What do you think?
Rate this book
The Civil War in the Western Territories: Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah
Between 1861 and 1865 the violent struggles of the Civil War extended into the Western Territories, where they were complicated by the involvement of the Indians. The Confederate leaders had planned to annex a corridor from the Rio Grande in Texas to the California coast. Thus they would have had a pathway to the Pacific Ocean, areas rich in minerals, new territory for the expansion of slavery, and valuable military stores and equipment. They soon found that the land was more difficult to conquer than they had anticipated. The people of the Western Territories for the most part remained loyal to the Union, and the Confederate vision of empire failed to materialize.
The emphasis in this book is on the Union campaigns against the Confederates and the Indians who sought to take advantage of the confusion of the Civil War. Yet it is also shown that the Western Territories came of age as a result of the conflict. When the Confederate invasion had been repelled, the Union leaders undertook vigorous campaigns for extermination or settlement of the Indians on reservations. Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah all acquired their present boundaries and patterns of state government during the Civil War period.
The emphasis in this book is on the Union campaigns against the Confederates and the Indians who sought to take advantage of the confusion of the Civil War. Yet it is also shown that the Western Territories came of age as a result of the conflict. When the Confederate invasion had been repelled, the Union leaders undertook vigorous campaigns for extermination or settlement of the Indians on reservations. Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah all acquired their present boundaries and patterns of state government during the Civil War period.
230 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1959
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
March 23, 2021
Most Civil War attention is directed to east of the Mississippi River, states on its west bank from Missouri south and Texas. “The Civil War In The Western Territories” chronicles the conflicts in the then territories now constituting the states of Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona and Utah. These battles involved more than rival factions fighting each other because they are there. The Confederate plan to annex and control the Southern corridor through New Mexico and Arizona was aimed to connect with presumed Southern sympathizers in California who would bring their state and its mineral wealth into the Confederate realm.
The chapters follow the Confederate 1861 invasion of New Mexico, the role the Union First Colorado Volunteer Regiment in meeting the invasion. Chapter Four is devoted to the Battle of Glorietta, New Mexico “The Gettysburg of the West” that started the Confederate retreat to Texas. Chapter Six chronicles early battles in Arizona between California Unionists and Confederates. Chapter Seven, which supplies almost a quarter of the text, documents the opportunistic Indian Wars that arose amidst the turmoil amongst the whiles. The book concludes with an examination of the war-time political developments in each territory and a brief summary of the results in the Western Territories.
Author Ray C. Colton has crafted an informative tome although in somewhat stilted, matter of fact reporting language.
Why should anyone read a book about what was clearly, a minor theatre of the War? I find the unusual and overlooked to be interesting so if you have read everything else about the War this will open new fields to explore. These pages also uncover complexities concerning the War that are often overlooked. The attitudes exhibited by the political and military leaders concerning the Indians reflects on the tenor of the times. For these reasons I recommend it to the seasoned Civil War reader or anyone with an interest in the history of the southwest.
The chapters follow the Confederate 1861 invasion of New Mexico, the role the Union First Colorado Volunteer Regiment in meeting the invasion. Chapter Four is devoted to the Battle of Glorietta, New Mexico “The Gettysburg of the West” that started the Confederate retreat to Texas. Chapter Six chronicles early battles in Arizona between California Unionists and Confederates. Chapter Seven, which supplies almost a quarter of the text, documents the opportunistic Indian Wars that arose amidst the turmoil amongst the whiles. The book concludes with an examination of the war-time political developments in each territory and a brief summary of the results in the Western Territories.
Author Ray C. Colton has crafted an informative tome although in somewhat stilted, matter of fact reporting language.
Why should anyone read a book about what was clearly, a minor theatre of the War? I find the unusual and overlooked to be interesting so if you have read everything else about the War this will open new fields to explore. These pages also uncover complexities concerning the War that are often overlooked. The attitudes exhibited by the political and military leaders concerning the Indians reflects on the tenor of the times. For these reasons I recommend it to the seasoned Civil War reader or anyone with an interest in the history of the southwest.
September 7, 2023
Bravo to Colton for producing this work. Probably the majority of US citizens aren't aware of Civil War beyond the Mississippi River. But it was indeed a battleground: between the Rebels i.e. 'The Texans', vs The California Column (i.e. Union Army in Arizona and New Mexico). Other warring factions and objectives too played a role during these turbulent years, namely aggressions and agreements with Apache, Navajo. And then too there was the objective of federal protection of the strategic Overland Mail system in Utah and diplomacy therefore with the Morman governance in this territory. "The War" basically expanded to the West because of the rich resources in California and the birth of potential trade routes which could link the West to Eastern US. To accomplish this, there were many points of view on how the West was to be ruled and won.
I agree with other reviewers that the maps were a bit lacking in placement and clarity. And perhaps Colton over-reached the focus of the book: He covers a long chapter on Indian campaigns. This boils down to various skirmishes but it took on more of a guerilla tactical fight to frighten and drive out the European races/rulings. For me, at least, this section deviated from the civil governance of the area, ie. how to rule and manage the "people-ing"/populating of this vast wild region. It would have been a better fit for this section to be in a separative comparative study of how different Native nations in different regions managed the conflict with the encroaching white settlers. In other words, the 'enemy' was every newcomer regardless of CSA or Union point of view.
Another long side track was the semi-final chapter: "Political Developments" was helpful though a bit dry...naming successive governors of the states and territories. TMI perhaps at times; this would have been more suitable in a historical nonfiction treatment of a given state.
Something of personal interest: the CSA Brigadier General Henry H Sibley hero of the Battle of Valverde caused me pause: Henry H Sibley .... Huh?? Henry Sibley was the very pro-Union first governor of my home state, Minnesota! HOW is this even possible! I did some research: turns out
2 men answer to the name H.H. Sibley in the late 19th century: Henry Hastings Sibley, Governor of Minnesota and his very distant cousin (it turns out), Henry Hopkins Sibley, prominent CSA general.
(how ironical that in Minnesota there are two cities in the greater Twin Cities area Hastings AND Hopkins).
This book is fairly well indexed, something that's very helpful with so many battles, names, forts and regions. So it can serve as a reference. I just wanted more maps in tandem with the chapter so I'd better understand the flow of such a definitive part of the history of this country.
I agree with other reviewers that the maps were a bit lacking in placement and clarity. And perhaps Colton over-reached the focus of the book: He covers a long chapter on Indian campaigns. This boils down to various skirmishes but it took on more of a guerilla tactical fight to frighten and drive out the European races/rulings. For me, at least, this section deviated from the civil governance of the area, ie. how to rule and manage the "people-ing"/populating of this vast wild region. It would have been a better fit for this section to be in a separative comparative study of how different Native nations in different regions managed the conflict with the encroaching white settlers. In other words, the 'enemy' was every newcomer regardless of CSA or Union point of view.
Another long side track was the semi-final chapter: "Political Developments" was helpful though a bit dry...naming successive governors of the states and territories. TMI perhaps at times; this would have been more suitable in a historical nonfiction treatment of a given state.
Something of personal interest: the CSA Brigadier General Henry H Sibley hero of the Battle of Valverde caused me pause: Henry H Sibley .... Huh?? Henry Sibley was the very pro-Union first governor of my home state, Minnesota! HOW is this even possible! I did some research: turns out
2 men answer to the name H.H. Sibley in the late 19th century: Henry Hastings Sibley, Governor of Minnesota and his very distant cousin (it turns out), Henry Hopkins Sibley, prominent CSA general.
(how ironical that in Minnesota there are two cities in the greater Twin Cities area Hastings AND Hopkins).
This book is fairly well indexed, something that's very helpful with so many battles, names, forts and regions. So it can serve as a reference. I just wanted more maps in tandem with the chapter so I'd better understand the flow of such a definitive part of the history of this country.
August 7, 2017
high level primer of both civil war and indian battles of the western territories and of the political changes which came about as a result.
April 19, 2020
An interesting overview. The chapter on the Indian Wars showed a definite bias. Overall, decent but not great.
February 18, 2022
Interesting account of the civil war in the western states but betrays a 1950s mentality, especially when it comes to the Indian conflicts. Very off-putting.
November 14, 2011
The Civil War in the Far West--New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado, and Utah--is the least studied theater of the war. Having lived there I find that strange because those years redefined the borders of all the states and created Arizona. Colton's classic study has been around since 1959 and it still makes useful reading today.
Colton gives a relatively brief (209 page) description of the conflict in this region, focusing on the military aspects. A long final chapter goes into politics, but those seeking in-depth political coverage will have to seek elsewhere. Same goes with the economic and social aspects. These are covered, but take a back seat to military operations.
It's here that Colton is at his best. the descriptions of battles are clear and full of color, and even the tiniest skirmish gets its due.
A few criticisms: the maps are a bit simple and the map of the Battle of Glorieta is reproduced so small that it is almost illegible. Also, there is little coverage of the motivations behind the Native Americans. They are seen as simply another combatant with little context as to why they did what they did. The Native Americans are shown in a somewhat sympathetic light (rare for work from the 1950s) yet they remain voiceless.
I would recommend this book as a starting point for those looking to study the war in the Far West, or as a basic coverage for those who only want to read one book on this aspect of the war.
Colton gives a relatively brief (209 page) description of the conflict in this region, focusing on the military aspects. A long final chapter goes into politics, but those seeking in-depth political coverage will have to seek elsewhere. Same goes with the economic and social aspects. These are covered, but take a back seat to military operations.
It's here that Colton is at his best. the descriptions of battles are clear and full of color, and even the tiniest skirmish gets its due.
A few criticisms: the maps are a bit simple and the map of the Battle of Glorieta is reproduced so small that it is almost illegible. Also, there is little coverage of the motivations behind the Native Americans. They are seen as simply another combatant with little context as to why they did what they did. The Native Americans are shown in a somewhat sympathetic light (rare for work from the 1950s) yet they remain voiceless.
I would recommend this book as a starting point for those looking to study the war in the Far West, or as a basic coverage for those who only want to read one book on this aspect of the war.
August 20, 2014
Ray Colton has written a good and detailed history of the Civil War in the territories of the US during the Civil War. 99% of the Civil War is focused In The eastern and Midwestern theatre, however it was also fought in the Rockies and the southwestern desert as well. Though none of the battles were fought on the brigade and corps level, there were many skirmishes where more than a few lives were lost especially at Glorieta Pass. Mr. Colton explains the history of the Union and Confederate Armies in the West and the strategies and skirmishes when they faced each other. Also explained is the Silby Expedition into NM which was a failure and ended the dreams of the Confederacy and Jefferson Davis obtaining the gold of Nevada and California. This is book is a good read, but is very detailed and at times is a little dry reading. This is book is more For the Civil Wat student and historian who already knows the basis of the Civil War fought in the West. All in all though this is a good book for any Civil War student and enthusiast to have in their library collection. Recommended!
July 29, 2015
The author restricted this book to only four of the Transmississippi's territories: New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado, and Utah. A little more than half of the book covers the only major military campaign in the region, the 1861-1862 New Mexico Campaign. It covers the campaign well (but briefly), although it could have used more and better maps; there were only four maps in this section, three of which were adapted from the Battles and leaders of the Civil War series, and none showed any tactical detail of the campaign's battles.
The remainder of the book is divided between describing the various campaigns against the local Indian tribes and political developments in the four territories. While not badly written, these are not subjects I'm personally interested in.
The remainder of the book is divided between describing the various campaigns against the local Indian tribes and political developments in the four territories. While not badly written, these are not subjects I'm personally interested in.
April 13, 2008
When history books discuss the Western theatre of the Civil War, they restrict the discussion to the Mississippi corrador; too little is said about the fighting in thC four corner states. Not only was territory at stake so was the tons of Colorado and Nevada silver both sides desperately needed to finance the war.
July 10, 2011
A good primer for a region of the American Civil War that is rarely written about.
October 6, 2013
This was a good overview of the fighting and politics in the Four Corners states. The reader is left wanting more in the story of the ACW in the Southwest.
May 18, 2016
This is a pretty good book on the War in the West. I didn't think it was as good as Josephy's book.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews