Battle of Sunset Pass facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Battle of Sunset Pass |
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| Part of Yavapai War, Apache Wars | |||||||
 The rescue of Charles King by Sergeant Bernard Taylor at Sunset Pass. |
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| Belligerents | |||||||
 United States |
Apache | ||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
 Charles King |
unknown | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
| ≈40 | unknown | ||||||
The Battle of Sunset Pass was a small but important fight that happened in November 1874. It was part of the Yavapai War and the larger Apache Wars. This battle took place when a group of United States Army soldiers chased some Tonto Apache people. The Apache group had taken some livestock (farm animals) from a settler.
The American soldiers found the Apache group at Sunset Pass in Coconino County, Arizona. A short fight then broke out between the two sides.
Contents
What Happened at Sunset Pass?
In October 1874, a group of Tonto Apache took some livestock from a settler. This happened in the Tonto Basin area. To get the animals back, about 40 soldiers from the 5th Cavalry set out. They left Camp Verde on November 1, 1874. Some Apache scouts also joined them.
The soldiers reached Sunset Pass, near the Little Colorado River, on the same day. Their commander, First Lieutenant Charles King, decided it was a good place to camp. But soon after stopping, Lieutenant King took a few men to climb a nearby mesa. He wanted to get a better view of the area.
The Ambush
What King didn't know was that the Tonto Apache were waiting. They were hiding and ready to attack as his group climbed the mesa. King and his men were about half a mile from their camp. Suddenly, arrows and bullets came flying from the Tonto Apache. They were hidden behind rocks and large stones.
Lieutenant King was badly hurt very quickly. He was hit twice in the head by arrows. A bullet also hit his right arm.
A Brave Rescue
Even though there was heavy enemy fire, Sergeant Bernard Taylor bravely rushed forward. He rescued Lieutenant King, who was almost unconscious. Sergeant Taylor then carried the wounded King all the way back to their camp.
By this time, the rest of the soldiers moved in to fight. Second Lieutenant George O. Eaton took command. He fought the Apache for some time before pulling back. King's scouting trip was seen as a failure. However, Sergeant Taylor, George Deary, and Rudolph von Medem later received the Medal of Honor. This was for their brave actions in this battle and other fights.
What Happened Next?
Because the first chase of the Tonto Apache failed, the soldiers at Camp Verde tried again. They started another trip on November 17, 1874. This time, Second Lieutenant Eaton led a group of 5th Cavalry soldiers. The famous frontiersman Al Sieber and his Apache scouts also went with them.
The group first went east from Camp Verde along West Clear Creek. Then they headed northeast, above the Mogollon Rim. A few days later, on November 24, Eaton's group met another patrol. This patrol was led by Captain Robert H. Montgomery. Captain Montgomery had been patrolling farther east.
Finding the Trail
Even though Eaton didn't have orders to go further east, he kept going. He found the Apache's trail, which Captain Montgomery had missed. The expedition followed the trail. About two hours before sunset, they found the Apache group. Another short fight happened. In this fight, two Apache warriors died. Six women and children were also captured. The American soldiers were not hurt.
As for Lieutenant King, he later became a captain. But he soon left the regular army because of his injuries from Sunset Pass. King then became a well-known novelist (a writer of books). He later volunteered to fight in the War of 1898 and the Philippine–American War. He served as a general in these wars. One of King's books was called Sunset Pass, which he published in 1890.
