THE HELIOGRAPH
THE FORT HUACHUCA CAVALRY ASSOCIATION
_________________________________________________________________________________________ AUGUST 2008 Vol. III, Issue 3
BOARD OF DIRECTORS President – Debbie Cunningham First Vice President – Maj Christopher Zimmerman, USAF (Ret) Vice President Public Relations – Mr Ty Holland Vice President Education –CW4 Rodney Preuss, USAR (Ret) Vice President Programs – CW3 Jay Hizer, USA (Ret) Vice President Ways and Means – Mrs. Sheila Holland Treasurer – Mr. Steve Kurtz Secretary – MAJ George Peters, USA (Ret)
The Heliograph is published quarterly by the Fort Huachuca Cavalry Association, Inc
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UP FRONT
As autumn approaches and Apache gets closer to the end of his training period, I have stepped up my search for another B Troop horse. It can be frustrating, often we look at up to 25 horses before finding one that will work for the troop. Since hay and feed prices have risen, so has the need for many to find new homes for their horses as they struggle financially to care for them. I have put word out within the community that we are looking for a new horse and that the horse would have a great home with B Troop. Of course, any horse donated to the troop would yield a tax credit for the owner, making this a viable option for the owner. I have had several interesting calls but so far no suitable horse – wrong size, age, sex, breed, color but was tempted by the foal – grow my own B Troop horse! Of course this is always risky since the size, conformation and temperament are all unknown. Chris has offered to make up posters for me, so that owners know ahead of time what our requirements are, judging by the response so far, I think it is only a matter of time before we procure a new horse.
being monitored. Hightower spends more and more nights out with the boys, they are all getting pudgy with all the grass! Whisper’s Sanctuary is having a fund raiser over Labor Day weekend; they have a food van and will be serving food at the Sonoita Rodeo. As you know, Toni is by herself now and is looking for help with this event. If you have any time to spare over the holiday weekend please give me a call and I will put you in touch with Toni. Thanks to all for the work you are doing for the FHCA. Once again the call goes out for more members. If you know anyone who is interested, please reach out and get them involved. Debbie Cunningham: President
B Troop Changes Command
The retired horses are all doing well, enjoying the fresh grass and mesquite beans. RJ and Natchez are now integrated into the larger herd at Whispers sanctuary, much to Stogie’s delight – they have not forgotten each other and spend time together every day. Natchez has tender feet since getting his shoes off but he will be fine, RJ has taken to being barefoot really well – they are
On Wed, 30 July 2008, B Troop, 4 US Cavalry (Memorial) held a change of command ceremony at the B Troop Headquarters on Ft Huachuca. The outgoing Cdr. CPT (Hon) Jay D. Hizer and incoming Cdr. CPT (Hon) William M. Alderman, passed the Guidon and
th
Command in a ceremony presided over by Ft Huachuca Garrison Commander, COL Melissa Sturgeon. Congratulations Jay and Bill.
Dusty Tales
By Chris Zimmerman In 1906 a cowboy by the name of Jeff Adams was hiking in the Salt River Canyon east of Phoenix with his two sons. Somehow they managed to stumble across a secret cave that had long been forgotten by the people of Arizona. In the shallow cave located in a cliff about 700 feet above the Salt River they saw a sight that must have sent a chill up their spines. Strewn about the cave were the bones of what they estimated were 200 men, women, and children.
Nantaje led a force of 220 men commanded by Major William H. Brown to the secret hideout on a cold winter night. The cave could only be reached by a trail that led from a mesa above the canyon. The trail was steep and narrow and if anyone had slipped they would have fallen hundreds of feet to their deaths. The soldiers copied the scouts in wearing moccasins stuffed with dry hay to muffle the sound of their footsteps. On the mesa above the cave they found a herd of ponies that the Apaches had just stolen from some Pima villages in the Gila Valley. Brown then wisely sent part of his force under a Captain Burns to backtrack the raider’s trail to make sure a second raiding party didn’t come upon them from the rear. That done, he had about 100 men descend down the narrow trail to the cave. When they reached to within 40 yards of the cave they found the recently returned raiders still dancing in front of the cave entrance oblivious to the approaching soldiers. A dozen or so of the best marksmen had been sent forward by Major Brown upon the advice of Nantaje and they soon went to work. With their first volley, six of the Apache warriors were dropped in mid dance. Brown, upon hearing the gunfire, sent 40 more men forward to reinforce the line. Unfortunately for the cavalrymen the entrance to the cave was protected by a 10 foot high natural rock parapet. From this natural fortress the Apaches began to return fire and managed to kill one of the Pima scouts who had failed to take cover. The rest of the soldiers were well protected in their own fighting positions but could not hit any of the enemy warriors in the cave.
Skeleton Cave in the Salt River Canyon
The cave that Adams had found was the site of a battle th between the Apaches and the 5 U.S. Cavalry on 27 December 1872. The bones they found belonged to the Indians killed in the battle. The battle occurred during General George Crook’s winter campaign against the Apaches in Central Arizona after attempts at peace had failed. He launched several cavalry columns guided by Indian scouts to pursue the Apaches in the rugged terrain. The different columns crisscrossed and supported each other to prevent the Indians from fading away and regrouping behind a passing column. It was an effective tactic. Despite Crook’s tactics, the Nanni-Chaddi band of the Yavapai Apaches was unperturbed by the Army’s efforts and continued to raid at will. However, they made the mistake of becoming overconfident. Their cliff-side cave hideout in the Salt River canyon had never been found and if anyone ever did they would find it impossible to assault. The Army long suspected the tribe had a camp in the canyon but had never been able to find it. What they didn’t know was that one of their former tribe members, a disaffected warrior by the name of Nantaje, would show the Army exactly where to find his erstwhile tribesmen.
Brown, who had come up with the rest of his command, offered terms of surrender to the Indians twice but was met both times with derisive and defiant shouts. Brown then offered to take the women and children out of harm’s way per General Crook’s guidance but he was this time answered with a hail of bullets. While Brown pondered what he would do about the impasse someone noticed that the roof of the cave sloped inward creating a perfect ricochet surface. Brown ordered his men to start firing against the roof of the cave and it was soon obvious from the sounds coming from the cave that the ricochets were finding their marks. Brown ordered his men to stop firing and again asked the Indians to surrender.
Lt. Ross’s attack by Frederick Remington, 1872
In answer to Brown’s offer the Apaches began a wailing chant. Nantaje cried out, ―It is the death song; look out—here they come.‖ As he said this about 20 warriors leapt up onto the rock wall in front of the cave and charged the soldiers. However, Brown had placed his men well, arranging them in two lines. The Indians didn’t know about the second line and were cut down as they charged. The survivors fled back into the cave and continued their death song. Brown sensing that the enemy’s will was breaking ordered his men to prepare to charge the cave. Fortunately, a new event occurred which changed the situation entirely. Captain Burns who had earlier been dispatched to back-trail the Indian trail above the canyon heard the gunfire and moved to the canyon’s edge overlooking the cave. Below he could see the soldiers firing into the cave and he could see the Indians crouching behind the stone wall. He quickly had his men fashion a harness with their suspenders and used them to lean a couple of troopers over the edge of the cliff. From this position the men could shoot at the Apaches with their pistols. Unfortunately, they must have been Irishmen because as soon as they ran out of bullets they threw their pistols at the Indians below. Although this act probably angered Captain Burns it gave him an idea. He ordered his men to roll some boulders laying around the mesa to the edge of the cliff and on his order pushed them over. The resulting avalanche of rocks utterly decimated the Indians below. It became quiet in the cave. Major Brown then ordered his men to charge the cave but they encountered no resistance. What they found inside the cave was horrific. Of the approximately 110 Indians in the cave, 35 were still alive—but not for long. Half of them would die before they could be evacuated. The surviving 18 wounded Indians were placed on the stolen ponies back on the mesa and transported to Fort McDowell. The Nanni-Chaddi band suffered 76 dead in the battle of which 57 were warriors. The battle had lasted some five hours. The Army being warned by the women survivors that another band would soon arrive quickly left. Although a few of the Apaches had managed to escape the battle, none came back to bury the dead. Thus, Jeff Adams stumbled upon the grisly pile of bones 34 years later. Jeff Adams, as it turned out, would later become the sheriff of Maricopa County. In 1925 a group of Yavapai Indians from the Fort McDowell Indian Reservation accompanied by members of the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Department collected the bones from the cave and interred them in the reservation cemetery. Although it had taken more than 50 years, the Nanni-Chadi band had finally been brought to the reservation. From The Soldiers by Time-Life Books, 1973
SMOKE SIGNALS
If you have comments about the newsletter, please contact us. Letters may be sent to: The Fort Huachuca Cavalry Association P.O. Box 1844 Sierra Vista, AZ 85636 Or send an e-mail to the editor at rodney.t.preuss@us.army.mil
BOOTS AND SADDLES
Schedule of upcoming FHCA and B Troop events
6 Sep
Ft Bowie Cemetery Memorial and trail ride to Ft Bowie – 1030 @ Apache Pass Trailhead
2007 National Cavalry Competition, Ft Riley, KS
18-21 Sep National Cavalry Competition – Cheyenne, WY 18 Oct 19 Oct Helldorado Trail Ride to Tombstone Tombstone Helldorado Parade
25 Oct 28 Dec
Brown Canyon Ranch Open House EquiFest – Los Angeles Equestrian Center
2 Jan 2009Tournament of Roses Parade Pasadena, CA
See B Troop Website at http://huachuca-www.army.mil/USAG/BTROOP For up-to-date schedule of B Troop events
MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION (mail to) Fort Huachuca Cavalry Association P.O. Box 1844 Sierra Vista, AZ 85636
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Fort Huachuca Cavalry Association Tax ID Number: 86-0653442