Battle of Cooke's Spring
Encyclopedia
The Battle of Cookes Spring was a typical Indian War
skirmish which took place in 1857. Apache
raiders were tracked through the frontier by a party of United States
Army cavalry
who intercepted the native warrior
s at Cooke's Spring in the Black Range
of New Mexico
.
s stole horses from an American deputy surveyor named Mr. Garretson who reported the incident to the garrison
of Fort Fillmore
. In response First Lieutenant
Alfred Gibbs
led a detachment of sixteen cavalrymen and two armed civilians
on the Apache trail which crossed the Rio Grande
about ten miles north of Dona Ana
and headed northwest. Hours of pursuing went on until Gibbs caught up with the natives at noon the following day next to the northern most slopes of the Mimbres Mountains. The Americans came within sight of the natives an hour and a half later where they saw one warrior fifty yards away appearing to be coming towards them and seven others resting next to Cook's Spring, an arroyo
one mile from the mountains. At that point the Americans dismounted and started the battle with a volley of musket fire before remounting for a charge. Three warriors were wounded but continued to run like "wild turkeys" according to Gibbs. When the Apache spotted the approaching soldiers they fled for high ground but the Americans were right behind them. The Apache chief
, either Itan
or Monteras, was one of the wounded but he rallied his men throughout the battle and led counter charges against Gibbs' command.
During the fighting the chief was moving to attack a corporal
named Collins who was on foot after having his horse shot out from under him, but was intercepted by Gibbs who shot him a fifth time. The chief thrust a lance
into the lieutenant's side but just after he was hit again by an enlisted men and died after receiving ten gunshot wounds. Gibbs was wounded but he was able to stop some of the lance's force with his right arm, he survived to become a Union Army
brigadier general
during the American Civil War
. Gibbs was losing blood so he dismounted to prevent falling from his horse and gave it to Corporal Collins with orders to continue the fight. The chase then continued and the cavalrymen caught up with the remaining Apaches and killed five more of them at the foothills of the mountains. One warrior escaped though he was badly wounded and presumed to have died after the encounter. First Lieutenant Gibbs was the only American casualty. The stolen property was recovered by Garretson who was one of the two armed civilians involved, several mules were also captured.
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...
skirmish which took place in 1857. 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...
raiders were tracked through the frontier by a party of United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Army 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...
who intercepted the native 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 at Cooke's Spring in the Black Range
Black Range
The Black Range is an igneous mountain range running north-south in Sierra and Grant counties in west-central New Mexico, in the southwestern United States. Its central ridge forms the western and eastern borders, respectively, of the two counties through much of their contact...
of 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...
.
Battle
On March 8, 1857 eight ChiricahuaChiricahua
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...
s stole horses from an American deputy surveyor named Mr. Garretson who reported the incident to 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....
of Fort Fillmore
Fort Fillmore
Fort Fillmore was a fortification established by Col Edwin Vose Sumner in September of 1851 near Mesilla in what is now New Mexico, primarily to protect settlers and traders traveling to California. Travelers in the Westward Migration were under constant threat from Indian attack, and a network of...
. In response First Lieutenant
First Lieutenant
First lieutenant is a military rank and, in some forces, an appointment.The rank of lieutenant has different meanings in different military formations , but the majority of cases it is common for it to be sub-divided into a senior and junior rank...
Alfred Gibbs
Alfred Gibbs
Alfred Gibbs was a career officer in the United States Army who served as a brigadier general in the Union Army during the American Civil War...
led a detachment of sixteen cavalrymen and two armed civilians
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...
on the Apache trail which crossed the Rio Grande
Rio Grande
The Rio Grande is a river that flows from southwestern Colorado in the United States to the Gulf of Mexico. Along the way it forms part of the Mexico – United States border. Its length varies as its course changes...
about ten miles north of Dona Ana
Doña Ana
Doña Ana may refer to:* Doña Ana County, New Mexico* Doña Ana, New Mexico, a city in the above county* Dona Ana Bridge in Mozambique...
and headed northwest. Hours of pursuing went on until Gibbs caught up with the natives at noon the following day next to the northern most slopes of the Mimbres Mountains. The Americans came within sight of the natives an hour and a half later where they saw one warrior fifty yards away appearing to be coming towards them and seven others resting next to Cook's Spring, an arroyo
Arroyo (creek)
An arroyo , a Spanish word translated as brook, and also called a wash is usually a dry creek or stream bed—gulch that temporarily or seasonally fills and flows after sufficient rain. Wadi is a similar term in Africa. In Spain, a rambla has a similar meaning to arroyo.-Types and processes:Arroyos...
one mile from the mountains. At that point the Americans dismounted and started the battle with a volley of musket fire before remounting for a charge. Three warriors were wounded but continued to run like "wild turkeys" according to Gibbs. When the Apache spotted the approaching soldiers they fled for high ground but the Americans were right behind them. The Apache 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 ...
, either Itan
Itan
For iTAN , see Transaction authentication number----Itan is the Yorùbá term for the sum total of all Yorùbá: Stories, historical accounts, songs, myths, and other cultural components....
or Monteras, was one of the wounded but he rallied his men throughout the battle and led counter charges against Gibbs' command.
During the fighting the chief was moving to attack a corporal
Corporal
Corporal is a rank in use in some form by most militaries and by some police forces or other uniformed organizations. It is usually equivalent to NATO Rank Code OR-4....
named Collins who was on foot after having his horse shot out from under him, but was intercepted by Gibbs who shot him a fifth time. The chief thrust a lance
Lance
A Lance is a pole weapon or spear designed to be used by a mounted warrior. The lance is longer, stout and heavier than an infantry spear, and unsuited for throwing, or for rapid thrusting. Lances did not have tips designed to intentionally break off or bend, unlike many throwing weapons of the...
into the lieutenant's side but just after he was hit again by an enlisted men and died after receiving ten gunshot wounds. Gibbs was wounded but he was able to stop some of the lance's force with his right arm, he survived to become a Union Army
Union Army
The Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...
brigadier general
Brigadier General
Brigadier general is a senior rank in the armed forces. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries, usually sitting between the ranks of colonel and major general. When appointed to a field command, a brigadier general is typically in command of a brigade consisting of around 4,000...
during 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...
. Gibbs was losing blood so he dismounted to prevent falling from his horse and gave it to Corporal Collins with orders to continue the fight. The chase then continued and the cavalrymen caught up with the remaining Apaches and killed five more of them at the foothills of the mountains. One warrior escaped though he was badly wounded and presumed to have died after the encounter. First Lieutenant Gibbs was the only American casualty. The stolen property was recovered by Garretson who was one of the two armed civilians involved, several mules were also captured.