Camel Caravans in the American Desert

The American Southwest, a land of stark beauty and challenging terrain, holds many untold stories within its sun-baked landscapes. Among these lesser-known narratives is the tale of the U.S. Camel Corps, a mid-19th-century experiment aimed at utilizing the hardy Arabian camel as a beast of burden across the arid plains of Arizona, New Mexico, and the Colorado River deserts. Scattered newspaper clippings from the era and the recollections of the camel drivers who lived through the experience are some of the few remaining records of a plan that its creators hoped would transform travel and transportation throughout the American deserts. The driving force behind this ambitious project was none other than Jefferson Davis, later the president of the Confederate States of America.

The concept of employing camels in the American West stemmed from the need for a more efficient and resilient mode of transportation across the vast, arid expanses. Traditional methods, relying on horses and mules, often proved inadequate due to the scarcity of water and forage, as well as the animals’ susceptibility to the harsh climate. Recognizing the camel’s renowned ability to thrive in desert environments, proponents like Jefferson Davis envisioned a revolution in overland travel and military logistics.

In the final days of a Congressional session in 1851, Davis, then serving as a Senator from Mississippi, proposed an amendment to the army appropriation bill. His proposal called for the procurement of 30 camels and 20 dromedaries (one-humped camels), along with ten Arab handlers and the necessary equipment. This was the first step in what Davis hoped would become a comprehensive integration of camels into the American military and commercial infrastructure.

During his advocacy for the amendment, Davis emphasized the extensive use of camels as pack animals in various regions of Asia and Africa. He cited examples of the English army employing camels to transport supplies and even light artillery in the East Indies. Furthermore, he pointed to Napoleon’s use of camels during his Egyptian campaigns, drawing a parallel between the desert warfare tactics employed there and the potential for utilizing camels against Native American tribes like the Comanche and Apache on the Western frontier. Davis believed that camels, capable of traversing long distances without water and subsisting on sparse vegetation, could effectively pursue these tribes, outpacing the capabilities of the U.S. cavalry. He imagined them transporting small pieces of ordnance with relative ease, mimicking their role in the East, where they thrived on hardy shrubs and brackish water, conditions prevalent in the American deserts. However, the amendment faced opposition. Thomas Ewing from Ohio expressed concerns that the American climate would be too cold for camels. Robert Rantoul of Massachusetts, while acknowledging the potential usefulness of camels, deemed the proposed price of $200 per animal excessive. Ultimately, the amendment was defeated, with 19 votes in favor and 24 against. Senators viewed the $30,000 appropriation for camel purchases as an unjustifiable extravagance.

Despite the initial setback, the idea of importing camels to America gained traction, particularly in California. Newspapers enthusiastically promoted the scheme, envisioning the creation of a "lightning dromedary express" to expedite mail delivery and bring Eastern news to California in a mere 15 days. Ambitious proposals were floated, suggesting the establishment of fast camel passenger trains from Missouri River outposts to the Pacific Coast. The envisioned scenario involved camels filling their internal water reserves from the Missouri River, traversing the country with little regard for water sources, grazing on sagebrush along the way, and ultimately reaching the California coast towns within two weeks. This fantastical vision promised to eliminate the dangers associated with Panama fevers, thieving locals on the isthmus, death by thirst in the deserts, freezing in the Sierra Nevada, and shipwrecks. The double-decked camel train, it was believed, would solve the transportation challenges until the completion of the Pacific Railroad.

Jefferson Davis remained committed to his vision for camel utilization in the American West. During his tenure as Secretary of War under President Franklin Pierce (1853-1857), he sought reports from army officers stationed on the Southwestern frontier regarding the loss of animals, the cost of transporting army supplies, and the feasibility of using camels in military operations against Native Americans. These reports were presented to Congress, which subsequently authorized a commission to travel from San Antonio, Texas, to Arizona to assess the military applications of camels in the Southwest. The commission delivered a favorable report, and in 1854, Congress approved an appropriation of $30,000 for the purchase and importation of camels.

In December 1854, Major Henry C. Wayne was dispatched to Egypt and Arabia with the mission of acquiring 75 camels. He secured the initial group of camels in Cairo and transported them aboard the naval store ship Supply. The ship then sailed to Smyrna (modern-day Izmir, Turkey), where an additional 30 camels of a different breed were purchased. These camels had experience in the Arabian deserts and commanded a higher price, ranging from $75 to $300 each, exceeding the cost of the Egyptian camels. On February 10, 1857, the Supply arrived in Indianola, Texas, on the Gulf of Mexico, carrying its cargo of camels. Unfortunately, three camels had perished during the voyage, leaving 72 animals in the herd.

Approximately half of the camels were transported to Albuquerque, New Mexico, where Lieutenant Edward Beale was in command of an expedition destined for Fort Tejon, California. The route, which subsequently became known as Beale’s Wagon Road, followed the 35th parallel and traversed the challenging Mojave Desert. The expedition consisted of 44 civilians, 20 soldiers, and the camels, which were burdened with baggage and water supplies. The expedition successfully reached Fort Tejon, and the camel caravans subsequently made several trips between Fort Tejon and Albuquerque. The remaining camels were deployed for packing operations on the plains of Texas and the Gadsden Purchase, which was then referred to as Southern Arizona.

The first camel caravan to reach Los Angeles arrived on January 8, 1858. The Los Angeles Star newspaper documented the event, noting that "A drove of fourteen camels under the management of Lieutenant Beale arrived in Los Angeles. They were on their way from Fort Tejon to the Colorado River and the Mormon country, and each animal was packed with one thousand pounds of provisions and military stores. With this load, they made from 30 to 40 miles daily, finding their subsistence in even the most barren country and going without water from six to ten days at a time." The Star again mentioned the camel caravan on July 21, 1858, stating that "the camels have come to town… The camels, eight in number, came into town from Fort Tejon after provisions for that camp. The largest ones packed a ton and could travel sixteen miles an hour."

Based on these accounts, it would seem that a beast of burden capable of carrying a ton of cargo, traveling at sixteen miles per hour, subsisting on sagebrush, and enduring six to ten days without water would have effectively addressed the need for affordable and rapid transportation across the desert plains of the Southwest. However, the proponents of the American camel caravan scheme overlooked a crucial factor: the camel’s less desirable traits.

Another significant oversight was the failure to import experienced Arab camel handlers along with the animals. A strong mutual antipathy developed between the camels and the American mule drivers who were tasked with handling them. Successful camel handling requires specialized knowledge and a deep understanding of the animal’s behavior, often passed down through generations of camel-driving families.

The initial point of contention between the camels and their American handlers was language. The mule drivers’ forceful language and profanity disturbed the camels, whose sensibilities were accustomed to the gentler tones of Arabic. The camels’ initial submissiveness was misinterpreted by the drivers. Accustomed to the spirited resistance of mules, they found the camels’ mild demeanor exasperating. However, they soon discovered that a single camel could outmatch an entire herd of mules in sheer stubbornness. The camels’ supposed virtues often manifested as vices. While their ability to travel at 16 miles per hour was admirable, their tendency to wander off in search of sagebrush after the evening camp was set up created significant challenges. The drivers were forced to spend hours chasing after the wandering camels, delaying the caravan’s departure the following day.

The camels’ ability to carry a ton of cargo was another double-edged sword. When two heavily laden "ships of the desert" collided on a narrow trail, which happened frequently, tons of supplies were scattered across the landscape, requiring the drivers to spend hours gathering the scattered cargo. These incidents further fueled the drivers’ frustration and resentment toward the camels. The army horses and mules shared the drivers’ animosity toward the camels. The mere sight or sound of a camel could trigger panic among the horses, causing them to break free and stampede across the plains.

These issues contributed to the camel’s unpopularity among the soldiers of the U.S. Army. The camel was met with hatred, contempt, and even persecution. Despite officers’ attempts to encourage fair treatment, the soldiers refused to work with the animals. Teamsters deserted rather than become camel drivers, and troopers invoked their rights to avoid being assigned to such duties. The absence of personnel to load and manage the camels led to a decline in their utilization, ultimately resulting in their abandonment at various forts throughout the Southwest.

The failure of the camel caravan experiment became apparent to army officers. Attempts to organize caravans frequently led to insubordination among the soldiers and teamsters. Contrary to Jefferson Davis’s original intention, the camels were never used to pursue Native Americans and engage them in combat using artillery mounted on their backs. Instead, Native Americans began hunting the camels for their meat. The camels, in turn, learned to fear and avoid Native Americans. Some camels died from neglect at the hands of their drivers, while others were intentionally shot by troopers who claimed to have mistaken the camel’s humps for the head of a Native American.

When the Civil War erupted, approximately 35-40 camels were gathered at various U.S. forts, including Camp Verde, Fort Bliss, and Fort Yuma. As the government abandoned the eastern forts, the camels were released to fend for themselves. Those at Fort Yuma and Fort Tejon were transported to the Benicia Arsenal, condemned, and sold at auction to two Frenchmen who transported them to Reese River, Nevada, where they were used to transport salt to Virginia City. Later, they were moved to Arizona and used to haul ore from the Silver King Mine down the Gila River to Yuma, Arizona. However, the Frenchmen eventually grew weary of their camels and released the entire herd into the desert near Maricopa Wells.

Despite their newfound freedom, the camels remained near human settlements, causing mischief along the overland travel routes. The sudden appearance of these unusual animals often frightened mule teams, causing them to run away and scatter their cargo. Mule drivers, seeking revenge, shot the camels whenever they had the opportunity. In 1882, several wild camels were captured in Arizona and sold to a circus. However, some continued to roam freely in the desert regions of Southern Arizona and Sonora, Mexico. Reports of wild camels persisted for years, with boundary officials occasionally sighting them in the alkali plains amidst sagebrush and cactus. These sightings likely involved descendants of the original imported camels.

Over time, reports emerged of soldiers in New Mexico and Arizona spotting wild camels on the alkali plains. These reports indicated that the animals had turned white with age and developed hardened, leathery hides. Their hooves were described as hard and pronged, unlike the cushioned feet of well-cared-for camels.

The story of the U.S. Camel Corps is a unique and fascinating chapter in the history of the American West. It highlights the challenges of adapting foreign solutions to unfamiliar environments and the importance of considering all aspects of an animal’s behavior when attempting to integrate it into a new ecosystem. Despite its ultimate failure, the experiment with camel caravans left a lasting impression on the landscape and folklore of the American Southwest, forever linking the image of the camel to the vast, arid deserts of the region.