timidly holding on to Fort Union and Fort Craig. Alas, Sibley's
place of recruiting and assembly has been ill chosen! The animals,
crowded on the bare plains, suffer for lack of forage. Recruits
are discouraged by the dreary surroundings. The effective strength
has not visibly increased in three months. The Texans are wayward.
A strong column, well organized, in the rich interior of Texas, full
of the early ardor of secession might have pushed on and reached
the Gila. But here is only a chafing body of undisciplined men.
They are united merely by political sentiment.

General Sibley urges Valois to accompany him in his forward march.
He offers him a staff position, promising to release him, then
to move to the eastward. Valois' knowledge of the frontier is
invaluable, and he cannot pass an enemy in arms. Maxime Valois,
with fiery energy, aids in urging the motley command forward. On
February 7, 1862, the wild brigade of invasion reaches the mesa near
Fort Craig. The "gray" and "blue" meet here in conflict, to decide
the fate of New Mexico and Arizona. Feeble skirmishing begins. On
the 2lst of February, the bitter conflict of Val Verde shows Valois
for the first time--alas, not the last!--the blood of brothers
mingled on a doubtful field. It is a horrid fight. A drawn battle.

Instead of pushing on to Arizona, deluded by reports of local aid,
Sibley straggles off to Santa Fe and Albuquerque. Canby refits his
broken forces under the walls of strong Fort Union. Long before the
trifling affairs of Glorietta and Peralta, Valois, disgusted with
Sibley, is on his way east. He will join the Army of the West. His
heart sickens at the foolish incapacity of the border commander.
The Texan column melts away under Canby's resolute advance. The
few raiders, who have ridden down into Arizona and hoisted the