A significant
territorial outpost, Fort Apache was built in the spring of 1870.
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| Fort Apache 1883 |
Leadership at
the time name it Camp Ord, in honor of General O.C. Ord, Commander
of Arizona. In August of that year they changed the name to Camp Mogollon,
and in September they gave it another name, Camp Thomas. That’s three names in
less than a year.
Finally, on
February 2, 1871, they gave it the name that stuck—Fort Apache.
The fort was built at the end of a military
road on the White Mountain Reservation, to guard it and the White Mountain
Agency.
In 1869, Colonel (Major) John Green of the U.S. 1st Cavalry wrote the
following:
“This post would be of the greatest advantage for the
following reasons: It would compel the White Mountain Indians to live on their
reservation or be driven from their beautiful country which they almost
worship. It would stop their traffic in corn with the hostile tribes, they
could not plant an acre of ground without our permission as we know every spot
of it. It would make a good scouting post, being adjacent to hostile bands on
either side. Also, a good supply depot for Scouting expeditions from other
posts, and in fact, I believe, would do more to end the Apache War than
anything else.”
Fort Activities
There was a lot of activity at the fort
on August 1871, when General George Crook, commander of the Department of
Arizona, made his first visit. He recruited about 50 Native Americans from
Pedro and Miguel’s bands to work as Apache Scouts. The Scouts came to play a
critical role in the Apache Wars which lasted for the next fifteen years and
only ended with the final surrender of the Chiricahua leader Geronimo in 1886.
In 1881, the departmental commander,
General Orlando Willcox, heard about a shaman named Nochaydelklinne, who was preaching about a mystical religion—a means to
resurrect the Apache’s dead and also to drive the white men away. The shaman soon gained a large following and
the General feared he might stir up trouble. Willcox sent troops to arrest the
shaman, who camped with his followers on Cibeque Creek, near Fort Apache.
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| Cavalry Parade |
On August 30, 1881, the troops tried to
take Nochaydelklinne into custody and a fight broke out. The medicine man was
shot and killed, which incited a mutiny among the Apache scouts.
Battles Fought by Fort Apache Troops
General George Crook
planned a Tonto Basin campaign and moved on to Camp Verde to execute the tactical
operations. Several Apache scouts crisscrossed the Tonto Basin and the
surrounding tablelands, hunting the renegade Tonto Apache and their Yavapai
allies in the winter of 1872 to 1873. They forced about 20 skirmishes and in
all killed around 200 Native Americans until they finally wore down their adversaries.
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| General George Crook |
Soldiers from
Fort Apache continued to battle various renegade bands led by such famous
warriors as Geronimo, Natchez, Chato, and Chihuahua.
The Battle of
Fort Apache was the major engagement fought by the troops on September 1, 1881.
The attack was in retaliation for the Cibecue Creek battle in which Nochaydelklinne was
killed. However, the two engagements occurred about forty miles from each other
on opposite sides of the Fort Apache Reservation and happened two
days apart.
From long
range, near Whiteriver, Arizona, the Apaches repeatedly fired volleys at
the fort with their rifles and scored some hits. The U.S. cavalry and native
allies returned fire, but the Apache remained at the end of their rifle range
during the entire fight. The action lasted until sunset after several Apache
attacks were repelled by counter fire.
By the time
reinforcements from Fort Thomas on the San Carlos Indian Reservation arrived,
two days later, the Apaches had withdrawn into hiding. Only three American
soldiers were wounded. The Apache casualties are unknown.
Nochaydelklinne's death roused
other Apache groups to leave their reservations and join Geronimo and
other leaders for battle or to escape to Mexico. It was only after Geronimo was
captured for the last time in 1886, that the Apache Wars finally came to an
end.
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| 1948 Movie Set for Fort Apache |
You Can Plan a Visit
When the fort
closed, its buildings were turned over to the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Some of
the buildings are still standing. People
can visit the Fort Apache Historical Park from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to
Saturday in summer, and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Friday the rest of the year.
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| Present Day Fort Apache |
The Fort
Apache post office occupies the adobe adjutant’s building. A log building, one
of the oldest structures and reputedly the residence of General Crook, as well
as the stone officers’ quarters, are today the residences of teachers and other
Bureau of Indian Affairs employees.
Also, an overview of the history of the fort and
its impact on the Apache people is kept in General Crook’s Cabin. Photomurals,
maps, and historic photographs bring the past alive to visitors. A mid-1870s
period room offers a glimpse into the world of Army officers and their families
at a remote outpost.
Twenty-seven
historic buildings make up the core of the 288-acre National Register Historic
District. Following maps available at the Museum, visitors can explore the
district at their own pace. Interpretive signs explain the construction and use
of the historic buildings and spaces, so visitors can immerse themselves in the
history of what many consider the best surviving example of an Apache Wars-era
military post.
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| 1871 Restored Log Cabin |
The Sutler’s Store
and commissary building, cavalry barns, and guard house haven’t changed much. The
parade ground provides a recreational area. The cemetery no longer holds the
bodies of dead soldiers, but the graves of the Indian scouts are still there.
Visitors can also hike the Historic
Park ’s recreational trails, including a 1.4 - mile loop through the East Fork
canyon that passes by the site of a historic Apache Scout camp and a small
Ancestral Pueblo village.
Thank you for reading the post. Please feel free to comment!
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This is fascinating information. I've heard of (and have seen in movies) about Fort Apache but never realized exactly where it was. I'm so sorry I didn't know when my husband and I drove around the Mogollon area. I would have enjoyed touring the fort.
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