No. 1.--Col. Edward R. S. Canby, Nineteenth U. S. Infantry, commanding Department of New Mexico.
    No. 2.--Col. Gabriel R. Paul, Fourth New Mexico Infantry, commanding district.
    No. 3.--Col. Benjamin S. Roberts, Fifth New Mexico Infantry, commanding district.

                           HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF NEW MEXICO,
                                      Fort Craig, N. Mex., April 23, 1862.
    SIR: I have the honor to report that a junction with Colonel Paul's command was effected at Tijeras on the evening of the 13th instant. I had in the mean time received information that the Confederate force

had left Albuquerque, moving down the river, and during the day and night of the 14th the united command was marched to Peralta, 36 miles distant, arriving there before the Confederates had any suspicion of the movement. On the morning of the 15th a mountain howitzer, and a train of 7 wagons, loaded with supplies and escorted by a lieutenant and 30 men, were captured. In the conflict 6 of the Confederates were killed, 3 wounded, and 22 captured. To cover this movement Colonel Paul, with his column and three companies of cavalry, under Captain Morris, Third Cavalry, had been detached, and, after completing it, received permission to clear the bosque in front of Peralta of the enemy's force that then occupied it. After some sharp skirmishing, in which our loss was 1 killed and 3 wounded, this work was handsomely executed, and the bosque in front and rear of the town occupied by our troops.
    The point occupied by the Confederate troops was known to be the strongest (except Fort Union) in New Mexico, and as nearly all the men had been twenty-four and many of them thirty-six hours without food, no general attack was designed until after the approaches to the place had been thoroughly reconnoitered and the troops allowed time to obtain food and rest. This reconnaissance was made on the afternoon of the same day, the points and direction of attack selected, and the camp of the command advanced to a point nearer the town, and where the trains could be guarded by a smaller number of men. During the night the enemy abandoned his position and crossed to the right bank of the river, leaving his sick and wounded behind him, without attendance, without medicines, and almost without food.
    After detaching the staff officers attached to department headquarters to make arrangements for future operations and the train that could be spared for supplies the pursuit was continued down the left bank of the river (the shortest route), with the intention of crossing at La Joya, Polvadera, Sabino, or Fort Craig, if the enemy should not be overtaken sooner. On the night of that day our camp was 5 miles in his rear. On the 16th we had nearly overtaken the rear of his column, and the march was continued during the remainder of the day in sight and almost within cannon range, but on opposite sides of the river. At night our camps were directly opposite, but during the night he abandoned a large portion of his train, 38 wagons and the supplies that they contained, and fled into the mountains. After making arrangements for securing the property abandoned by the enemy the march was continued to Polvadera. At this place the command was halted for a day, in order to assure myself of the position and movements of the enemy and to secure the safety of a supply train in our rear. These objects having been accomplished, the march was resumed and continued until we reached this post on the afternoon of the 22nd (yesterday).
    The Confederate force is still in the mountains west of us. If they have taken the route by the Miembres it will be impossible to overtake them. If they have taken that by Ca�ada Alamosa I am not without hopes of intercepting them, although my scouts report that they have abandoned everything that would encumber them in their flight.
        Very respectfully, sir, your obedient servant,
                                                  ED. R. S. CANBY,
                         Colonel Nineteenth Infantry, Commanding Department.
    The ADJUTANT-GENERAL OF THE ARMY, Washington, D. C.

                   HEADQUARTERS SOUTHERN DISTRICT NEW MEXICO,
                                    Fort Craig, N. Mex., May 1, 1862.
    GENERAL: I have the honor to report that I left Fort Union, N. Mex., on the 6th of April, 1862, in command of a column to form a junction with Colonel E. R. S. Canby, who had left Fort Craig on the 31st March, 1862. The junction was made at Tijeras, and our combined forces moved against the enemy, who retreated before us. On the 15th April, at Peralta, we had several skirmishes with the enemy, and during the night he evacuated Peralta and continued his retreat. The pursuit was kept up until our arrival at this post, when from want of provisions we halted; the enemy in a disorganized state, leaving behind him wagons, sick, &c., is making his way out of the Territory. I was left temporarily in the command of this district, with my headquarters at Fort Craig.
        I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
                                                     G. R. PAUL,
                       Colonel Fourth Regiment New Mexico Vols., Comdg. Dist.
    The ADJUTANT-GENERAL U. S. ARMY,
                           Washington, D. C.

               HDQRS. CENTRAL, SANTA F�, AND NORTHERN MIL. DIST.
                                   DEPARTMENT OF NEW MEXICO,
                                      Santa F�, N. Mex., April 23, 1862.
    GENERAL: I have the honor to report myself in command of the Central, Santa F�, and Northern Military Districts, Department of New Mexico, and that I have established and garrisoned the posts at Albuquerque and Santa F�, recently occupied by Confederate troops of General Sibley's brigade. It will gratify you to know that the Texan troops are in retreat out of the country, having been compelled by our operations to abandon most of their supplies of all kinds and to take the mountain route behind the Socorro range to avoid the capture of their small remaining force of the 3,000 troops that invaded the Territory. They have abandoned their sick and wounded everywhere on their line of retreat, and are leaving in a state of demoralization and suffering that has few examples in any war. The long line of their retreat over Jornada and wastes of country without water and that furnish no supplies will render their march extremely difficult and aggravate the ordinary sufferings of a disorganized army under defeat. The broken-down condition of all our animals, the want of cavalry, and deficiencies of all our supplies will make a successful pursuit equally impracticable, if not impossible.
    My reports of the operations of my division in the field from the 1st to the 16th instant will reach you in time through the proper channels.

I effected a junction with Colonel Paul's command at San Antonio on the 13th, after a demonstration on Albuquerque and artillery combats there on the 8th and sharp skirmishing on the 8th and 9th. The last engagement was at Peralta, on the 15th. That drove the main Confederate forces from that position and put their army in utter rout.
    We have great numbers of their prisoners, but I am unable to give the figures with accuracy, and 60 wagons of their supply train and two pieces of artillery have fallen into our hands.
    Colonel Canby is on the pursuit with both the northern and southern divisions of the army, and this information is communicated indirectly, because it will be many days before his official reports can be made.
    According to the most reliable information General Sibley has not left 1,200 men of the army of 3,000 that appeared before Fort Craig on February 13th, and his retreat is the complete annihilation of his remaining forces.
        I am, general, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
                                          B. S. ROBERTS,
                                             Colonel, Commanding.
    General LORENZO THOMAS,
                 Adjutant-General U. S. Army, Washington, D. C.

Source:

United States. War Dept., United States. Record and Pension Office., United States. War Records Office., et al., "Roanoke," The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies. Prepared, Under the Direction of the Secretary of War, by Bvt. Lieut. Col. Robert N. Scott, Third U. S. Artillery. Published Pursuant to Acts of Congress Approved June 16, 1880. Series I-Volume IX. Washington: Government Printing Office. 1883, pp. 550-553.

    You will search these reports in vain for any specific reference to Captain Edward Wanshaer Wynkoop, for there are none here, although he did participate in the actions described.

    Unfortunately for him, his record, in this engagement, does not appear to be a sterling one. In a letter written to his brother, Lew Tappan, from Peralta, New Mexico and dated the 15th of May 1862, Lt. Col. Samuel F. Tappan accuses Ned of cowardice:

    "Capt Wynkoop disapointed us at Peralta. He was orderd to deploy with 4 companies as skirmishers advance upon the enemy and bring on a general engagement. I was ordered to hold myself in readiness to support him. Wynkoop went out, discharged a few rounds and then retired without orders. Had I known of his retiring without orders, I should have advanced on the enemy, but conceiving it impossible for him to back out without orders, I supposed when he came back that Gen. Canby had changed the programme of attack, and rested quiet and did not learn my mistake until some days afterwards. Had I known it at the time one young man who aspires to be a major would have been charged with cowardice. Keep this matter secret for the present."

    All my best,

    Chris