Battle of Sunset Pass
Encyclopedia
The Battle of Sunset Pass was fought in November 1874 during the Yavapai War
. Following the theft of livestock
by a band of Tonto Apache
s, a troop of United States Army
soldiers was dispatched to track the natives and recover the stolen property. The Americans
found the raiders at Sunset Pass
, in Coconino County
, Arizona
, where a small skirmish ensued.
s stole some livestock from a settler in the Tonto Basin
so on the morning of November 1, 1874 about forty men of the 5th Cavalry, including some Apache scouts
, left Camp Verde
to pursue the hostiles. The patrol reached Sunset Pass, near the Little Colorado River
, that same day so the commander, First Lieutenant
Charles King
, decided that the spot would be a good place to make camp for the night. However, shortly after the Americans stopped, King took a few men with him on a hike up a nearby mesa
in order to have a better view of the surrounding terrain. Unbeknown to King, the Tontos he was looking for were waiting to ambush the party while they climbed up the mesa. King and his men were about a half a mile away from camp when suddenly a volley or arrows and bullets was fired from the Tontos hiding behind rocks and boulders. King was badly wounded within the first few minutes of the fight, having been hit in the head twice by arrows and one by a bullet to his right arm.
Under a heavy enemy fire, Sergeant
Bernard Taylor
raced forward and rescued King who was almost unconscious. Sergeant Taylor then carried the wounded King all the way back to camp. By which time the remainder of the patrol moved in to engage. Second Lieutenant
George O. Eaton assumed command at that point and he fought the Apaches for some time before disengaging. In the end, King's probe was regarded as a failure though Sergeant Taylor, George Deary, and Rudolph von Medem
later received the Medal of Honor
for their conduct in this battle and other engagements.
of Camp Verde launched another expedition on November 17 of 1874. In it, Second Lieutenant Eaton led a detachment of the 5th Cavalry which was accompanied by the famous frontiersman Al Sieber and his Apache scouts. The expedition first headed east from Camp Verde along West Clear Creek before heading roughly northeast above the Mogollon Rim
. Several days later, on November 24, Eaton and his command encountered a patrol under Captain Robert H. Montgomery who had been patrolling farther to the east. Though Eaton had no orders to proceed further east, he continued on and found the Apache's trail which Captain Montgomery had missed. The expedition followed the trail and two hours before sunset they found the hostiles. Another skirmish ensued and it resulted in the deaths of two warriors and the capture of six women and children, the Americans suffered no casualties. As for First Lieutenant King, he later became a captain only to retire from the regular army shortly afterwards, due to his wounds sustained at Sunset Pass. King then became a well known novelist before volunteering to fight in the War of 1898
and the Philippine-American War
as a general
. One of King's works was the book Sunset Pass, published in 1890.
Yavapai War
The Yavapai War, also known as the Tonto War, or the Apache War, was an armed conflict in the United States from 1871 to 1875 against renegade Yavapai and Western Apache bands of Arizona. It began in the aftermath of the Camp Grant Massacre, on April 28, 1871, in which nearly 150 Pinal and Aravaipa...
. Following the theft 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...
by a band of Tonto 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, a troop of United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
soldiers was dispatched to track the natives and recover the stolen property. The Americans
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
found the raiders at Sunset Pass
Sunset Pass
Sunset Pass is a 1933 film directed by Henry Hathaway. It stars Randolph Scott and Tom Keene. -Cast:*Randolph Scott as Ash Preshton*Tom Keene as Jack Rock / Jim Collins*Kathleen Burke as Jane Preston*Harry Carey as John Hesbitt...
, in Coconino County
Coconino County, Arizona
-2010:Whereas according to the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau:*61.7% White*1.2% Black*27.3% Native American*1.4% Asian*0.1% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander*3.1% Two or more races*5.2% Other races*13.5% Hispanic or Latino -2000:...
, 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...
, where a small skirmish ensued.
Battle
In October 1874 a group of renegade Tonto 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 stole some livestock from a settler in the Tonto Basin
Tonto Basin
The Tonto Basin, also known as Pleasant Valley, covers the main drainage of Tonto Creek and its tributaries in central Arizona, at the southwest of the Mogollon Rim, the higher elevation transition zone across central and eastern Arizona....
so on the morning of November 1, 1874 about forty men of the 5th Cavalry, including some Apache scouts
Apache scouts
The Apache Scouts were part of the United States Army Indian Scouts, most of their service was during the Apache Wars up to 1886 though the last scout retired in 1947. The Apache scouts were the eyes and ears of the United States military and sometimes the cultural translators for the various...
, left Camp Verde
Fort Verde State Historic Park
Fort Verde State Historic Park in the town of Camp Verde, Arizona is a small park that attempts to preserve parts of the Apache Wars-era fort as it appeared in the 1880s...
to pursue the hostiles. The patrol reached Sunset Pass, near the Little Colorado River
Little Colorado River
The Little Colorado River is a river in the U.S. state of Arizona, providing the principal drainage from the Painted Desert region. Together with its major tributary, the Puerco River, it drains an area of about in eastern Arizona and western New Mexico...
, that same day so the commander, 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...
Charles King
Charles King (general)
Charles King was a United States soldier and a distinguished writer.-Biography:...
, decided that the spot would be a good place to make camp for the night. However, shortly after the Americans stopped, King took a few men with him on a hike up a nearby mesa
Mesa
A mesa or table mountain is an elevated area of land with a flat top and sides that are usually steep cliffs. It takes its name from its characteristic table-top shape....
in order to have a better view of the surrounding terrain. Unbeknown to King, the Tontos he was looking for were waiting to ambush the party while they climbed up the mesa. King and his men were about a half a mile away from camp when suddenly a volley or arrows and bullets was fired from the Tontos hiding behind rocks and boulders. King was badly wounded within the first few minutes of the fight, having been hit in the head twice by arrows and one by a bullet to his right arm.
Under a heavy enemy fire, Sergeant
Sergeant
Sergeant is a rank used in some form by most militaries, police forces, and other uniformed organizations around the world. Its origins are the Latin serviens, "one who serves", through the French term Sergent....
Bernard Taylor
Bernard Taylor (Medal of Honor)
Sergeant Bernard "Barney" Taylor was an American soldier in the U.S. Army who served with the 5th U.S. Cavalry during the Apache Wars. He was one of three men received the Medal of Honor for gallantry, Taylor rescuing wounded commander Lieutenant Charles King, while battling the Western Apache...
raced forward and rescued King who was almost unconscious. Sergeant Taylor then carried the wounded King all the way back to camp. By which time the remainder of the patrol moved in to engage. Second Lieutenant
Second Lieutenant
Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces.- United Kingdom and Commonwealth :The rank second lieutenant was introduced throughout the British Army in 1871 to replace the rank of ensign , although it had long been used in the Royal Artillery, Royal...
George O. Eaton assumed command at that point and he fought the Apaches for some time before disengaging. In the end, King's probe was regarded as a failure though Sergeant Taylor, George Deary, and Rudolph von Medem
Rudolph von Medem
Rudolph von Medem was a German-born soldier in the U.S. Army who served with the 5th U.S. Cavalry during the Indian Wars. He was one of three men received the Medal of Honor for "gallantry in action and campaigns" against the Western Apaches in the Arizona Territory during the Apache...
later received the Medal of Honor
Medal of Honor
The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government. It is bestowed by the President, in the name of Congress, upon members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguish themselves through "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his or her...
for their conduct in this battle and other engagements.
Aftermath
Because the pursuit of the Tonto Apaches failed, the garrisonGarrison
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 Camp Verde launched another expedition on November 17 of 1874. In it, Second Lieutenant Eaton led a detachment of the 5th Cavalry which was accompanied by the famous frontiersman Al Sieber and his Apache scouts. The expedition first headed east from Camp Verde along West Clear Creek before heading roughly northeast above the Mogollon Rim
Mogollon Rim
The Mogollon Rim is a topographical and geological feature running across the U.S. state of Arizona. It extends approximately from northern Yavapai County eastward to near the border with New Mexico.-Description:...
. Several days later, on November 24, Eaton and his command encountered a patrol under Captain Robert H. Montgomery who had been patrolling farther to the east. Though Eaton had no orders to proceed further east, he continued on and found the Apache's trail which Captain Montgomery had missed. The expedition followed the trail and two hours before sunset they found the hostiles. Another skirmish ensued and it resulted in the deaths of two warriors and the capture of six women and children, the Americans suffered no casualties. As for First Lieutenant King, he later became a captain only to retire from the regular army shortly afterwards, due to his wounds sustained at Sunset Pass. King then became a well known novelist before volunteering to fight in the War of 1898
Spanish-American War
The Spanish–American War was a conflict in 1898 between Spain and the United States, effectively the result of American intervention in the ongoing Cuban War of Independence...
and the Philippine-American War
Philippine-American War
The Philippine–American War, also known as the Philippine War of Independence or the Philippine Insurrection , was an armed conflict between a group of Filipino revolutionaries and the United States which arose from the struggle of the First Philippine Republic to gain independence following...
as a general
General
A general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
. One of King's works was the book Sunset Pass, published in 1890.