Skirmish near Fort Thorn
Date: September 26, 1861
Location: 15 miles upriver from Fort Thorn, Confederate-occupied New Mexico Territory
When the Battle of Canada Alamosa erupted on September 25th, Union Major John H. Minks sent dispatch riders back to their base at Fort Craig, to notify the Union command that they had made contact with the Confederate forces in the area and were presently under attack. With great haste, Captain Robert M. Morris gathered a force of over 100 Union cavalrymen and rode towards the village of Canada Alamosa.
Fort Thorn c. 1856, which was abandoned in 1859
The ruins of Fort Craig, Photo by Gilbert Alonzo
Having reached Canada Alamosa, the Union cavalry only found the aftermath of the battle and not Minks and his men. Morris left a small crew behind to guard Canada Alamosa, and continued the search, later stopping to briefly rest and resume the search at first light.
When Morris finally found the Confederate camp, he noticed they had heavily fortified their camp, so he opted to have his cavalry attack their left and right flanks, breach their lines, and flood in.
Confederate Captain Bethel Coopwood
Confederate Captain Bethel Coopwood was eating breakfast in camp when the scouts came running in, with the Union cavalry right on their heels.
The Confederates ran to their fortifications and opened fire as the Union cavalrymen dismounted and attempted to storm the camp.
The Union attack stalled, and after hours of fighting, they began to run out of ammunition. In their rush to get to Canada Alamosa, Morris and the Union cavalry only brought the bullets they carried in the cartridges boxes and neglected to bring any extra. Morris called off the attack and the Union cavalry fell back to Fort Craig, unable to take the camp and rescue Minks and his men.
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