Mr. Sedivy's
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- Colorado History -
Colorado's Role in the US Civil War

General Henry Sibly
The main threat to the West would become El Paso (Franklin) at Fort Bliss. The Confederates were assembling a garrison of Texans (about 3500). They were under General Henry Sibly. He pushed the plans to head west.

Left: General Henry Sibly wearing the Confederate uniform, after leaving the Union Army.
Right: How a tipi was constructed. Click the tipi for a more detailed diagram.

Before the war, he created the Sibly Tent - a pointed tent. (He stole his idea from the Indians.) He also created the Sibly stove.

Sibly was placed in command because he was familiar with the territory. He had 3000-3500 Texans assembled and threatening the Union. In early 1862, they started marching north, went up to Arizona and took over Tucson. The majority marched up the Rio Grande working ultimately toward Colorado.

Fort Craig / Fort Throne
Canby (Union) called all Union troops south of Fort Craig to come to Fort Craig where he had set up his headquarters. They would assemble there to take on the Texans. The troops were worried about the Sutlers store supplies. (I.e. whiskey!)

Old Whiskey Bottles. These bottles were dug during the NPS excavations at Bent's Old Fort.

So the soldiers at Fort Throne grabbed all the whiskey to take up to Fort Craig. They got caught by the Confederacy. (They were off to a bad start!)

Battle of Valverde
On February 21, the "Pet Lambs" marched south to join the troops not going to Valverde. Canby meanwhile had set up a block at Valverde. He had about 3800 soldiers and volunteers. The Battle of Valverde was a huge confederate victory for the Texans. Canby got his butt kicked. Dodge's Company did okay and killed 72 of 75 Texans.

Left: Sergeant Alexander Coker of the 2nd Texas Mounted Rifles.
Right: Private Bates of the Texas Mounted Volunteers.

Bates and his comrades of the Texas Mounted Volunteers vowed to "fight as long as Sibly said fight," one of them declared after their defeat at Glorieta Pass, "but the moment he said surrender, they were going...into the mountains and make their way to Texas."

One Confederate volunteer remembered of the rebel triumph at Valverde:
"We charged them with a yell, we turned their tactics upside down, and gave the regulars hell."

Fort Union - Lancers on March 10
After a 400-mile march in only thirteen days, the "Pet Lambs" arrived at Fort Union. (Fort Union was the key to the West and the supply depot to the military west.) If the south could get Fort Union, they could probably easily get Colorado.

Drawing of Fort Union soon after the military post was established.
This illustration appeared in "El Gringo" or New Mexico and Her People in 1857.

Fort Union was built for the Indian warfare, not the artillery of the Texans. The "Pet Lambs" were rewarded with a ten-day rest. They raided the Sutlers store and spent ten days on a wild dunk. Colonel Slough gets put in charge of the whole...

Colorado's Role in the US Civil War:
| The Civil War, Fort Wise / Fort Lyon |
| Mace's Hole, Colonel Canby, F.C.V.R. | Fort Weld |
| The Pet Lambs, John Chivington |
| General Henry Sibly, Battle of Valverde, Fort Union |

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- Colorado History In Depth -
Lecture Notes, Reading, and Information:

| The Cheyenne Migration to Colorado |
| The Gratlan Affair, Massacre, Fort Laramie Treaty |

The Cheyenne Social Club
| A Cheyenne War Story: Wolf Road, the Runner |
| Cheyenne Traditions and Beliefs, Sacred Stories |
| Horses, Warriors, War Pipe, Sweatlodge Ceremony |
| Cheyenne War Parties and Battle Tactics |
| The Scalp Dance and Other Cheyenne Dances |

Fort Union
| The Sante Fe Trail and Fort Union |
| Sumner - Ninth Military Department / The First Fort Union |
| Early Arrivals to Fort Union, Daily Life at Fort Union |
| Captain Grover - The New Fort Union, the Confederate Threat |
| Fort Union Arsenal, William Shoemaker, End of Fort Union |

Americans from the East
| Thomas Jefferson, the Louisiana Purchase |
| The Expedition of Zebulon Pike |
| Pikes Peak or Bust / Colorado Gold Rush |

Cripple Creek District Labor Strikes
| The Western Federation of Miners / State Militia |
| The 1893 - 1894 Strike | The Strike of 1903 - 1904 |
| The Mine Owners Association |
| Crimes and Military Rule in the Cripple Creek District |
| Marshall Law in Cripple Creek District / End of the Strike |
Early Cripple Creek District
| Photos, Fire, and Life in Cripple Creek |
| Other Colorful Towns in the Cripple Creek District:
Gillett - Colorado's Only Bullfight, Victor, Independence |
| A Guide to the Miners' Gritty Lingo |

More Colorado History Information
| Bent's Fort Photos, Personalities, Plans, and More |
| What Was Easter Like at Bent's Fort? |
| Colorado Trivia, Miscellaneous Old Photos,
Western Personalities, Forts, and More |
| Lullabies for Jittery Cows - Cowboy Ballads |
| Heraldry of the Branding Iron |
| Project Aims to Clear Infamous Cannibal, Alferd Packer |
| Lead Gives Alferd Packer's Story More Weight |
| Legendary Colorado Love Stories: Baby Doe Tabor & More |
| Colorado Pioneer Women: Elizabeth Byers |
| Early Denver Jokes / The History of April Fools' Day |

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