at or near Albuquerque on the afternoon of the 8th. His intention wasto effect a junction with the Fort Union troops. He made a feint of attackon Albuquerque by sending in Paddy Graydon’s company, supported bya few regular cavalry under Major Duncan. The Confederates were readyto receive them, and fired a few rounds, when Canby retired and passedthrough Carnuel Canon to the little adobe village of San Antonio on the eastside of the Sandia Mountain, where he soon was joined by Colonel G. It.Paul and his command from that post. When news was received at SantaFe that Canby had attacked Albuquerque , Colonel Scurry with his entireforce started for that town.
General Sibley was now in straitened circumstances. Forts Union andCraig contained all the subsistence stores in the territory, with the exceptionof what was in the hands of the people, all of which was cached , or hiddenaway. He had no money to purchase with, except Confederate bills, whichwere valueless. He could not advance to Fort Union, as Colonel Sloughcould withstand any force that he could send in that direction, and hewas not strong enough to attack Fort Craig. Accordingly, he determinedupon retreating from the territory if Canby would allow him to do so. Onthe morning of April 12th, the evacuation of Albuquerque commenced by thecrossing to the west side of the river of Scurry’s and Steele’s regiments,Pyron’s battalion, and a part of the artillery. Green’s regiment moved downon the east side of the river to Peralta, where it crossed over, after a seriousskirmish with some of Canby’s troops, in which the Confederates lost 6 killed,3 wounded, and 22 prisoners. On the 15th and 16th the two commandsmoved down the river, on either side, in view of each other, and most of thetime within easy cannon-range. Although Canby’s force was double that ofthe enemy, he would not cross over the river and capture Sibley’s forces, ashe easily could have done, for he considered it more expedient to allow themto retreat out of the territory and through the wilderness to San Antonio ,Texas , than to capture the entire party and be forced to subsist them. Thisaction of Canby caused great discontent in his command, and the Union menof the territory never forgave him. On the evening of the 16th both forceswent into camp on the river between Sabinal and La Joya. On the morn-ing of the 17th reveille was sounded in Canby’s camp, but no move couldbe observed in the enemy’s, although their camp-fires were burning brightly.After waiting a long time for them to commence their march, Canby sentsome scouts across, who soon returned with the information that the Con-federate camp was vacant, and that it had been abandoned during the night.It was soon ascertained that Sibley had left the river, leaving behind allhis wagons, thirty-eight in number, with their contents, and had proceededto the westward in the direction of the northern end of the Sierra Madelena.
Canby now proceeded leisurely down the river, and arrived at Fort Craigon the afternoon of the 22d. Sibley’s retreat was a most desperate one. Hepassed on the west side of the Sierra Madelena, through the Sierra de San Mateo,until he reached the dry bed of the Rio Palomas, down which he continueduntil he reached the* Rio Grande, where supplies had been sent from Mesilla