership with the Citizen's Committee for Historic Preservation. For more information, contact Fort Union National Monument at [phone], or visit www.nps.gov/foun.

More than 20,000 National Park Service employees care for America's 395 national parks and work with communities across the nation to help preserve local history and create close-to-home recreational opportunities. Learn more at www.nps.gov.