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Battle of Bear Valley

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chief of the group. We patched him up with first aid kits, mounted him on a horse, and took him to camp. He was a tough Indian, made hardly a groan and hung onto the saddle. If there were more hit we could not find them. Indians do not leave any wounded behind if they can possibly carry them along. One of my men spoke a mixture of Spanish, and secured the information from a prisoner that about twenty others got away. I immediately sent Lieutenant Scott, who had joined the fight, to take a strong detail and search the country for a few miles. However they did not find anything of the remainder of the band. It was dark when we returned to camp. I sent some soldiers to try and get an automobile or any transportation at the mining camps for the wounded Yaqui, but none could be located until morning. He was sent to the Army hospital at Nogales and died that day. We collected all the packs and arms of the Indians. There were a dozen or more rifles, some .30-30
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Cavalrymen treated them with the respect due to fighting men. Especially astonishing was the discovery that one of the Yaquis was an eleven-year-old boy. The youngster had fought bravely alongside his elders, firing a rifle that was almost as long as he was tall. ...Though time has perhaps dimmed some details, the fact that this was my first experience under fire—and it was a hot one even though they were poor marksmen—most of the action was indelibly imprinted on my mind. After the Yaquis were captured we lined them up with their hands above their heads and searched them. One kept his hands around his middle. Fearing that he might have a knife to use on some trooper, I grabbed his hands and yanked them up. His stomach practically fell out. This was the man who had been hit by my corporal
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prisoners were later sent to Tucson for trial in federal court. Charged with "wrongfully, unlawfully, and feloniously exporting to Mexico certain arms and ammunition, to wit: 300 rifle cartridges and about 9 rifles without first procuring an export license issued by the War Trade Board of the United States," the Yaquis pleaded guilty and were sentenced by
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and after some scattered shooting the fight was over. Then upon command the troopers moved forward cautiously and surrounded them. This was a bunch of ten Yaquis, who had slowed the Cavalry advance to enable most of their band to escape. It was a courageous stand by a brave group of Indians; and the
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About a week after the engagement, Captain Ryder was ordered to proceed to Arivaca, where the Yaqui prisoners would be held until the army figured out what to do with them. According to Wharfield, the Yaquis proved to be reliable workers and adjusted well to life in the army. Even though they were
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s shot. He was wearing two belts of ammunition around his waist and more over each shoulder. The bullet had hit one of the cartridges in his belt, causing it to be exploded, making the flash of fire I saw. Then the bullet entered one side and came out the other, laying his stomach open. He was the
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The Cavalry line maintained its forward movement, checked at times by the hostile fire, but constantly keeping contact with the Indians. Within thirty minutes or so the return shooting lessened. Then the troop concentrated heavy fire on a confined area containing a small group, which had developed
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and pointed toward a low ridge west of camp a quarter of a mile or more distant. The sentry hollered to First Sgt. Samuel H. Alexander, who was sitting under nearby mesquite with several other noncommissioned officers. The shout brought everyone to their feet. On the skyline of the ridge could be
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It was sometime during the stay at Arivaca when one of the Yaquis revealed that they had only opened fire because they thought the Buffalo Soldiers coming at them were Mexicans. All ten of the Yaquis, including the boy, volunteered to enlist in the Army but the government had other plans and the
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Frederick H.L. "Blondy" Ryder and his Troop E, 10th Cavalry, were ordered to occupy the Bear Valley camp for border patrol duty. A signalman was posted on top of the ridge who could communicate via hand signals with one of the sentries placed around the camp's perimeter. The rest of the soldiers
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Kept the campsite immaculately clean. At the corral nearly any droppings were allowed to hit the ground. During the day the Indians would stand around watching the horses. Whenever a tail was lifted, out they rushed with their scoop shovels and caught it before the manure could contaminate the
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the fighting developed into an old kind of Indian engagement with both sides using all the natural cover of boulders and brush to full advantage. The Yaquis kept falling back, dodging from boulder to boulder and firing rapidly. They offered only a fleeting target, seemingly just a disappearing
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citrus groves. After receiving payment, the Yaquis would spend their money on weapons and ammunition and then return to Mexico to continue fighting. The fact that Yaquis were buying arms in Arizona and smuggling them across the border became so well known that the military governor of Sonora,
584:, who were spread out to protect the various towns near the international border. A squadron size force from the 10th Cavalry was encamped about a half mile from the 35th Infantry at Nogales and a second squadron split up to occupy Lochiel and Campini. Smaller posts were also established at 665:" left a guard to watch the horses, and then continued advancing on foot in a skirmish line. Moving forward, the soldiers were nearing the top of a canyon side when Captain Ryder decided to return to the horses, using a different path. On the way down, the soldiers came across " 560:, informally requested help from the United States government in dealing with the problem. Furthermore, Arizona ranchers began reporting in larger numbers their encounters with armed Yaquis on their ranch land or the finding of butchered livestock on the range. Since the 675:
shadow. The officer saw one of them running for another cover, then stumble and thereby expose himself. A corporal alongside the captain had a good chance for an open shot. At the report of the Springfield, a flash of fire enveloped the Indian
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to a mere thirty days in jail, excluding the boy whose charges were dismissed. Colonel Wharfield wrote that "the sentence was preferable to the Yaquis who otherwise would be deported to Mexico and face possible execution as rebels."
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into a rear guard for the others. The fire effect soon stopped most of the enemy action. Suddenly a Yaqui stood up waving his arms in surrender. Captain Ryder immediately blew long blasts on his whistle for the order to
580:, responded to the reports by issuing orders to increase patrolling in the area. American forces in the area included the 35th Infantry Regiment, stationed at Camp Stephen D. Little in Nogales, and the 10th Cavalry 669:" which suggested that the Yaquis were very close and knew they were being pursued. Ryder then continued up the canyon, in a southeastern direction, when suddenly the Yaquis opened fire from concealed positions. 520:. A short firefight ensued, which resulted in the death of the Yaqui commander and the capture of nine others. Though the conflict was merely a skirmish, it was the last time the United States Army and 385: 659:
seen a long column of Indians crossing to the other side. The horses had been under saddle with loose cinches all day tied up in the corral; so within a few minutes the troop was mounted.
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According to Colonel Harold B. Wharfield, who interviewed some of the participants in the Bear Valley fight and published his story in the book
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William Scott and a detail of men equipped with field glasses to watch the trails from a distance. According to Colonel Wharfield's book; "
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By 1918 the Yaqui people had been at war with Mexico for several years, the former hoping to establish an independent state in
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and a high ridge to the east, which provided an excellent view of the surrounding flatlands. After the January 1918
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patrolled the trails leading in and out of the valley, watching for people wandering through the desert.
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did not yet exist, the task of protecting the border was that of the army, which operated out of
35: 611:" often occurred and people were advised to travel in groups. The camp was built next to an old 1324: 1205: 1085: 804: 746: 454: 429: 1122: 985: 612: 501: 444: 439: 434: 213: 149:
10th Cavalry soldiers holding Yaqui prisoners at their camp in Bear Valley, January 9, 1918.
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The Americans returned fire and a typical Indian war skirmish began. Wharfield wrote that "
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prisoners, each one received three meals a day, a straw mattress for a bed and a
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and Oro Blanco and, finally, a troop of about thirty men maintained a camp at
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engaged in combat and thus has been seen as the final official battle of the
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U.S.–Mexico borderlands : historical and contemporary perspectives
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Captain Ryder wrote Colonel Wharfield the following for his book:
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ground. It certainly helped in the decline of the fly population.
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Upon acknowledgement from the camp sentry, he gave the message
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About the middle of the afternoon Lieutenant Scott signaled
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Military history of the United States during World War I
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was a small engagement fought in 1918 between a band of
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United States victory, successful Yaqui delaying action.
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soldiers. On January 9, 1918, elements of the American
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United States involvement in the Mexican Revolution
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Wharfield wrote that the Yaquis: 386: 372: 301: 287: 109:Learn how and when to remove this message 830: 1370: 1356:Military history of African Americans 856: 609:unconfirmed mysterious disappearances 367: 282: 882: 826: 824: 799: 797: 795: 793: 791: 789: 787: 785: 47:adding citations to reliable sources 18: 1388:Battles involving the United States 13: 911: 14: 1429: 821: 782: 572:, Arizona subdistrict commander, 230: 212: 200: 143: 23: 601:Tenth Cavalry and Border Fights 34:needs additional citations for 308: 1: 775: 531: 898:United States Colored Troops 722: 544:and its confluence with the 508:detected about thirty armed 7: 1413:Battles involving the Yaqui 1383:Military history of Arizona 753: 562:United States Border Patrol 10: 1434: 1295:Second Battle of the Marne 831:MartĂ­nez, Oscar J (1996). 594:strategic natural crossing 1343: 1317: 1290:Third Battle of the Aisne 1280: 1252: 1234: 1196: 1108: 1099: 953: 922: 909: 890: 627: 512:in Bear Valley, west of 410: 318: 262: 243: 223: 193: 153: 142: 130: 125: 903:Bureau of Colored Troops 1300:Meuse–Argonne offensive 1262:Pancho Villa Expedition 1236:Philippine–American War 945:25th Infantry Regiment 667:hastily abandoned packs 58:"Battle of Bear Valley" 1325:Wham Paymaster Robbery 1086:William Othello Wilson 940:24th Infantry Regiment 916: 747:William Henry Sawtelle 739: 720: 596:" within Bear Valley. 455:Battle of Kelley Creek 333:RevoluciĂłn de los RĂ­os 224:Commanders and leaders 1198:Spanish–American War 986:George Ritter Burnett 935:10th Cavalry Regiment 915: 734: 686: 558:Plutarco ElĂ­as Calles 502:10th Cavalry Regiment 490:Battle of Bear Valley 465:Battle of Bear Valley 445:Crazy Snake Rebellion 440:Padre Canyon Incident 435:Battle of Sugar Point 263:Casualties and losses 126:Battle of Bear Valley 1305:Oise-Aisne Offensive 1110:American Indian Wars 1061:William H. 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Yaqui Wars
American Indian Wars

Bear Valley
Arizona
United States

Yaqui
United States
light cavalry
warriors
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t
e
Yaqui Wars
VĂ­cam
El Añil
RevoluciĂłn de los RĂ­os
Nogales

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