Henry Hopkins Sibley was born in Nachitoches, Louisiana and graduated from West Point in 1838 and joined the Second U.S. Dragoons. During his career in the U.S. Army Sibley fought in the Seminole War in Florida and in the Mexican-American War with General Winfield Scott. He served under Colonel Albert Sidney Johnston during the Mormon expedition in Utah, where he was court martialed by his superior Colonel Cooke but cleared of all charges save neglect of duty. Probably Sibley's most significant contribution to the army was off the battlefield by inventing the "Sibley Tent" which was inspired by Indian teepees and was used by both sides in the upcoming war as well as the "Sibley Stove" which was used by American troops even as late as World War II. Later, Sibley was shipped out to the remote southwest frontier to serve in garrison duty where he was still serving as a major when the Civil War broke out in 1861. Shortly after the outbreak of the war, and the seizure of southern New Mexico and Arizona by Colonel John R. Baylor, Sibley went to Richmond to pitch his scheme to President Jefferson Davis. He dreamed of a quick invasion of New Mexico with a cavalry brigade to be raised in Texas, living off enemy stores and attracting local recruits, with the goal of acquiring the mines of Colorado, possibly some Mexican border states and pushing on to California giving the Confederacy a gateway to the Pacific. The potential gains were too big to pass up and Davis commissioned Sibley a brigadier general.
From San Antonio, General Sibley recruited three cavalry regiments; the 4th, 5th and 7th Texas Mounted Volunteers along with a battery of mountain howitzers. Arming the men was much more difficult and two companies were equipped only with pistols and 9ft lances. Nevertheless, in 1862 the brigade set out with every expectation of victory. The troops were certainly eager and they had some high quality regimental commanders. Colonel James Reily commanded the 4th, Colonel Thomas Green the 5th and Colonel William Steele the 7th, and of these three Green and Steele would both go on to considerable fame as generals though neither would survive the war. Sibley also hoped to absorb Colonel Baylor's regiment which was already operating in southern New Mexico and Arizona where Baylor had made himself territorial Governor and was ready to fight Yankees, Indians and Mexicans if need be, and all with considerable ferocity and little mercy. The Texans rode west with dreams of Colorado gold and California glory but General Sibley had already made what was probably his two greatest mistakes: underestimating the strength of Union forces in the southwest and naively believing that he could neglect his own logistics and sustain his army almost totally from captured enemy stores.
General Sibley in the Egyptian Army
General Sibley on Wikipedia
Handbook of Texas Online Bio
Map of the New Mexico Campaign
