Battle of Tularosa
Encyclopedia
The Battle of Fort Tularosa occurred in May 1880 near the present-day town of Aragon
in Catron County
, New Mexico
. In an ongoing campaign
to keep from being forced to live on reservations, Chiricahua
Apache
warriors led by Victorio
attacked Fort Tularosa north of San Francisco Plaza
. Buffalo Soldiers from the United States Army
's 9th Cavalry, led by Sergeant
George Jordan
, repulsed the attack.
with orders to protect Fort Tularosa from potential attack, escort provisions, establish a supply depot and protect local settlers. Halfway through the march to the Fort, the detachment received word that Apaches under Victorio were probably striking the townspeople immediately. With this, Jordan asked each of the troops whether they were willing to march hard and fast to get to the action; with no question, every one of the men replied yes. On the morning of May 14, 1880, Sergeant Jordan arrived at Fort Tularosa. After the forced march the soldiers found the town intact without strike from the Apache forces. Jordan immediately had the troops sleep in shifts, in turn building a new fort to protect the townspeople and a new stockade for their animals.
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After successfully killing
several settlers south of Fort Tularosa, Victorio's forces, reportedly 100 strong, went north to continue their ongoing campaign against white settlements.
Immediately after the battle the remainder of Colonel
Edward Hatch
's 9th Cavalry arrived at the Fort, with a large contingent giving chase to Victorio's warriors. The American troops were unable to follow the Chiricahua forces after they escaped into Mexico
. Ten years after the engagement, Jordan was awarded the Medal of Honor
for his leadership.
Aragon, New Mexico
Aragon is an unincorporated community on the Tularosa River in Catron County, New Mexico, United States. It is located at an altitude of seven miles northeast of Apache Creek.The latitude is 33.88 N, longitude 108.54 W.-Fort Tularosa:...
in Catron County
Catron County, New Mexico
-2010:Whereas according to the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau:*89.8% White*0.4% Black*2.7% Native American*0.2% Asian*0.0% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander*3.1% Two or more races*3.7% Other races*19.0% Hispanic or Latino -2000:...
, New Mexico
New Mexico
New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
. In an ongoing campaign
Victorio's War
Victorios War, or the Victorio Campaign, was an armed conflict between the Apache followers of Chief Victorio, the United States, and Mexico beginning in September 1879. Following his escape from the San Carlos Indian Reservation in southeastern Arizona, Victorio led a guerilla war across the...
to keep from being forced to live on reservations, Chiricahua
Chiricahua
Chiricahua are a group of Apache Native Americans who live in the Southwest United States. At the time of European encounter, they were living in 15 million acres of territory in southwestern New Mexico and southeastern Arizona in the United States, and in northern Sonora and Chihuahua in Mexico...
Apache
Apache
Apache is the collective term for several culturally related groups of Native Americans in the United States originally from the Southwest United States. These indigenous peoples of North America speak a Southern Athabaskan language, which is related linguistically to the languages of Athabaskan...
warriors led by Victorio
Victorio
Victorio was a warrior and chief of the Chihenne band of the Chiricahua Apaches in what is now the American states of New Mexico, Arizona, Texas and the Mexican states of Sonora and Chihuahua....
attacked Fort Tularosa north of San Francisco Plaza
San Francisco Plaza, New Mexico
San Francisco Plaza was name of three towns in Catron County, New Mexico, United States. Located in the San Francisco River Valley, the towns were settled by Spanish settlers in the 1860s. Today Middle San Francisco Plaza is almost non-existent; Lower San Francisco is called "Lower Frisco" and...
. Buffalo Soldiers from the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
's 9th Cavalry, led by Sergeant
Sergeant
Sergeant is a rank used in some form by most militaries, police forces, and other uniformed organizations around the world. Its origins are the Latin serviens, "one who serves", through the French term Sergent....
George Jordan
George Jordan
George Jordan was a Buffalo Soldier in the United States Army and a recipient of America's highest military decoration—the Medal of Honor—for his actions in the Indian Wars of the western United States....
, repulsed the attack.
Background
On May 13, 1880, Sergeant George Jordan marched a detachment of twenty-five soldiers from K Troop of the 9th Cavalry towards New MexicoNew Mexico
New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
with orders to protect Fort Tularosa from potential attack, escort provisions, establish a supply depot and protect local settlers. Halfway through the march to the Fort, the detachment received word that Apaches under Victorio were probably striking the townspeople immediately. With this, Jordan asked each of the troops whether they were willing to march hard and fast to get to the action; with no question, every one of the men replied yes. On the morning of May 14, 1880, Sergeant Jordan arrived at Fort Tularosa. After the forced march the soldiers found the town intact without strike from the Apache forces. Jordan immediately had the troops sleep in shifts, in turn building a new fort to protect the townspeople and a new stockade for their animals.
Alma Massacre
The Alma Massacre involved a raid on United States settlers' homes around Alma, New Mexico on April 28, 1880. At least 41 people were killed during or immediately after the raid.- Details :...
several settlers south of Fort Tularosa, Victorio's forces, reportedly 100 strong, went north to continue their ongoing campaign against white settlements.
Battle
Jordan recorded that "on the evening of the 14th, while I was standing outside the fort conversing with one of the citizens, the Indians came upon us unexpectedly and attacked." As soon as the attack commenced, the town's occupants dashed to the fort and stockade. Victorio's forces attacked the fort on the evening of May 14, immediately firing volleys of arrows towards the embattled townspeoples' hiding areas. The Apaches then attacked the fort in rounds, continuously pressuring Jordan's men. However, the soldiers repelled the attacks, and at one point, made a daring rescue and saved all of the town's cattle. The Buffalo Soldiers suffered no casualties, while Victorio's forces suffered several dead and wounded.Immediately after the battle the remainder of Colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
Edward Hatch
Edward Hatch
Edward Hatch was a career American soldier who served as a general in the Union Army during the American Civil War...
's 9th Cavalry arrived at the Fort, with a large contingent giving chase to Victorio's warriors. The American troops were unable to follow the Chiricahua forces after they escaped into Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
. Ten years after the engagement, Jordan was awarded the Medal of Honor
Medal of Honor
The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government. It is bestowed by the President, in the name of Congress, upon members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguish themselves through "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his or her...
for his leadership.