Battle of Cooke's Spring facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Battle of Cooke's Spring |
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| Part of the Apache Wars | |||||||
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| Belligerents | |||||||
 United States |
Apache | ||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
 Alfred Gibbs |
unknown | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
| 17 cavalry 2 militia |
8 warriors | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| 1 wounded | 6 killed 1 wounded |
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The Battle of Cookes Spring was a short fight between Apache warriors and the United States Army. It happened on March 9, 1857, near Cooke's Spring in New Mexico. Apache raiders had stolen horses. U.S. Army soldiers, known as cavalry (soldiers on horseback), tracked them down. They found the Apache warriors at Cooke's Spring. The battle resulted in a victory for the United States forces.
Contents
What Happened Before the Battle?
On March 8, 1857, eight Chiricahua Apache warriors took horses. They stole them from an American surveyor named Mr. Garretson. He quickly reported the theft to the soldiers at Fort Fillmore.
To get the horses back, First Lieutenant Alfred Gibbs led a group of soldiers. His team included 16 cavalrymen and two armed civilians. They followed the Apache trail. The trail crossed the Rio Grande river. It was about ten miles north of Doña Ana. From there, the trail headed northwest.
The Battle at Cooke's Spring
The soldiers chased the Apache warriors for many hours. Lieutenant Gibbs and his men finally caught up with them. It was noon the next day, March 9. They found the Apache group near the Mimbres Mountains. These mountains are part of the Black Range.
About an hour and a half later, the Americans saw the Apache warriors. One warrior was about 50 yards away. The other seven were resting near Cooke's Spring. This spring was in an arroyo, a dry creek bed. It was about a mile from the mountains.
The American soldiers got off their horses. They began the battle by firing their muskets. Then, they quickly got back on their horses to charge. Three Apache warriors were hurt, but they kept running.
The Apache Fight Back
When the Apache warriors saw the soldiers coming closer, they ran for higher ground. But the American soldiers were right behind them. The Apache chief was one of the wounded. His name was either Itan or Monteras. Despite his injuries, he kept his men fighting. He even led counter-charges against Lieutenant Gibbs's group.
During the fight, the chief tried to attack a corporal named Collins. Corporal Collins was on foot because his horse had been shot. But Lieutenant Gibbs stopped the chief. Gibbs shot the chief a fifth time.
The chief managed to stab Gibbs in the side with a lance. However, another soldier then shot the chief again. The chief died after being shot ten times.
After the Chief's Death
Lieutenant Gibbs was wounded by the lance. But he managed to block some of its force with his right arm. He was losing blood. To avoid falling from his horse, he got off it. He gave his horse to Corporal Collins. Gibbs ordered Collins to keep fighting.
The cavalrymen continued to chase the remaining Apache warriors. They killed five more of them at the base of the mountains. One warrior escaped, even though he was badly hurt. It was thought he died later from his wounds.
Lieutenant Gibbs was the only American soldier injured in the battle. Mr. Garretson, one of the armed civilians, got his stolen horses back. The soldiers also captured several mules.
