In 1861 the Civil War broke out between the Union and Confederacy. The Confederacy had their eye on New Mexico because they saw the potential for using New Mexico as a railroad route to get to California and hopefully defeat California and control the gold there.
The Confederate troops entered New Mexico via El Paso and came up the Rio Grande. They had several battles with the Union troops. When the Confederates reached Santa Fe, they again were involved in a battle with the Union troops in what is now known as the Battle of Glorieta. It is called the Gettysburg of the West due to the significance of the battle. The Union defeated the Confederates and drove them out of New Mexico.
The yellow field and red symbol colors are the colors of Spain. First brought to New Mexico by Spanish explorers in 1540. On New Mexico's flag we see a red sun with rays streching out from it. There are four groups of rays with four rays in each group. This is an ancient sun symbol of a Native American people called the Zia. The Zia believed that the giver of all good gave them gifts in groups of four. These gifts are:
· The four directions - north, east, south and west.
· The four seasons - spring, summer, fall and winter.
· The day - sunrise, noon, evening and night.
· Life itself - childhood, youth, middle years and old age.
All of these are bound by a circle of life and love, without a beginning or end.