Fourth Battle of Tucson
Encyclopedia
The 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 Apache
s and Navajos
attacked Spanish
cavalry
guards protecting a herd of livestock
at the Presidio San Augustin del Tucson
in southern Arizona
.
Don
Juan Carrillo when hundreds of mounted Navajo and Apache warrior
s attacked their position which guarded a livestock
pen
. The Apaches and Navajos were attempting to steal some of the cavalry garrison
's horses but they had soldiers to deal with.
The herd was halted in the corral, which was defended efficiently by Ensign Carillo's squad. However, the natives succeeded, after a long time, in stampeding and carrying off the herd, leaving five soldiers dead and one wounded while sustaining three of their own dead and an unknown number wounded. Thirteen horses were captured from the presidio
.
Immediately afterwards two additional soldiers arrived to give notice of what had happened. Without loss of time, a number of troops mounted themselves and followed the native's trail of retreat.
Tomás Equrrola, reinforced with thirty Pima
scouts from the neighboring towns of Tupson and San Xavier
. This force consisted of forty-nine men, including the Pima scouts and five citizens. With the rest of the remount herd guard which consisted of twelve men. The Spanish and Pima force left Tucson and after only forty-five minutes, caught up with the Navajos and Apaches at the base of the Catalina Mountains, next to the Catalina River
. Another battle
began and Lieutenant Equrrola's men killed fourteen warriors, among them the native commander, Chief
Chiquito
.
Spanish period of Arizona
In the late 18th century, colonists began steadily entering the region of northern New Spain that is the modern-day U.S. state of Arizona. They were attracted by reports of the discovery of deposits of silver around the Arizonac mining camp...
. At break of day, on March 21, 1784, a force of no more than 500 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 and Navajos
Navajo people
The Navajo of the Southwestern United States are the largest single federally recognized tribe of the United States of America. The Navajo Nation has 300,048 enrolled tribal members. The Navajo Nation constitutes an independent governmental body which manages the Navajo Indian reservation in the...
attacked Spanish
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
cavalry
Cavalry
Cavalry or horsemen were soldiers or warriors who fought mounted on horseback. Cavalry were historically the third oldest and the most mobile of the combat arms...
guards protecting a herd of livestock
Livestock
Livestock refers to one or more domesticated animals raised in an agricultural setting to produce commodities such as food, fiber and labor. The term "livestock" as used in this article does not include poultry or farmed fish; however the inclusion of these, especially poultry, within the meaning...
at the Presidio San Augustin del Tucson
Presidio San Augustin del Tucson
Presidio San Agustín del Tucsón or Fort Tucson was a presidio located within Tucson, Arizona. The original fortress was built by Spanish conquistadors during the 18th century and was the founding structure of what became the city of Tucson...
in 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...
.
Battle
The Spanish sentries were under the command of EnsignEnsign (rank)
Ensign is a junior rank of a commissioned officer in the armed forces of some countries, normally in the infantry or navy. As the junior officer in an infantry regiment was traditionally the carrier of the ensign flag, the rank itself acquired the name....
Don
Don
- People :* Don , a short form of the masculine given name Donald in English, also a masculine given name in Irish* Don , a Spanish, Portuguese and Italian title, given as a mark of respect* Don, a crime boss...
Juan Carrillo when hundreds of mounted Navajo and Apache warrior
Warrior
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 attacked their position which guarded a livestock
Livestock
Livestock refers to one or more domesticated animals raised in an agricultural setting to produce commodities such as food, fiber and labor. The term "livestock" as used in this article does not include poultry or farmed fish; however the inclusion of these, especially poultry, within the meaning...
pen
Pen
A pen is a device used to apply ink to a surface, usually paper, for writing or drawing. Historically, reed pens, quill pens, and dip pens were used, with a nib of some sort to be dipped in the ink. Ruling pens allow precise adjustment of line width, and still find a few specialized uses, but...
. The Apaches and Navajos were attempting to steal some of the cavalry 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....
's horses but they had soldiers to deal with.
The herd was halted in the corral, which was defended efficiently by Ensign Carillo's squad. However, the natives succeeded, after a long time, in stampeding and carrying off the herd, leaving five soldiers dead and one wounded while sustaining three of their own dead and an unknown number wounded. Thirteen horses were captured from the presidio
Presidio
A presidio is a fortified base established by the Spanish in North America between the sixteenth and nineteenth centuries. The fortresses were built to protect against pirates, hostile native Americans and enemy colonists. Other presidios were held by Spain in the sixteenth and seventeenth...
.
Immediately afterwards two additional soldiers arrived to give notice of what had happened. Without loss of time, a number of troops mounted themselves and followed the native's trail of retreat.
Aftermath
Under the orders of LieutenantLieutenant
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...
Tomás Equrrola, reinforced with thirty Pima
Pima
The Pima are a group of American Indians living in an area consisting of what is now central and southern Arizona. The long name, "Akimel O'odham", means "river people". They are closely related to the Tohono O'odham and the Hia C-ed O'odham...
scouts from the neighboring towns of Tupson and San Xavier
Mission San Xavier del Bac
Mission San Xavier del Bac is a historic Spanish Catholic mission located about 10 miles south of downtown Tucson, Arizona, on the Tohono O'odham San Xavier Indian Reservation...
. This force consisted of forty-nine men, including the Pima scouts and five citizens. With the rest of the remount herd guard which consisted of twelve men. The Spanish and Pima force left Tucson and after only forty-five minutes, caught up with the Navajos and Apaches at the base of the Catalina Mountains, next to the Catalina River
San Pedro River (Arizona)
San Pedro River is a northward-flowing stream originating about ten miles south of Sierra Vista, Arizona near Cananea, Sonora, Mexico. It is one of only two rivers which flow north from Mexico into the United States. The river flows north through Cochise County, Pima County, Graham County, and...
. Another battle
Battle of the Catalina River
The Battle of the Catalina River was a military engagement fought on March 21, 1784 during the Spanish conquest of the present day Arizona. The combatants were Apache and Navajo warriors, Spanish soldiers and Tucson militia.-Battle:...
began and Lieutenant Equrrola's men killed fourteen warriors, among them the native commander, Chief
Tribal chief
A tribal chief is the leader of a tribal society or chiefdom. Tribal societies with social stratification under a single leader emerged in the Neolithic period out of earlier tribal structures with little stratification, and they remained prevalent throughout the Iron Age.In the case of ...
Chiquito
Chiquito
Augusto Valdez Pangan, Sr. , better known as Chiquito, was a popular Filipino actor appearing mainly in comedy films.-Biography:...
.
See also
- Capture of Tucson (1846)Capture of Tucson (1846)The Capture of Tucson was a United States attack on the Mexican city of Tucson, Sonora, now the present day Tucson, Arizona. The would be combatants were provisional Mexican Army troops and the American Mormon Battalion. Tucson fell in December of 1846 without resistance.-Capture:The...
- Capture of Tucson (1862)Capture of Tucson (1862)The Capture of Tucson was a United States attack on Tucson in Confederate Arizona on May 20, 1862. A Union force of 2,000 took the city from ten Tucson militiamen without a shot fired.-Background:...
- Siege of TubacSiege of TubacThe Siege of Tubac was a siege of the Apache Wars, between settlers and militia of Confederate Arizona and Chiricahua Apaches. The battle took place at Tubac in the present day southern Arizona...
- Apache WarsApache WarsThe 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...
- Navajo WarsNavajo WarsThe Navajo Wars were a series of battles and other conflicts, often separated with treaties that involved raids by different Navajo bands on the rancheras along the Rio Grande and the counter campaigns by the Spanish, Mexican, and United States governments, and sometimes their civilian elements....
- American Indian Wars