The Battle of Stanwix Station
Date: March 30, 1862
Location: Six miles southwest of Agua Caliente, Confederate-occupied New Mexico Territory
Back in July 1861, Confederates had defeated Union forces in the New Mexico Territory (USA) and the Confederate commander, Colonel John R. Baylor, established the Arizona Territory (CSA), a Confederate domain consisting of the southern halves of Arizona and New Mexico in August. Later in January 1862, Confederate General Henry Hopkins Sibley assembled an army in the Confederate Texas and invaded the New Mexico Territory with the intent of conquering the remainder, as well as, Union Colorado and Union California, and requisitioning its gold and silver mines to fund the Confederate war effort.
Confederate General Henry Hopkins Sibley & Colonel John R. Baylor
News of the establishment of the Arizona Territory, along with the massive battles taking place in the New Mexico Territory, soon reached California. In response, Union Colonel James Henry Carleton, veteran of the Mexican-American War, ordered the creation of the 1st California Infantry Regiment, a force of about 1,500 soldiers drawn mostly from various militias. After mustering in at Fort Downy near Los Angeles, the 1st California was joined by elements of the 1st and 2nd California Volunteer Cavalry Regiments, the 3rd US Artillery, and the 5th California Infantry, forming what was soon to be known as the California Column, now over numbering almost 2,400 strong.
Union Colonel James Henry Carleton
After arriving at Fort Yuma, located across the Colorado river from Yuma, Arizona Territory, Carleton commenced leading the California Column on what was to be an epic journey over 900 miles long across the Arizona Territory, New Mexico Territory, and Texas.
Soldiers of the 5th California Infantry Regiment
Following the Butterfield Overland Mail route, the California Column marched toward the Confederate stronghold in Tucson in staggered groups, each stopping briefly at the various stations, wells, springs, and posts along the route which had been stocked with supplies either before the war or by Union agents in preparation for their arrival.
One such stop was the abandoned Butterfield stagecoach stop at Stanwix Station, about 80 miles east of Yuma and the California border.
On March 30th, a vanguard unit of 272 Union soldiers led by Captain William P. Calloway arrived at Stanwix Station, only to witness a group of Confederates burning the supplies placed there. Both sides opened fire, and a brief skirmish erupted that resulted in the wounding of Union Private Wilhelm Semmelrogge, who later recovered. The Confederates retreated back to Tucson to alert the Confederate force there of the arrival of the California Column.
The Battle of Stanwix Station was the westernmost battle of the American Civil War.