Fort Union, New Mexico and the Mescalero Apache
The story of Fort Union, New Mexico, is intricately woven with the history of the American West, a narrative marked by expansion, conflict, and the displacement of indigenous populations. Among the many tribes who interacted with the fort, both through trade and warfare, were the Mescalero Apache, a resilient and resourceful people whose lives were profoundly impacted by the arrival of the U.S. Army and the subsequent establishment of military outposts like Fort Union. This article delves into the complex relationship between Fort Union, New Mexico, and the Mescalero Apache, exploring a specific, notable encounter that highlights the tensions and struggles of the era.
The Mescalero Apache, an Athabaskan-speaking group, traditionally inhabited a vast territory encompassing parts of present-day New Mexico, Texas, and northern Mexico. Their name, "Mescalero," derives from their reliance on the mescal plant as a staple food source. Skilled hunters, gatherers, and warriors, they were renowned for their adaptability to the harsh desert environment and their fierce defense of their ancestral lands. Following the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo in 1848, which ceded much of the Southwest to the United States, the Mescalero found themselves increasingly in conflict with westward-expanding settlers and the U.S. military.
The establishment of reservations was intended to confine Native American tribes to specific areas, ostensibly to protect them from encroachment and assimilation. However, the reality was often one of inadequate resources, broken treaties, and cultural disruption. In 1865, many Mescalero Apache were forcibly relocated to the Fort Sumner Reservation, a site already burdened with the presence of thousands of Navajo people. The conditions at Fort Sumner were dire, marked by disease, starvation, and a lack of essential supplies. Consequently, many Mescalero, unwilling to endure such hardship, chose to flee the reservation and return to their traditional territories.
After escaping the confines of Fort Sumner, the Mescalero Apache sought refuge in the rugged terrain of the Guadalupe and Sacramento Mountains of southern New Mexico. These mountains provided natural cover and strategic advantage, allowing them to launch raids on settlements and supply lines. Small, swift-riding bands of warriors emerged from their mountain hideouts, targeting livestock, supplies, and sometimes engaging in acts of violence against settlers. This period was marked by intense fear and uncertainty for those living along the Rio Grande and the Pecos River, from Texas to north-central New Mexico, who lived under the constant threat of Mescalero raids.
While Fort Stanton, located closer to the Mescalero’s traditional territory, played a more prominent role in the overall campaign against the Mescalero Apache, Fort Union, New Mexico, also contributed to the effort to suppress their resistance. Fort Union, New Mexico, primarily served as a supply depot and logistical hub for military operations in the region, it occasionally engaged in direct military action against Native American tribes. One such instance, which occurred in September 1867, provides a glimpse into the challenges and complexities of the U.S. Army’s efforts to control the Mescalero Apache.
In September 1867, a Mescalero war party successfully raided a herd of 150 head of livestock near Mora, a settlement situated in the mountains west of Fort Union, New Mexico. This act of defiance prompted a swift response from the fort’s commander, who dispatched Captain Francis H. Wilson and Troop D of the 3rd Cavalry in pursuit of the raiders. The trail led south, deeper into the heart of Mescalero territory, signaling a potential confrontation of significant scale.
As Captain Wilson’s command followed the trail, they were reinforced by another troop of the 3rd Cavalry from Fort Stanton, bringing the total number of soldiers to 107 men. The pursuit led them through the treacherous Dog Canyon of the Sacramento Range, a landscape characterized by steep cliffs, dense vegetation, and limited visibility. From there, they crossed the Guadalupe Mountains, a vast and imposing range that presented further obstacles to their advance. Finally, the pursuit led them south into the vast expanse of West Texas, a region known for its harsh desert environment and sparse population.
After weeks of relentless pursuit, Captain Wilson and his men finally caught up with the Mescalero raiders on October 18, 1867, in the shadow of the Sierra Diablo, a rugged mountain range rising dramatically from the desert floor. The cavalrymen surprised a group of approximately 30 to 40 warriors, inflicting significant casualties in the initial volley. Six warriors fell in the first exchange, and the remaining Mescalero fled, attempting to escape into the surrounding terrain.
Captain Wilson, determined to press his advantage, ordered his men to pursue the fleeing warriors. The chase continued for approximately 15 miles, until the cavalrymen unexpectedly stumbled upon a winter camp of the Mescalero Apache. This camp, housing an estimated 300 to 400 people, including women and children, represented a far greater threat than the initial raiding party. The discovery of the winter camp transformed the engagement from a pursuit of a small group of raiders into a full-scale battle for survival.
The Mescalero warriors, caught off guard but determined to protect their families and winter food supplies, quickly organized a defense. While the women frantically worked to move the food to safety, the warriors engaged the cavalrymen in a fierce and protracted battle. For three hours, the fighting raged back and forth in the canyon, with both sides suffering casualties. Captain Wilson’s men sustained seven wounded, while the Mescalero suffered an estimated 25 to 30 killed or wounded before ultimately retreating into the mountains.
Following the intense battle, Captain Wilson recognized the need for supplies and medical attention for his wounded men. He led his command to Fort Bliss, Texas, a journey that required traversing hundreds of miles of difficult terrain. After resupplying and receiving medical care, Wilson and his men returned to Fort Union, New Mexico, arriving on November 12, 1867. The entire expedition had covered over 1,000 miles of mountain and desert in less than two months, a testament to the endurance and resilience of both the soldiers and their horses.
While the battle in the Sierra Diablo inflicted a severe blow on the Mescalero Apache, it did not represent a decisive victory. The Mescalero, though weakened, remained a force to be reckoned with. It would take more than a decade of continued military pressure and negotiation before they were finally subdued and forced onto reservations. The story of Fort Union, New Mexico, and the Mescalero Apache serves as a reminder of the complex and often tragic interactions between the U.S. military and Native American tribes during the westward expansion of the United States. It highlights the resilience of the Mescalero Apache in the face of overwhelming odds and the enduring legacy of conflict and displacement that continues to shape the American West. This particular campaign launched from Fort Union, New Mexico, illustrates the broader struggle for control of the Southwest and the impact on the lives of the Mescalero people.
