The Battle of Mount Gray
Date: April 7, 1864
Location: Mount Gray, Peloncillo Mountains, New Mexico Territory
After the establishment of the New Mexico and Arizona Territories in February 1863, Military Governor James Henry Carleton, the General of the California Column that defeated the Confederates in Arizona, and now governor of New Mexico, began ordering the construction of forts in the territories along major trading routes and towns. This was in response to continued uprisings by several tribes in the area that began prior to and during the Confederate occupation. Carleton issued an ultimatum to these tribes: Surrender to the Union Army, leave your homeland, and relocate to reservations. Noncompliance would be dealt with, severely, and such a heavy-handed order essentially ensured that this brutal conflict would continue. One such fort, Camp Mimbres, was established approximately 80 miles from Mesilla, the former capital of the defunct Confederate Arizona Territory.
Military Governor James Henry Carleton
On March 27th, the commander of Camp Mimbres, Captain James H. Whitlock, received an urgent message: A couple weeks earlier, Chiricahua Apaches had raided a ranch at Cow Springs and had taken the entire herd.
He and his soldiers were urgently requested to assist in tracking down and retrieving the livestock.
Whitlock organized a mixed unit of infantry from the 5th California, cavalry, and scouts, about 60 men total, then led his soldiers towards the Sierra Bonita Mountains, where it was suspected that the Apaches would be. His scouts found the Apaches' trail and followed it through the mountains, eventually leading them to Mount Gray in the early hours of April 7th. Approaching the mountain, Whitlock noticed the campfires near the base, and decided to divide his unit into small groups to surround the camp, full of approximately 250 sleeping Apaches, and indeed, the missing livestock.
Soldiers of the 5th California Infantry Regiment
At sunrise, Whitlock ordered his entire unit to open fire and charge into the camp. The surprised Apaches fell back further into their camp, but quickly rallied and held off the Union assault. Intense fighting continued for the next hour, until the Apaches began withdrawing up the slope of Mount Gray. Having won control of the camp, the Union soldiers began torching their dwellings and hundreds of pounds of their dried mezcal. Seeing their camp and supplies set aflame, the Apaches charged down the mountain side to retake their camp. The Union held the perimeter at the base of Mount Gray with several volleys of musket fire, forcing the Apaches to call off their attack and withdraw. Victorious, the Union soldiers gathered the livestock the Apaches had left behind and left for Cow Springs and Camp Mimbres.
Comments