Alma Massacre facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Alma Massacre |
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|---|---|
| Location | Alma, New Mexico |
| Date | April 28, 1880 |
| Attack type | Mass murder |
| Deaths | 41 |
| Perpetrator | Apache warriors |
The Alma Massacre was a serious event that happened on April 28, 1880. It involved a group of Chiricahua Apache warriors attacking homes of settlers near a place called Alma in what was then New Mexico Territory. During this attack, at least 41 people lost their lives.
Contents
The Alma Massacre
What Happened
The Apache warriors who carried out the Alma Massacre were led by a famous chief named Victorio. This event was part of a larger conflict known as Victorio's War. Victorio's War was a period from 1879 to 1880 when he led his people in a series of surprise attacks and quick retreats. This type of fighting is called "guerrilla action."
On April 28, 1880, Victorio and his group first attacked a silver mine. This mine was located near where the town of Cooney is today, in the Mogollon Mountains. At the mining camp, three people were killed.
The Attack Continues
After the first attack, the Apache warriors chased three men who were trying to escape the area. One of these men was Sergeant James C. Cooney. All three men were killed.
Following these initial attacks, the Apache group continued through the area. They killed another thirty-five people in the region around Alma.
Victorio and his men eventually left the area. This happened when soldiers from the U.S. Army arrived. These soldiers came from Fort Bayard, a military post nearby.
Remembering the Event
Memorials Built
Over the years, two memorials have been created to remember the events of the Alma Massacre. A memorial is a way to honor people or important historical moments.
One memorial was built for Sergeant Cooney. His brother and other people used dynamite to create a special rock tomb for him. This is where they buried him.
A Different Memorial
In April 1980, exactly 100 years after the massacre, another monument was put up. This memorial was created by Dave Foreman and a group called Earth First!. It was placed in the Gila Wilderness.
This monument was built to honor Victorio's efforts to protect the mountains. The people who put up this memorial said it was from a group called the "New Mexico Patriotic Heritage Society." However, this society did not actually exist.
