Battle of Glorieta Pass Confederate Mass Grave,1862.

  • 10 Apr 2018
  • 7:00 PM
  • Kit Carson Electic - 118 Cruz Alta Rd.

Location:  Kit Carson Electric - 118 Cruz Alta Rd, Taos

Date: April 10, 2018 (Tuesday) @ 7:00 PM

Speaker:  Matthew J. Barbour

Subject:  Battle of Glorieta Pass Confederate Mass Grave,                        1862.

The Battle of Glorieta Pass is referred to by many as the “Gettysburg of the West.” Following early victories by a Confederate Army attempting to conquer New Mexico Territory, the battle represented a turning point in the war. Destruction of the Confederate supply train by Union forces led to the retreat of the Confederate Army south, never to threaten Union supremacy in the American West again. In 1987 while building his house, a New Mexico resident unearthed a Confederate mass grave associated with the battle. This presentation examines the archaeological and forensic findings associated with the soldiers buried therein.

Matthew J. Barbour holds BA (2002) and MA (2010) degrees in Anthropology from the University of New Mexico and has worked for the New Mexico Department of Cultural Affairs since 2002. Currently, Mr. Barbour is the Regional Manager of Coronado and Jemez Historic Sites. Throughout his fifteen year career, he has published over 200 nonfiction articles and monographs. In 2012, and again in 2014, Mr. Barbour was awarded the City of Santa Fe Heritage Preservation Award for Excellence in Archaeology.