What common link did actresses Greer Garson and Jane Fonda have - both to each other, and the American Civil War?
credit:
@7th Texas Mounted Rifles
Union and Confederate forces met at Glorieta Pass, some 20 miles to the southeast of Santa Fe, on March 26, 1862. Union troops came into contact with a Confederate force of 200-300 Texans under the command of Major Charles L. Pyron, who were encamped at Johnson’s Ranch, at one end of the pass.Union
Major John M. Chivington led more than 400 soldiers on the morning of the 26th in an attack, capturing some Confederate advance troops before finding the main force behind them.
Chivington advanced on them, but their artillery fire threw him back. He regrouped, split his force to the two sides of the pass, caught the Rebels in a crossfire, and soon forced them to retire.
Pyron and his men retreated about a mile and a half to a narrow section of the pass and formed a defensive line before Chivington's men appeared. The Union troops then flanked Pyron’s men again, firing heavily into their ranks. When the Confederates fled again, the Union cavalry charged, capturing the Confederate rearguard.
Chivington then retired and went into camp at Kozlowski’s Ranch. No fighting occurred the next day as reinforcements arrived for both sides. Lieutenant Colonel William R. Scurry’s troops swelled the Rebel ranks to about 1,100 while Union Colonel John P. Slough arrived with about 900 men.
Both Slough and Scurry decided to attack early on March 28th. As Scurry advanced down the canyon, he saw the
Unionforces approaching, so he established a battle line, including his dismounted cavalry. Slough hit them before 11:00 am. The Confederates held their ground and then attacked and counterattacked throughout the afternoon. The fighting then ended as Slough retired first to Pigeon’s Ranch and then to Kozlowski’s Ranch.
Scurry soon left the field also, thinking he had won the battle. Chivington's men; in the meantime, had destroyed all Scurry’s supplies and animals at Johnson’s Ranch, which forced him to retreat toSanta Fe, the first step on the long road back to
San Antonio,Texas. The Battle of Glorieta Pass was the turning point of the war in
New Mexico Territory.
In 1925, Tex Austin bought up parcels of land on the old Pecos Pueblo Grant and called his 5,500 acre holdings The Forked Lightning Ranch. The remains of Kozlowski's Stage Stop and Tavern on the Santa Fe Trail (1858-1880) became part of his new holdings, which Tex converted into ranch headquarters and a trading post.
In the early 1960s the ranch was owned by Texas oil tycoon Buddy Fogelson and his wife, film actress
Greer Garson, who used it as a summer home.
Jane Fonda's recently owned (and sold) the 2,300 acre
Forked Lightning Ranch.
So, long answer short, they both owned a Confederate camp site used during the Battle of Glorieta Pass in March 1862.