Siege of Tubac
Encyclopedia
The Siege of Tubac was a siege
of the Apache Wars
, between settler
s and militia
of Confederate Arizona and Chiricahua
Apache
s. The battle took place at Tubac
in the present day southern Arizona
. The actual dates of this engagement have been lost to time.
s, over 200 strong, attacked Tubac sometime in early August and initiated a siege on one side of the presidio
. Mexican
bandits occupied the other side but stayed out of the major fighting. The towns people fought the Apaches for three days until sending a despatch rider to Tucson, requesting reinforcements.
A force of twenty-five militiamen, carrying a Confederate Flag and commanded by a Granville Henderson Oury
, arrived at the town and fought off the final assault. The Apaches withdrew out of close range but continued to lay siege by stopping the ability of the militia to escape. Eventually, food and ammunition became short and the garrison
, women and children chose to flee to avoid being completely massacred by the overwhelming Apache army.
The Arizonans escaped successfully after another skirmish on the last night, leaving Tubac to be burned by the native army and plundered by the Mexican bandits. The Americans headed back to Tucson, to the north, having completed their objective of rescuing the besieged Tubacans.
. Before completing their journey, the Arizonans would be attacked again by Apaches, this engagement is known as the Battle of Cooke's Canyon
. The battle in Cooke's Canyon resulted in the Battle of the Florida Mountains
.
Charles D. Poston was one of the men who left Tubac as result of the siege, Poston, a Republican
, supported the creation of an Arizona Territory separate from New Mexico Territory, which he discussed with President
Abraham Lincoln
after leaving Tubac.
After the Civil War Tubac was briefly home to a command of United States troops but no population existed. The town was abandoned into the 1880s. By 1908, Tubac was being rebuilt but still had a very small population of less than 200. As of today, 149 years later, only about 1000 people reside in the town. The casualties of the engagement are unknown.
Siege
A siege is a military blockade of a city or fortress with the intent of conquering by attrition or assault. The term derives from sedere, Latin for "to sit". Generally speaking, siege warfare is a form of constant, low intensity conflict characterized by one party holding a strong, static...
of 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...
, between settler
Settler
A settler is a person who has migrated to an area and established permanent residence there, often to colonize the area. Settlers are generally people who take up residence on land and cultivate it, as opposed to nomads...
s and militia
Militia
The term militia is commonly used today to refer to a military force composed of ordinary citizens to provide defense, emergency law enforcement, or paramilitary service, in times of emergency without being paid a regular salary or committed to a fixed term of service. It is a polyseme with...
of Confederate Arizona and 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...
s. The battle took place at Tubac
Tubac, Arizona
Tubac is a census-designated place in Santa Cruz County, Arizona, United States. The population was 949 at the 2000 census. The place name Tubac is an English borrowing from a Hispanicized form of the O'odham name, which translates into English as "rotten". The original O'odham name is written...
in the present day southern 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...
. The actual dates of this engagement have been lost to time.
Background
Apache warriorWarrior
A warrior is a person skilled in combat or warfare, especially within the context of a tribal or clan-based society that recognizes a separate warrior class.-Warrior classes in tribal culture:...
s, over 200 strong, attacked Tubac sometime in early August and initiated a siege on one side of the presidio
Presidio San Ignacio de Tubac
The Presidio of San Ignacio de Túbac or Fort Tubac was a Spanish built fortress. The fortification was established by the Spanish Army in 1753 at the site of present-day Tubac, Arizona.-Spanish Period:...
. Mexican
Mexican people
Mexican people refers to all persons from Mexico, a multiethnic country in North America, and/or who identify with the Mexican cultural and/or national identity....
bandits occupied the other side but stayed out of the major fighting. The towns people fought the Apaches for three days until sending a despatch rider to Tucson, requesting reinforcements.
A force of twenty-five militiamen, carrying a Confederate Flag and commanded by a Granville Henderson Oury
Granville Henderson Oury
Granville Henderson Oury was a nineteenth century American politician, lawyer, judge, soldier and miner.-Early life and career:...
, arrived at the town and fought off the final assault. The Apaches withdrew out of close range but continued to lay siege by stopping the ability of the militia to escape. Eventually, food and ammunition became short and the garrison
Garrison
Garrison is the collective term for a body of troops stationed in a particular location, originally to guard it, but now often simply using it as a home base....
, women and children chose to flee to avoid being completely massacred by the overwhelming Apache army.
The Arizonans escaped successfully after another skirmish on the last night, leaving Tubac to be burned by the native army and plundered by the Mexican bandits. The Americans headed back to Tucson, to the north, having completed their objective of rescuing the besieged Tubacans.
Aftermath
The Tubacans, with their town virtually gone, left Tucson at about August 15, 1861. Their destination was the Rio Grande River, east of MesillaMesilla, New Mexico
Mesilla is a town in Doña Ana County, New Mexico, United States. The population was 2,180 at the 2000 census...
. Before completing their journey, the Arizonans would be attacked again by Apaches, this engagement is known as the Battle of Cooke's Canyon
Battle of Cooke's Canyon
The Battle of Cooke's Canyon was an engagement of the Apache Wars fought in August of 1861, between settlers from Confederate Arizona, and Chiricahua Apaches. It occurred about forty miles northwest of Mesilla, in Cooke's Canyon...
. The battle in Cooke's Canyon resulted in the Battle of the Florida Mountains
Battle of the Florida Mountains
The Battle of the Florida Mountains was an action of the Apache Wars, forces involved were Chiricahua Apache warriors and mounted Confederate States militia. The battle occurred in a pass of the Florida Mountains within Confederate Arizona, now the modern day southwestern New Mexico...
.
Charles D. Poston was one of the men who left Tubac as result of the siege, Poston, a Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
, supported the creation of an Arizona Territory separate from New Mexico Territory, which he discussed with President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States, serving from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. He successfully led his country through a great constitutional, military and moral crisis – the American Civil War – preserving the Union, while ending slavery, and...
after leaving Tubac.
After the Civil War Tubac was briefly home to a command of United States troops but no population existed. The town was abandoned into the 1880s. By 1908, Tubac was being rebuilt but still had a very small population of less than 200. As of today, 149 years later, only about 1000 people reside in the town. The casualties of the engagement are unknown.
See also
- American Indian Wars
- American Civil WarAmerican Civil WarThe 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...
- First Battle of TucsonFirst Battle of TucsonThe First Battle of Tucson was a confrontation at Tucson, Arizona on December 6, 1779, as part of the Apache-Mexico Wars. Captain Pedro Allande y Saabedra with a force of only fifteen men defeated an army of around 350 strong.-Battle:...
- Second Battle of TucsonSecond Battle of TucsonThe Second Battle of Tucson or the May Day Attack was a battle in Tucson, Arizona, and the neighboring pueblo. It occurred during the Mexican Apache Wars on May 1, 1782, between a small garrison of Spanish soldiers and hundreds of Apache warriors....
- Third Battle of TucsonThird Battle of Tucson (1782)The Third Battle of Tucson was a battle during the Spanish colonization of Sonora, now the present day Arizona in the United States. The battle pitched the Apache warriors against the Spanish cavalry garrison of Tucson.-Battle:...
- Fourth Battle of TucsonFourth Battle of TucsonThe Fourth Battle of Tucson was a raid during the Spanish-Apache Wars. At break of day, on March 21, 1784, a force of no more than 500 Apaches and Navajos attacked Spanish cavalry guards protecting a herd of livestock at the Presidio San Augustin del Tucson in southern Arizona.-Battle:The Spanish...