THTP EP: Desert Empire - The 1862 New Mexico Campaign w/Phillip Greenwalt & Guest Host Kyle Dalton

The History Things Podcast · Jul 28, 2026 · 1h 22m

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While the great armies of the Civil War clashed in the East, another campaign unfolded across the vast deserts and rugged mountains of the American Southwest. In 1862, Confederate forces pushed into New Mexico Territory, hoping to secure valuable resources, expand Southern influence, and potentially open a route toward the Pacific.

But conquering the Southwest would prove far more difficult than the Confederate leadership imagined. Harsh terrain, scarce supplies, long lines of communication, and determined Union resistance turned the campaign into a struggle for survival as…