Battle of Pinos Altos facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Battle of Pinos Altos |
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| Part of the American Civil War Apache Wars |
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| Belligerents | |||||||
 Confederate States |
Apache | ||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Thomas J. Mastin † Jack Swilling |
Mangas Coloradas Cochise |
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| Strength | |||||||
| ~15 militia 1 artillery piece |
~300 warriors | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| 7 killed 7 wounded |
~10 killed ~20 wounded |
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The Battle of Pinos Altos was an important fight during the Apache Wars. It happened on September 27, 1861. The battle was between settlers and soldiers from the Confederate States and Apache warriors. Pinos Altos was a mining town in what was then Confederate Arizona. Today, this area is in New Mexico. The town is about seven miles north of Silver City, New Mexico.
Why the Battle Happened
In September 1861, fighting between the Confederates and Apaches was very intense. Gold was found in the Pinos Altos Mountains in 1860. This discovery brought thousands of new settlers to the area.
This made the Apache chiefs Mangas Coloradas and Cochise very angry. They had joined forces by 1861. They wanted to remove all Americans and Mexicans from their traditional lands.
Apache groups attacked several towns. Many settlers were killed. Pinos Altos was a major mining town. So, its people formed two local defense groups, called militia companies. These groups were meant to protect the town.
One company was led by Captain Thomas J. Mastin. They called themselves the "Arizona Guards". The other company was led by Captain William Markt. They were called the "Minute Men". Jack Swilling, who later founded Phoenix, was a leader in the Arizona Guards. Many members of the Arizona Guards were miners and settlers. They joined to protect their homes and lives from the Apaches.
In July 1861, the area became part of the Confederacy. This happened after Lt. Colonel John R. Baylor took control of Mesilla. The militia companies then joined the Confederate Army. However, half of the Minute Men left soon after joining. The remaining soldiers were not well-equipped. This meant the Arizona Guards had to do most of the protecting for Pinos Altos.
The Battle Begins
On September 27, 1861, a large force of over 300 Apache warriors attacked Pinos Altos. This combined force was led by Mangas Coloradas and Cochise. They hoped to win easily, like they had at the Siege of Tubac.
The attack started early in the morning. It completely surprised the people of Pinos Altos. Many miners were working in their mines. They got trapped and were killed. Some survivors stayed hidden underground. They were too scared to come out and help defend the town.
Two groups of Arizona Guards were on patrol when the attack began. Captain Mastin led one group. The other group was patrolling somewhere else. The Apaches first tried to burn down some log cabins. These cabins were on the edge of the settlement. But their attempt failed, and they were pushed back.
Mastin's group of fifteen men returned to town soon after the fighting started. The other patrol group was still away. Mastin ordered his men, the remaining Minute Men, and the town's civilians to gather. They took strong defensive positions in the middle of the town.
For a while, the two sides fought from a distance. Then, around noon, the Apaches launched a full attack. This led to close-up, hand-to-hand combat.
Captain Mastin saw that his men were being overwhelmed. He quickly ordered an old cannon to be loaded. There were no cannonballs. So, they used nails and buckshot instead. The cannon was moved into position. It was fired at the wave of attacking Apache warriors. Many Apaches fell, either dead or wounded. The Apaches then decided to stop their attack and began to retreat.
The Arizona Guards quickly got on their horses and chased after them. Civilians also fired their muskets from their house windows. The battle was over by 1:00 pm. The Apaches fled towards the Gila River or into Mexico.
After the Battle
In the last half-hour of the battle, Captain Thomas Mastin helped turn a likely defeat into a victory. He did this by ordering the old cannon to be used. At least ten Apaches were killed and left on the battlefield. Confederate reports said that over 20 dead or wounded Apaches were carried away by their comrades.
Captain Mastin was badly wounded while leading the charge. He died a few days later in Pinos Altos. Other stories say Mastin was killed by an Apache bullet before the cannon was even used. In total, five Confederates were killed, including Mastin. Seven other settlers or soldiers were seriously wounded. After Mastin's death, Lieutenant Thomas Helm took command of the Arizona Guards.
After this battle, Apache tactics changed. Except for the Apache Pass engagement, they stopped gathering in large groups. Instead, they continued fighting using guerrilla warfare. This means they used small, surprise attacks. They stopped attacking well-defended towns. They focused on mining camps and smaller, isolated communities.
Captain Peter Hardeman and 25 men arrived near Pinos Altos right after the Apaches left. Hardeman's group followed the Apache trail for days. They tracked them all the way to the Gila River. But they had to turn back because they were running out of food. Confederate forces chased Apaches into Mexico several times in 1861 and 1862. The Arizona Guards even went as far as Lake Guzman in Chihuahua, Mexico. But they never managed to catch the Apaches.
Most of the settlers left Pinos Altos after the battle. Even though they won, many were afraid the Apaches would attack again. On October 8, the miners sent a message asking for help. So, 100 men were sent to reinforce the Arizona Guards. This was the largest Confederate force ever sent to help a town threatened by Native Americans. The Apaches never attacked Pinos Altos again, so the extra soldiers were eventually removed. Only about 70 miners stayed in Pinos Altos after the battle. The Arizona Guards continued to protect the town.
