Civil War history comes alive in Socorro with Battle of Valverde reenactment

When most people think of the Civil War, New Mexico rarely comes to mind. But for one weekend in February, that history will come sharply into focus as reenactors gather near the Rio Grande to reenact the Battle of Valverde.

The annual Battle of Valverde reenactment will take place Feb. 21–22, with battles beginning at 11 a.m. each day just east of Escondida Lake Park, near the bridge over the Rio Grande. 

Gabriel Peterman has been involved in the reenactment for more than 20 years and has served in a leadership role for at least a decade. He said the event exists to remind people that New Mexico, and Socorro in particular, played a real role in the Civil War.

“New Mexico was sort of peripherally involved in the Civil War,” Peterman said. “But a lot of the people we think of as key players actually spent time here and were very familiar with the territory.”

The campaign that led to the Battle of Valverde began when Confederate Gen. Henry Hopkins Sibley convinced Confederate President Jefferson Davis that the war could be won by pushing west. Sibley argued that capturing New Mexico and moving into Colorado would give the Confederacy access to valuable gold and silver fields, solving its chronic lack of funds.

Sibley raised an army in Texas and marched west, eventually moving north toward Socorro. Standing in his way was Fort Craig, located just south of town and heavily fortified by Union troops.

Unable to take the fort directly, Sibley attempted to cut off its supply lines, leading to the Battle of Valverde in February 1862. Confederate forces technically won the one-day battle, capturing artillery and forcing Union troops back into the fort. However, the victory proved hollow.

“They win the battle, but they don’t really defeat the Union,” Peterman said. “The Union just goes back into the fort and basically says, ‘If you think you can take it, go ahead.’”

Though Confederate forces later occupied Albuquerque and Santa Fe, their campaign ultimately failed after they lost their supplies at the Battle of Glorieta Pass. Short on food and ammunition, they were forced to retreat all the way back to Texas, ending the Confederate push into the Southwest.

“It’s really a ‘win the battle, but not the war’ situation,” Peterman said.

That complicated history is what draws people to reenactments, he said—not ideology, but education and remembrance.

“There’s a lot of reasons people do this,” Peterman said. “Some want to understand the past better. Some of us are former military and feel these soldiers fought and died for something that deserves to be remembered, even out here on the fringes of the frontier.”

Peterman emphasized that the reenactment is not a political statement, nor is it a celebration of Confederate ideology.

“We do a very rigorous job of making sure there are no ideological displays,” he said. “This is not pro-Confederate. This is history. We’re all actors, and if everyone showed up as Union soldiers, it wouldn’t make much sense.”

Peterman himself portrays both Union and Confederate roles, depending on what is needed, though this year he will serve as the Confederate commander.

Beyond the battlefield, the event offers visitors a chance to experience daily life during the Civil War. In addition to the reenacted battles, participants set up a period-accurate military camp complete with canvas tents, cooking fires and demonstrations of how soldiers lived while on the march.

“It’s almost like a little history village,” Peterman said. “You’ll see an empty field turn into a full camp in just a few hours.”

The reenactment site is not the original battlefield, which has been buried and is now inaccessible. Organizers moved the event closer to town to make it easier for the public to attend. Peterman said the bridge over the Rio Grande offers one of the best viewing points for spectators.

Between 35 and 50 reenactors typically take part, depending on weather and availability. Organizers welcome newcomers and have enough gear in storage to outfit many more participants.

“Civil War reenactments are a warning,” Peterman said. “They show what happens when we can’t compromise, when we can’t sit down and talk through our differences. We remember this history so we don’t repeat it.”

Those interested in participating or learning more can email Peterman at Pzkpfw_bob@yahoo.com.