Siege of Tubac facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Siege of Tubac |
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| Part of the American Civil War Apache Wars |
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 Tubac in 1869, as a U.S. Army fort. |
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| Belligerents | |||||||
 Confederate States |
Apache | ||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Capt. G. H. Oury |
unknown | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
| ~25 militia 1 fort |
~200 warriors | ||||||
The Siege of Tubac was a short but important fight during the Apache Wars. It happened in early August 1861 in a place called Tubac. This area is now in southern Arizona. The battle involved settlers and soldiers from Confederate Arizona fighting against Chiricahua Apache warriors. A "siege" means that one group surrounds a place to try and take control of it.
Contents
What Happened at Tubac?
The Apache Attack Begins
In early August 1861, more than 200 Apache warriors attacked Tubac. They surrounded one side of the town's fort, known as the presidio. This started the siege.
On the other side of the town, there were some Mexican bandits. However, these bandits did not join in the main fighting. The people living in Tubac had to defend themselves against the Apache attack.
Fighting for Three Days
The townspeople fought bravely against the Apaches for three days. They were trying to protect their homes and families. As the fighting continued, they realized they needed help.
They sent a messenger to Tucson, a town to the north. The messenger's job was to ask for more soldiers to come and help them.
Help Arrives from Tucson
A group of 25 soldiers, called militiamen, arrived from Tucson. They were led by Captain G. H. Oury. These soldiers carried a Confederate flag.
When they got to Tubac, they helped fight off the last big attack from the Apaches. The Apache warriors then moved back a bit. But they still kept the town surrounded. This meant the soldiers and townspeople could not leave safely.
Running Out of Supplies
After a while, the people inside Tubac started to run out of food and ammunition. They knew they couldn't stay much longer. The Apache warriors were too many.
To avoid being completely defeated, the soldiers, women, and children decided to try and escape. They planned to leave Tubac and head to safety.
The Escape from Tubac
On the last night of the siege, there was another small fight. The Arizonans managed to escape successfully. They left Tubac behind.
After they left, the Apache warriors burned the town. The Mexican bandits then took anything valuable that was left. The Americans traveled north, back to Tucson. They had saved the people who were trapped in Tubac. We don't know exactly how many people were hurt or died in this battle.
What Happened After the Siege?
Leaving Tubac Behind
Around August 15, 1861, the people who had escaped Tubac left Tucson. Their town was mostly destroyed. They planned to travel east to the Rio Grande river, near a place called Mesilla.
However, their journey was not easy. The Apache warriors attacked them again. This happened at a place called Cookes Canyon. After that, there was another fight called the Battle of the Florida Mountains.
A New Arizona Territory
One of the men who left Tubac was Charles D. Poston. He was a member of the Republican Party. Poston believed that Arizona should be its own separate territory. At the time, it was part of the New Mexico Territory.
After leaving Tubac, Poston talked to President Abraham Lincoln about his idea. He wanted to create an Arizona Territory.
Tubac's Future
After the American Civil War ended, Tubac was briefly used by United States troops. But very few people lived there. The town was mostly empty until the 1880s.
By 1908, people started to rebuild Tubac. However, it still had a very small population, less than 200 people. Today, about 1,000 people live in Tubac.
Images for kids
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An early map of Tubac and its surroundings.
