civil war encampment – Friends of the Pecos National Historical Park

Upcoming Civil War Virtual Lecture Series

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Pecos, NM: Pecos National Historical Park and the Friends of Pecos National Historical Park will host two virtual lectures this March in support of the commemoration of the 1862 Battle of Glorieta Pass. Please note that the programs are free, registration is required, and space is limited.

Thursday, March 24^th

7:00 p.m.

Fort Union and the Civil War

Friday, March 25^th

7:00 p.m.

Sam Adams: An African American Civil War Veteran and his New Mexican Life

Hannah Abelbeck, photo archivist in the Palace of the Governors Photo Archives at the New Mexico History Museum, will delve into the life of Samuel Adams. Supported by rich historical photographs, she will examine the experience of an African American Civil War veteran who served with the Colorado Volunteers.

To register for virtual programs, please e-mail peco_visitor_information@nps.gov with your name, phone number and the dates of the lectures for which you would like to register. Registration must be received no later than noon the day of the event. You will receive a confirmation e-mail with a link to join the presentation. We have a limited number of available slots, so please register early. If you have any questions, please call 505-757-7272.

For more information about the park in general, contact Pecos NHP at (505) 757-7241 or visit our website at www.nps.gov/peco. You will also find our listings on the New Mexico True website (newmexico.org) and Tourism Santa Fe (santafe.org). Please like on us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/PecosNHPnps or follow us on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/pecos_nps).

2022 Civil War Encampment at Pecos National Historical Park

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Pecos, NM: This year’s annual Civil War Encampment at Pecos National Historical Park will be a blend of virtual and in-person events. On Thursday, March 24^th and Friday, March 25th the park will co-host online educational programs and discussions. On Saturday, March 26^th visitors can join us for a free, family-friendly encampment to bring to life the experience of the Civil War in New Mexico. Interact with living history participants, witness black powder demonstrations, and try your hand at drilling with wooden muskets.

Schedule of Events:

Thursday, March 24^th

7:00 p.m.

Virtual Presentation: Fort Union and the Civil War

Fort Union was the most important post for the U.S. Army in the Southwest during the Civil War years. Join Fort Union National Monument Park Ranger Mike Weinstein for a conversation about the role of Fort Union–both as a defender of New Mexico and as a target for invading Confederate troops–in the Civil War. Presentation hosted by the Friends of the Pecos National Historical Park. Registration required; see registration information below.

Friday, March 25^th

7:00 p.m.

Virtual Presentation: Sam Adams: An African American Civil War veteran and his New Mexican Life

Hannah Abelbeck, photo archivist in the Palace of the Governors Photo Archives at the New Mexico History Museum, will delve into the life of Samuel Adams. Supported by rich historical photographs, she will examine the experience of an African American Civil War veteran who served with the Colorado Volunteers. Registration required; see registration information below.

Saturday, March 26^th

Civil War Encampment

Kids’ Activities

10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.

Stop by the kids’ tent to create and decorate a 19th-century optical illusion toy called a thaumatrope, re-create the Pecos Valley during the Battle of Glorieta with Lincoln Logs, toy soldiers, and horses or have a friendly competition playing the popular Civil War-era game of trap ball.

Black Powder Demonstration

10:00 a.m. – 10:45 a.m.

See, hear, and experience the power of black powder muskets.

Living History and Drilling

11:00 a.m. – 11:45 a.m.

Visitors can participate in mock soldiers’ drills with wooden muskets and connect with living history presenters in the encampment field.

Cannon Firing

12:00 p.m. and 1:30 p.m.

Observe the power of Civil War era cannon firing.

All events are free and open to the public. From I-25 N: Take the Pecos/Glorieta Exit, #299. Left onto overpass, right onto Route 50; proceed on Route 50 for eight miles. At the village of Pecos, take a right at the four-way-stop onto Route 63. In two miles, the park will be on your right. From I-25 S: Take the Rowe Exit, #307. Follow signs. From Highway 63, the park will be on your left.

Many thanks to park partners including the Friends of Pecos National Historical Park, Western National Parks Association, the Artillery Company of New Mexico, Volunteers from Living History Unit from Fort Union National Monument for their invaluable help with this event.

The Civil War in New Mexico: Tall Tales and True

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The New Mexico Geological Society hosts has hosted an annual fall field conference since 1950. It’s three day technical conference in different part of New Mexico each year. While it’s targeted at geoscience practitioners and highly technical in nature, there are often papers included in the published guidebook that are of general interest. In the 1983 Fall Field Conference in the Socorro area, an excellent paper was published that gives good overview of the Civil War in New Mexico. In light of the fact that we’ve spent the past week looking at the Civil War at the Pecos National Historical Park, this article offers a review of some of what was presented.

The Civil War in New Mexico: Tall Tales and True

Enjoy!

2021 Virtual Civil War Encampment – Presentation Recordings

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Thank you for joining the Friends of the Pecos National Historical Park and the Park staff during this past week commemorating the Civil War in New Mexico. As promised, each of the four presentation recordings is now available. They’ve been posted on a permanent webpage , or for your convenience they are listed below. Each recording includes the speaker presentation and the chat window. Enjoy!

Night 1 – The Illinois 29th United States Infantry Colored Troops in the Rio Grande Valley – Video

Night 2 – Civil War Medicine – Video

Night 3 – Free Land for Free Men”: The Civil War and the Homestead Act of 1862 – Video

Night 4 – Snow, Sheep, and the Santa Fe Trail: The Environmental History of the Battle of Glorieta Pass – Video

Support the Friends

Civil War Encampment video series – Sharpshooter’s Ridge

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The third video in this Civil War Encampment series shows the Sharpshooter’s Ridge that overlooks the Glorieta Pass Battlefield site on the Pecos National Historical Park.

This evening, the third of the Virtual Civil War Encampment presentations starts at 7 PM MDT and will feature

“Free Land for Free Men”: The Civil War and the Homestead Act of 1862

Homestead National Historical Park’s historian Jonathan Fairchild will explore the interconnected story of the Homestead Act of 1862 and the Civil War via a live Zoom program. He will share the events and legislation that led up to both the Civil War and the passage of the Homestead Act, which granted 270 million acres of free land in 30 states across the country. The program will also examine the impact and legacy of that law on Civil War veterans. Hosted by the Friends of the Pecos National Historical Park. Registration required; Register by noon Mountain time, 3/23 -> peco_visitor_information@nps.gov

Civil War Encampment Video Series – Cañoncito

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The second video in this Civil War Encampment series shows the Cañoncito site on the Pecos National Historical Park.

This evening, the second of the Virtual Civil War Encampment presentations starts a 7 PM MDT and will feature

Civil War Medicine

Join Fort Scott National Historic Site Park Ranger Barak Geertsen for an interactive Zoom program about Civil War medicine. Participants will learn how Fort Scott provided care to the sick and wounded, discover aspects of medical treatments of the time and compare them to modern methods, and discover how many medical items at the time were used in diagnosing and curing illness. Hosted by the Friends of the Pecos National Historical Park. Registration required; Register by noon Mountain time, 3/23 peco_visitor_information@nps.gov

Civil War Encampment Video Series – Camp Lewis

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The first video in this Civil War Encampment series shows the Camp Lewis site on the Pecos National Historical Park.

This evening, the first of the Virtual Civil War Encampment presentations starts a 7 PM MDT and will feature

The Illinois 29^th United States Infantry Colored Troops in the Rio Grande Valley

Join Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park Education and Community Engagement Coordinator Jorge Hernández live on Zoom for the screening of the new short film: The Illinois 29th United States Colored Troops in the Rio Grande Valley. Following the Confederate surrender at Appomattox, African American soldiers of the Illinois 29th USCT continued their military service in the Rio Grande Valley in South Texas. There the fight for freedom and equality took on a different meaning and experience. Ranger Hernández will introduce the video and host a live question and answer session afterward.

There is still time to register until 3 PM MDT – peco_visitor_information@nps.gov

2021 Virtual Civil War Encampment Videos Release Schedule

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Pecos, NM: Pecos National Historical Park announces the upcoming release of videos showcasing unseen areas of the Glorieta Pass battlefield as part of this year’s Civil War Encampment. The videos highlight areas protected by Pecos National Historical Park that were integral to the 1862 battle including Camp Lewis, Sharpshooter’s Ridge and Cañoncito. They will be shared on social media during the week of March 22^nd.

Fort Union National Monument will also be producing and distributing videos that explore the importance of the fort and its soldiers in the battle. These videos will highlight the New Mexico Volunteers and the Fort Union Star Fort, and will include an historic weapons demonstration showing artillery used during the campaign at Glorieta Pass.

Videos will debut the week of March 22, 2021. Look for them at https://www.facebook.com/PecosNHPnps, https://www.facebook.com/PNHPfriends, and https://www.facebook.com/FortUnionNM.

Many thanks to park partners, including the Friends of the Pecos National Historical Park and Fort Union National Monument, for helping to produce and host these videos.

For more information on Civil War Encampment programming or for more information about the park in general, contact Pecos NHP at (505) 757-7241 or visit our website at http://www.nps.gov/peco. You will also find our listings on the New Mexico True website (newmexico.org) and Tourism Santa Fe (santafe.org). Please like on us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/PecosNHPnps or follow us on Instagram (https:/www.instagram.com/pecos_nps)