Cherry Creek Campaign
Encyclopedia
The Cherry Creek Campaign occurred in March of 1890 and was one of the final conflicts between hostile Apache
s and the United States Army
. It began after a small group of Apaches killed a freight wagon operator near the San Carlos Reservation and was part of the larger Apache Campaign, beginning in 1889, to round up renegades
who had escaped the army's reservations
. The American army fought a skirmish with the renegades near Globe
, Arizona
, at the mouth of Cherry Creek, resulting in the deaths of two hostiles and the capture of the remaining three. Two men received the Medal of Honor
for their service during the campaign.
's final surrender in September of 1886, the majority of the Apache people, as well as the army's Apache Scouts
, were sent to either Florida
or Alabama
as prisoners of war. Only a few companies of Apache Scouts
remained, one f the scouts was the famous Apache Kid. After becoming a renegade in 1887, the Apache Kid was arrested near Globe, Arizona in 1889 and sentenced to several years in the Yuma Territorial Prison
for the attempted murder of Albert Sieber
, the chief of the Apache scouts. However, during the transfer to Yuma, the Apache Kid and a handful of his followers escaped police custody and killed two people in an event known as the Kelvin Grade Massacre
. In response, the United States Army launched an operation to catch the Apache Kid and the other renegades who were out raiding across southern Arizona, New Mexico
and northern Mexico
. The Kid and his gang were not the only renegades still on the war path, there were several other small bands causing mischief, most notably that of Massai
. Another former Apache scout, Massai is suspected of being responsible for a number of deaths in Arizona that were often attributed to the Apache Kid. But even after Massai there were others. On March 2, 1890, a group of five "drunken" renegades killed a wagon driver named Herbert and stole two large horses, about ten miles west of Fort Thomas
and the San Carlos reservation. At the time, Fort Thomas was home to Troop
K of the 10th Cavalry Buffalo Soldiers, under the command of Lieutenant
Powhatan Clarke, a Medal of Honor recipient who fought in Geronimo's War.
As soon as the army learned of the ambush, Lieutenant Clarke was ordered by the Department of Arizona's commander, Major General
Benjamin Grierson
, to take ten men "into the field" on an expedition where "every possible effort [was] made to capture or destroy the murderers." At the site of the ambush, the cavalrymen joined Lieutenant James Watson, 10th Cavalry, and a small force of 4th Cavalry and Apache scouts. From there the scouts discovered hoofprints and a trail leading to the northwest towards the Salt River. According to General Grierson, they "persistently followed [the trail] for several days and nights over the rough, broken mountains and plains of Arizona." Eventually the cavalrymen and the Apache scouts were running low on rations so they were supplied with a cow, some coffee and some salt by a generous rancher. Some time after that Sergeant
Alexander Cheatham, I Troop, 10th Cavalry, led reinforcements, a wagon and several mules, packed with food, to the expedition from San Carlos after a nighttime march of forty-five miles. A veteran of the American Civil War
, and over twenty years on the frontier, Sergeant Cheatham was able to track Lieutenants Clarke and Watson's men over rugged desert and mountain terrain in the dark. The expedition finally caught up with the renegades in a canyon of the Salt River on March 7, approximately 200 miles from Fort Thomas and about thirty miles northeast of Globe. After entering the canyon the terrain became very rough so the renegades killed their horses and continued fleeing on foot. For the same reason the Apache scouts were ordered to dismount and go ahead of the cavalry to try and draw the renegades into battle.
The pursuit through the canyon was so dangerous that at some points the scouts had to lie down and crawl through the narrow passages to trace the renegades' footprints. The cavalrymen waited down at the river to water the horses but at about 12:00 pm the scouts made contact with the fugitives, near the mouth of Cherry Creek. Lieutenants Clarke and Watson heard the the firing from the river and immediately they proceeded towards the sound. Clarke recalled that he felt "a calm chill looking for a live Indian with a gun down in one of these great canyons." Not long after that the cavalrymen were under fire and they assisted the scouts in trapping the renegades within a "three-sided tangle of boulders." The renegades put up a "hard fight" but were eventually forced to retreat into a "shallow cave" as the expedition surrounded and moved in on their position. In the cave the hostiles were safe from direct fire so "one of the sergeants, an excellent shot," began "firing against a rock almost in front of their cave, thereby splatter[ing] lead and splintered rock in their faces." When the soldiers and the scouts closed to within fifty yards of the cave's entrance, they prepared to make a charge but the renegades decided to surrender, having lost three killed or wounded out of five men.
and Sergeant Rowdy were awarded the Medal of Honor. McBryar received his for "coolness, bravery and marksmanship," he and Rowdy were the last Medal of Honor recipients for service during the Apache Wars
. General Grierson later said; "This [skirmish] is one of the most brilliant affairs of its kind that has occurred in recent years and has had a very quieting effect upon, and will no doubt prove a lasting lesson to, the Indians of the San Carlos Agency. It was, therefore, extremely gratifying to congratulate the commanding officers of San Carlos and Fort Thomas, and especially Lieutenants Watson and Clarke and the troops under their command for the persistent pursuit and complete success. Such service in the execution of duty merits the highest praise and affords an excellent example of what promptness and indefatigable exertion may accomplish in the face of almost insurmountable obstacles. It was recommended that substantial recognition be promptly awarded in the way of brevets to the officers and medals to the enlisted men who took part in the engagement." Though five renegades had been captured, the army's campaign against renegades continued because the Apache Kid was still at large. On March 10, just three days after the Cherry Creek engagement, General Grierson "authorized the arrest and removal of seventy-six Indians, relatives and friends of Kid and other renegades, who were known to be in sympathy with the fugitives. I [General Grierson] did this as a measure of precaution and asked that my action be approved by the honorable Secretary of War, that proper arrangements might be made for their care and sustenance at Fort Union to which post they were sent under suitable guard. Since the arrival of Indian prisoners at Fort Union, in accordance with instructions received from Washington
, twelve Indian children were selected from among them, and sent to the Kamona Indian school at Santa Fe
, N. Mex." The rest eventually went to live at Mount Vernon Barracks, in Alabama, with other Apache prisoners.
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...
s and 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...
. It began after a small group of Apaches killed a freight wagon operator near the San Carlos Reservation and was part of the larger Apache Campaign, beginning in 1889, to round up renegades
Renegade period of the Apache Wars
The Renegade period of the Apache Wars refers to the conflicts between the United States and the Apache people who left the reservation system between 1879 and 1886, and renegade Apaches who lived in northern Mexico into the 1920s. Chief Victorio and the medicine man Geronimo were perhaps the best...
who had escaped the army's reservations
Indian reservation
An American Indian reservation is an area of land managed by a Native American tribe under the United States Department of the Interior's Bureau of Indian Affairs...
. The American army fought a skirmish with the renegades near Globe
Globe, Arizona
Globe has an arid climate, characterized by hot summers and moderate to warm winters. Globe's arid climate is somewhat tempered by its elevation, however, leading to slightly cooler temperatures and slightly more precipitation than Phoenix or Yuma....
, Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
, at the mouth of Cherry Creek, resulting in the deaths of two hostiles and the capture of the remaining three. Two men received 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 their service during the campaign.
Campaign
Following GeronimoGeronimo
Geronimo was a prominent Native American leader of the Chiricahua Apache who fought against Mexico and the United States for their expansion into Apache tribal lands for several decades during the Apache Wars. Allegedly, "Geronimo" was the name given to him during a Mexican incident...
's final surrender in September of 1886, the majority of the Apache people, as well as the army's Apache Scouts
Apache scouts
The Apache Scouts were part of the United States Army Indian Scouts, most of their service was during the Apache Wars up to 1886 though the last scout retired in 1947. The Apache scouts were the eyes and ears of the United States military and sometimes the cultural translators for the various...
, were sent to either Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
or Alabama
Alabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
as prisoners of war. Only a few companies of Apache Scouts
Apache scouts
The Apache Scouts were part of the United States Army Indian Scouts, most of their service was during the Apache Wars up to 1886 though the last scout retired in 1947. The Apache scouts were the eyes and ears of the United States military and sometimes the cultural translators for the various...
remained, one f the scouts was the famous Apache Kid. After becoming a renegade in 1887, the Apache Kid was arrested near Globe, Arizona in 1889 and sentenced to several years in the Yuma Territorial Prison
Yuma Territorial Prison
The Yuma Territorial Prison was a prison in the Arizona Territory of the United States and now in present day Yuma, Arizona. The Territorial Prison is one of the Yuma Crossing and Associated Sites on the National Register of Historic Places in the Yuma Crossing National Heritage Area.The site is...
for the attempted murder of Albert Sieber
Albert Sieber
Albert Sieber was a German-American military figure, prospector, and Chief of Scouts during the Apache Wars.-Biography:...
, the chief of the Apache scouts. However, during the transfer to Yuma, the Apache Kid and a handful of his followers escaped police custody and killed two people in an event known as the Kelvin Grade Massacre
Kelvin Grade Massacre
The Kelvin Grade Massacre was an incident that occurred in November of 1889 when a group of Apache renegades escaped from police custody near Globe, Arizona. The escape resulted in the deaths of two policemen and it triggered one of the largest manhunts in the history of Arizona...
. In response, the United States Army launched an operation to catch the Apache Kid and the other renegades who were out raiding across southern Arizona, 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...
and northern 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...
. The Kid and his gang were not the only renegades still on the war path, there were several other small bands causing mischief, most notably that of Massai
Massai
Massai was a member of the Mimbres band of Chiricahua Apache. He was warrior who escaped from a train that was sending the scouts and renegades to Florida to be held with Geronimo and Chihuahua.Born to White Cloud and Little Star at Mescal Mountain, Arizona, near Globe...
. Another former Apache scout, Massai is suspected of being responsible for a number of deaths in Arizona that were often attributed to the Apache Kid. But even after Massai there were others. On March 2, 1890, a group of five "drunken" renegades killed a wagon driver named Herbert and stole two large horses, about ten miles west of Fort Thomas
Fort Thomas, Arizona
Fort Thomas is a small unincorporated community in Graham County, Arizona, United States. The community has an elementary school and a high school. It is part of the Safford Micropolitan Statistical Area...
and the San Carlos reservation. At the time, Fort Thomas was home to Troop
Troop
A troop is a military unit, originally a small force of cavalry, subordinate to a squadron and headed by the troop leader. In many armies a troop is the equivalent unit to the infantry section or platoon...
K of the 10th Cavalry Buffalo Soldiers, under the command of Lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
Powhatan Clarke, a Medal of Honor recipient who fought in Geronimo's War.
As soon as the army learned of the ambush, Lieutenant Clarke was ordered by the Department of Arizona's commander, Major General
Major General
Major general or major-general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. A major general is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the ranks of brigadier and brigadier general...
Benjamin Grierson
Benjamin Grierson
Benjamin Henry Grierson was a music teacher and then a career officer in the United States Army. He was a cavalry general in the volunteer Union Army during the American Civil War and later led troops in the American Old West...
, to take ten men "into the field" on an expedition where "every possible effort [was] made to capture or destroy the murderers." At the site of the ambush, the cavalrymen joined Lieutenant James Watson, 10th Cavalry, and a small force of 4th Cavalry and Apache scouts. From there the scouts discovered hoofprints and a trail leading to the northwest towards the Salt River. According to General Grierson, they "persistently followed [the trail] for several days and nights over the rough, broken mountains and plains of Arizona." Eventually the cavalrymen and the Apache scouts were running low on rations so they were supplied with a cow, some coffee and some salt by a generous rancher. Some time after that 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....
Alexander Cheatham, I Troop, 10th Cavalry, led reinforcements, a wagon and several mules, packed with food, to the expedition from San Carlos after a nighttime march of forty-five miles. A veteran of the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, and over twenty years on the frontier, Sergeant Cheatham was able to track Lieutenants Clarke and Watson's men over rugged desert and mountain terrain in the dark. The expedition finally caught up with the renegades in a canyon of the Salt River on March 7, approximately 200 miles from Fort Thomas and about thirty miles northeast of Globe. After entering the canyon the terrain became very rough so the renegades killed their horses and continued fleeing on foot. For the same reason the Apache scouts were ordered to dismount and go ahead of the cavalry to try and draw the renegades into battle.
The pursuit through the canyon was so dangerous that at some points the scouts had to lie down and crawl through the narrow passages to trace the renegades' footprints. The cavalrymen waited down at the river to water the horses but at about 12:00 pm the scouts made contact with the fugitives, near the mouth of Cherry Creek. Lieutenants Clarke and Watson heard the the firing from the river and immediately they proceeded towards the sound. Clarke recalled that he felt "a calm chill looking for a live Indian with a gun down in one of these great canyons." Not long after that the cavalrymen were under fire and they assisted the scouts in trapping the renegades within a "three-sided tangle of boulders." The renegades put up a "hard fight" but were eventually forced to retreat into a "shallow cave" as the expedition surrounded and moved in on their position. In the cave the hostiles were safe from direct fire so "one of the sergeants, an excellent shot," began "firing against a rock almost in front of their cave, thereby splatter[ing] lead and splintered rock in their faces." When the soldiers and the scouts closed to within fifty yards of the cave's entrance, they prepared to make a charge but the renegades decided to surrender, having lost three killed or wounded out of five men.
Aftermath
Four men from the 10th Cavalry, Sergeant James T. Daniels, 4th Cavalry, and the Apache scout Sergeant Rowdy received either "official recognition" or medals from the army for their involvement in the skirmish. Both Sergeant William McBryarWilliam McBryar
William McBryar 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 during the Cherry Creek Campaign in Arizona Territory....
and Sergeant Rowdy were awarded the Medal of Honor. McBryar received his for "coolness, bravery and marksmanship," he and Rowdy were the last Medal of Honor recipients for service during the Apache Wars
Apache Wars
The Apache Wars were a series of armed conflicts between the United States and Apaches fought in the Southwest from 1849 to 1886, though other minor hostilities continued until as late as 1924. The Confederate Army participated in the wars during the early 1860s, for instance in Texas, before being...
. General Grierson later said; "This [skirmish] is one of the most brilliant affairs of its kind that has occurred in recent years and has had a very quieting effect upon, and will no doubt prove a lasting lesson to, the Indians of the San Carlos Agency. It was, therefore, extremely gratifying to congratulate the commanding officers of San Carlos and Fort Thomas, and especially Lieutenants Watson and Clarke and the troops under their command for the persistent pursuit and complete success. Such service in the execution of duty merits the highest praise and affords an excellent example of what promptness and indefatigable exertion may accomplish in the face of almost insurmountable obstacles. It was recommended that substantial recognition be promptly awarded in the way of brevets to the officers and medals to the enlisted men who took part in the engagement." Though five renegades had been captured, the army's campaign against renegades continued because the Apache Kid was still at large. On March 10, just three days after the Cherry Creek engagement, General Grierson "authorized the arrest and removal of seventy-six Indians, relatives and friends of Kid and other renegades, who were known to be in sympathy with the fugitives. I [General Grierson] did this as a measure of precaution and asked that my action be approved by the honorable Secretary of War, that proper arrangements might be made for their care and sustenance at Fort Union to which post they were sent under suitable guard. Since the arrival of Indian prisoners at Fort Union, in accordance with instructions received from Washington
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, twelve Indian children were selected from among them, and sent to the Kamona Indian school at Santa Fe
Santa Fe, New Mexico
Santa Fe is the capital of the U.S. state of New Mexico. It is the fourth-largest city in the state and is the seat of . Santa Fe had a population of 67,947 in the 2010 census...
, N. Mex." The rest eventually went to live at Mount Vernon Barracks, in Alabama, with other Apache prisoners.