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The Arizona Territory of the Confederate States of America was an organized territory of the Confederacy that existed between 1861 and 1865. The territory overlapped but was not identical to the Arizona Territory created by the United States in 1863. The Confederate territory was the scene of important battles in the western campaign of the American Civil War, primarily because it offered a possible Confederate invasion route to southern California.

History

Before the start of the war, all the land of the current states of New Mexico and Arizona was part of the New Mexico Territory. As early as 1856, concerns had been raised about the ability of the territorial government in Santa Fe to effectively govern the southern part of the territory.

In July, 1860, a convention of settlers from the southern part of the territory was held in TucsonTucson (pronounced tusn) is a city located in Pima County, Arizona. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 486,699. A July 1, 2002 Census estimate puts the city's population at 503,151. It is the largest city in southern Arizona, and th. The convention drafted a constitution for a provisional "Territory of Arizona" organized out of the New Mexico Territory south of 34 degrees N (i.e., along an east–west line, rather than the current north–south division), and elected a delegate to CongressThe United States Congress is the legislative branch of the United States federal government. The structure and responsibilities of Congress are defined in Article One of the United States Constitution. The United States Congress is bicameral, meaning tha. The proposal, however, did not succeed in Congress.

After the start of the American Civil War, support for the Confederacy was strong in the southern part of the territory. In 1861, a force of TexansTexas joined the United States of America as its 28th member state in 1845. It has the postal abbreviation TX . The state name derives from a word in a Caddoan language of the Hasinai, tejas meaning friends or allies Spanish explorers mistakenly applied t under Lt. Colonel John Baylor invaded the southern New Mexico Territory and forced the Union troops there to surrender. On August 1Some entries on this page have been duplicates from June 28. The correct dates for such events need to be determined. August 1st is the 213th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (214th in leap years), with 152 days remaining. Events 527 Justinian I, 1861, Baylor proclaimed the existence of a Confederate Arizona Territory out of the area defined in the Tucson convention the previous year. He appointed himself as governor.

The proposal to organize the territory was passed in the Confederate Congress in early 1862 and proclaimed by President Jefferson Davis on February 14, 1862.

See also: Arizona Territory (USA)