Historic Events in
Arizona Guard History
The National Guard has served
this country since 1636 and has been the primary federal military reserve since 1790. The
Arizona Guard’s history began on September 2, 1865. To support the Indian War effort,
the First Arizona Volunteer Infantry Regiment was formed. The Spanish-American War found
scores of Arizonans answering the call of President Theodore Roosevelt for westerners to
join the First U. S. Volunteer Cavalry, the famed "Rough Riders". The regiment
served in three actions in Cuba; Las Guasmas, Kettle Hill and San Juan Ridge. The
Rough Riders were not the only troops raised in Arizona during the Spainish American War.
Governor McCord resigned in August 1889, to assume command of the First Volunteer Infantry
Regiment. The war ended while the Regiment was still in training at Albany, Georgia.
Poncho Villa’s dramatic raid of Columbus, New Mexico, March 9,
1916, brought 150,000 National Guardsmen from all over the nation to the Mexican border.
Among these was the 1st Arizona Infantry, commanded by Colonel Tuthill.
The finest hour of Arizona’s National Guard was its service in the
Second World War. The Guard was activated by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt September
26, 1940. A large portion of Arizona units fought in the Pacific and the 158th Regimental
Combat Team performed brilliantly. They became known as the
"Bushmasters", named
after the deadly Bushmaster snake found in Panama. General Douglas MacArthur praised that
"No greater fighting combat team has ever deployed for battle".
Since World War II, the Arizona Army National Guard
has served the Country in three roles: Federal, State and Community. For another
historical view of the Arizona Army National Guard see Arizona
Military History by Chaplain Thomas E. Troxell.Stories from the Past:
Excerpts from the book "Arizona's Heritage", by Jay J. Wagoner
published by Peregrine Smith Inc., copyright 1978 (out of print)
Civil War in Arizona Territory
On February 28, 1862, Captain S. Hunter and a company of "Arizona Volunteers"
from the Confederate Army of Texas Volunteers, occupied Tucson. Union sympathizers were
given the choice of swearing allegiance to the Confederate States or leaving the
territory. Hunter took what supplies he needed from Tucson, then proceeded to the Pima
villages where he arrested a miller named Ammi White and took 1,500 sacks of wheat. He
gave the wheat to the Indians since he didn't have any wagons to haul it away. While at
the Pima Villages, Hunter also captured a Captain William McCleave and nine men who were
scouting ahead of the Union's California Column.
Captain William P. Calloway, and troops under him, were sent to rescue Capt. McCleave,
but arrived too late. On the way, Calloway's troops came across Confederates destroying
hay at Stanwix Station approx. 80 miles east of Yuma. Shots were exchanged and a
California Private was wounded before the rebels retreated. This encounter at Stanwix
Station was not a battle the size of Gettysburg, nor Bull Run, but it was the western-most
skirmish between soldiers during the Civil War.
From the Pima villages, Capt. Calloway sent two Lieutenants with cavalrymen, to capture
Confederate soldiers remaining in the area. At Picacho Peak, approx. 45 miles northwest of
Tucson, Lieutenant James Barrett caught up with the Confederates. A fierce battle was
fought on April 15, 1862, that lasted only a few minutes, but Barrett and two Union
Privates were killed and three others wounded. No Confederates were killed, but two were
wounded and three captured. The remaining Confederates escaped to Tucson.
The California Column moved into Tucson on May 20, 1862 without a shot being
fired. Hunter had departed two weeks earlier, realizing that his small Confederate force
was no match for the 1,800-man California Column. |
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Note: Actually, the biggest battle of the Civil War in Arizona
Territory was fought on July 15, 1862, at Apache Pass. The Second Detachment consisting of
126 California volunteers was ambushed by Apaches led by Mangas Coloradas and Cochise. As
the soldiers approached a spring of water, the Indians fired on them from behind the rocks
along the rim of the canyon. However, the Indian weapons had no chance against the Army's
Howitzer shells.
Therefore, Arizona historically had two battles and one skirmish that took place during
the Civil War.
The Birth of the Arizona National Guard
The first territorial legislature convened at Prescott on September 26, 1864. The
legislature sent a number of requests to Congress for federal aid over the next two years.
About the only good to come out of the requests were several mail routes.
Congress agreed with the legislature and Governor Goodwin, that the Indians should be
placed on reservations. Congress even set aside 75,000 acres for a reservation but aside
no money to set up the reservation. In fact, no money was set aside to settle the Indians
on the reservation until 1867.
During the Civil War the regular army was withdrawn to fight the War in the east. With
the withdrawal of troops the Apache Indians resumed raiding surrounding ranches, mine
sites, isolated settlements and travelers. With the raids becoming more frequent, a
request was sent to Congress for $250,000 to send volunteer rangers into war against the
Apaches. The request was turned down. So the territorial government proceeded on its own.
Five companies of Arizona Volunteers were mustered into service in 1865 to fight
Apaches. Most of the 350 men were Mexicans or Pima and Maricopa Indians. Their 11 officers
were mainly Anglo Americans.
The volunteers were ill-equipped. Some were barefooted. They were never paid the $100
bonus promised when they enlisted. After enduring months of hardship pursuing Apaches, the
Arizona Volunteers were given one reward...a "thank you" from the third
legislature in 1866 for a job well done.
The Border Incident
In 1910 a revolution broke out in Mexico. Fighting between Mexican armies raged for years.
Lives of Americans were endangered in the Arizona/Mexico border towns of Douglas, Naco and
Nogales. There was always the danger that violence in Mexico would spread to the American
side of the border.
In 1911, for example, bullets flew wildly into Douglas from a battle in Agua Prieta
across the border. In 1914 Pancho Villa engaged Mexican Federales in battle at Naco,
Sonora. During that fight every house in Naco, Arizona had some bullet holes, some homes
having as many as fifty bullet holes. Then in January 1916 Pancho Villa's followers
murdered sixteen American engineers at Santa Ysabel, Mexico, and the following March,
Villa led a raid across the border to Columbus, New Mexico, killing seventeen Americans.
President Wilson sent General John J. Pershing into Mexico with an army to capture
Villa dead or alive. Part of the army consisted of the 1st Arizona Infantry Regiment of
the Arizona National Guard, led by Colonel A. M. Tuthill. The 1st Arizona Infantry had
been mobilized to assist the army of General Pershing in guarding the border. After
serving for almost a year at posts in Douglas and Naco, gaining valuable training and
experience, the members of the 1st Arizona Infantry Regiment were demobilized, only to be
mobilized a month later for service in World War I.
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World War I |
During World War I (WWI), Arizona contributed a larger percent of
soldiers and sailors per capita than any other State in the Union. More than 12,000 men
were drafted or enlisted after America entered the war on April 6, 1917.
The 158th Infantry Regiment, An Arizona National Guard unit commanded by Colonel A. M.
Tuthill, a medical doctor, was assigned to the U. S. Army's 40th Division and sent to
France. After the war, the 158th, Arizona's pride, was selected as President Wilson's
special honor guard in Paris.
Matthew B. Juan, a Pima Indian, was the first of 321 Arizona men killed in WWI. Like
many of Arizona's native Americans he showed his patriotism by enlisting.
One of America's greatest aviation heroes, Frank Luke, Jr., was known as the
"Balloon Buster from Arizona." He was the first American airman to receive the
Medal of Honor. In his short but gallant career, he destroyed 14 German observation
balloons and four airplanes in the skies above France.
On September 29, 1918, Luke shot down three balloons and machine-gunned German troops.
Pursued by German planes, and wounded by ground fire, he made a forced landing in his Spad
XIII behind German lines. Refusing to surrender, Luke died defending himself with a
pistol.
For WWII read
about the Bushmasters and/or link to more Arizona Military
History |
