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The
Confederates shot many of the Union soldiers during this time, which disorganized the attack. The Union assault was repulsed, and both sides began skirmishing at long range. Lynde reformed his command but decided to retreat back to the fort, with the Confederates troops and armed Arizona citizens
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At sunset the next day, Baylor ordered his artillery and more cavalry to reinforce him, while the rest of his command moved into position to attack the fort the next day. During the same night, the
Confederates captured 85 of the fort's horses, which formed most of the fort's transportation. Fearing
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Lynde approached the town with his command and demanded Baylor's surrender. When Baylor refused, Lynde deployed his men into a skirmish line and opened fire with his mountain howitzers. The infantry was ordered to advance but heavy sand and corn fields interfered with this attack. Lynde then ordered
447:("the Royal Road of the Interior Land") and the east-west Butterfield overland mail route. Baylor and his men were greeted with the cheers of the townspeople, who favored the Confederacy. A company of Arizona Confederates joined Baylor here, and were convinced to muster into the Confederate Army.
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During the pursuit the following day, the
Confederates were able to capture dozens of straggling Federals. Lynde's dehydrated command, reduced to 100 men by this time, was overtaken by the Confederates, some of whom used a pass (later known as Baylor Pass) to intercept them. They were forced to
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Leaving during the night of July 23, Baylor arrived at Fort
Fillmore the next night, preparing to launch a surprise attack the next morning. However, a Confederate deserter informed the fort's commander, Major
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The
Confederate victory at Mesilla actualized local overtures towards secession, which had been ratified by two conventions in March 1861. On August 1 Baylor declared the establishment of an organized
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in pursuit. Lynde lost a disputed three to thirteen men killed and two officers and four men wounded, while Baylor lost a disputed two dead and seven seriously wounded with twenty horses killed.
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on July 27. The prisoners were paroled, and Baylor concentrated his battalion at the fort. He was able to refit his command with the captured
Springfield rifles and other captured equipment.
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was sent to occupy the series of forts along the western Texas frontier which had been abandoned by the Union Army. Baylor's orders from the
Department of Texas commander, Colonel
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The
Adventures of a Tenderfoot: History of 2nd Regt. Mounted Rifles and Co. G, 33 Regt. and Capt Coopwood's Spy Co. and 2nd Texas in Texas and New Mexico.
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544:"abandoning his post — Fort Fillmore, N. Mex. — on the 27th of July, 1861, and subsequently surrendering his command to an inferior force of insurgents"
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an attack the next day, Lynde abandoned Fort
Fillmore after destroying the ammunition and supplies in the citadel. He retreated northeast towards
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527:. Baylor installed himself as the new territory's military governor, and declared martial law. Baylor's success at Mesilla led to
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On July 25, leaving a small force behind to guard the fort, Lynde led 380 Regulars to the village to drive out Baylor.
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Austin: University of Texas Press, 1960. (Reissued: Albuquerque: University of New Mexico Press, 2000.)
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Following the secession of Texas in
February 1861 and its joining the Confederacy, a battalion of the
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would soon attack, Baylor decided to take the initiative and launch an attack of his own.
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On 25 November 1861 Major Lynde was, by direction of the President of the United States,
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381:. The battle resulted in a Confederate victory and led directly to the establishing of a
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if he thought the situation called for such measures. Convinced that the Union force at
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Battles of the Trans-Mississippi Theater of the American Civil War
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College Station, Texas: Texas A&M University Press, 1995.
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Blood & Treasure: Confederate Empire in the Southwest.
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389:. The victory paved the way for the Confederate
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732:Confederate victories of the American Civil War
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385:, consisting of the southern portion of the
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737:History of Doña Ana County, New Mexico
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717:Confederate occupation of New Mexico
467:his cavalry, three companies of the
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542:, dropped from the Army rolls for
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444:El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro
354:was fought on July 25, 1861, at
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645:New York: Scribner. pp. 6-12
629:Sibley's New Mexico Campaign.
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517:Confederate Arizona Territory
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383:Confederate Arizona Territory
369:It was an engagement between
722:1861 in New Mexico Territory
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641:Nelson, Megan Kate (2020)
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403:2nd Texas Mounted Rifles
663:First Battle of Mesilla
627:Hall, Martin Hardwick.
352:First Battle of Mesilla
76:Arizona Territory (CSA)
22:First Battle of Mesilla
693:32.27204°N 106.80359°W
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606:D'Hamel, Enrique B.
529:Henry Hopkins Sibley
521:New Mexico Territory
393:the following year.
387:New Mexico Territory
360:New Mexico Territory
254:San Augustine Spring
196:6 wounded (disputed)
191:7 wounded (disputed)
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533:New Mexico Campaign
525:34th parallel north
503:The Organ Mountains
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91:Confederate victory
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379:American Civil War
377:forces during the
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113:Confederate States
34:American Civil War
668:Handbook of Texas
651:978-1-5011-5255-9
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27:Part of the
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684:106°48′13″W
556:Apache Wars
462:John Baylor
435:Isaac Lynde
371:Confederate
334:Apache Pass
329:2nd Mesilla
284:Pinos Altos
249:1st Mesilla
142:Isaac Lynde
137:John Baylor
711:Categories
681:32°16′19″N
637:0826322778
567:References
415:Rio Grande
397:Background
294:Fort Thorn
665:from the
479:Aftermath
189:2 killed,
174:infantry,
550:See also
299:Valverde
172:cavalry,
161:infantry
148:Strength
63:Location
439:Mesilla
356:Mesilla
279:Placito
166:militia
156:cavalry
68:Mesilla
670:Online
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454:Battle
339:La Paz
314:Tucson
88:Result
31:of the
572:Notes
375:Union
259:Tubac
153:~300,
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633:ISBN
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