Fort Huachuca (Cochise County, near Sierra Vista, Arizona)
Cochise County, near Sierra Vista · Arizona · Apache Wars
History & Significance
In February 1877, Colonel August V. Kautz, who had recently succeeded General George Crook as Commander of the Department of Arizona, ordered Captain Samuel Marmaduke Whiteside with two companies of the 6th Cavalry to establish a temporary camp in the Huachuca Mountains. After reconnoitering several sites, Captain Whiteside selected a location on March 3, 1877, because it contained fresh running water, an abundance of trees, excellent observation in three directions and protective high ground, so essential for security against Apache tactical methods.
Camp Huachuca was redesignated a fort in 1882. The post served as a vital operational base during the final years of the Apache Wars; in 1886, General Nelson A. Miles designated Fort Huachuca as his advance headquarters and supply base for the Geronimo Campaign.
Geronimo's surrender in August 1886 practically ended the Apache danger in southern Arizona. The Army closed more than 50 camps and forts in the territory.
Still, Fort Huachuca was retained because of continuing border troubles involving renegade American Indians, Mexican bandits, American outlaws, and freebooters. In 1913, the 10th Cavalry "Buffalo Soldiers" arrived and remained for almost 20 years.
The 10th Cavalry joined General John J. Pershing in the 1916 expedition into Mexico and, during World War I, it was assigned the mission of guarding the United States–Mexico border. When the 93rd departed for the Pacific in 1943, the 92nd Infantry Division arrived at the fort for training and subsequent assignment to the European Theater.
During the war years, the troop strength reached 30,000 men at the fort, which in the 1930s had been described as suitable for a brigade-sized unit of about 10,000 men. The fort became a National Historic Landmark during the Fort's centennial year, 1977.
Key Facts
Map
View larger map ↗ · © OpenStreetMap contributors
🧳 Visiting
What you’ll see when you visit:
- Historic 1877 Apache Wars-era military fort with preserved adobe and masonry buildings
- Buffalo Soldiers heritage site and 10th Cavalry Regiment museum exhibits
- Active Army Intelligence operations hub demonstrating modern military communications technology
- Desert mountain setting in southeastern Arizona near the Mexican border
- Original parade grounds and period architecture from frontier era
Sources
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Huachuca
- https://sah-archipedia.org/buildings/AZ-01-003-0035
- https://swabuffalosoldiers.org/history/fort-huachuca-history-1877-to-1945/
- https://history.army.mil/museums/TRADOC/fortHuachuca/index.html
- https://home.army.mil/huachuca/