Battle of of Bear Valley 1918
The Yaquis and American Indian WarThe Yaquis are indigenous Indian people found on the west coast of Mexico in Sonora state and the Southwestern United States, mainly in Arizona and Nevada. They migrated to the United States from Mexico after the wars between them and the Mexican government. They worked as migrant farm laborers in the US and lived in houses made of wood scraps.
The American Indian War is a series of wars at an all-time peak during the early 19th century. It lasted from 1609-1924, and parties involved were the European governments, colonizers, and the United States and Canada against the American Indian tribes. These wars resulted from conflicts over land between the tribes and the American government. And they resulted in a substantial decline in the Native American population and caused the deportation of Indian tribes. |
The battle of Bear Valley was marked as the final battle in the American Indian war, as it was the last encounter between the United States Army and the Native Americans, a battle between the Yaquis and the United States soldiers. The Yaquis fled Mexico to work in farm labor, and with the wages they received, they would buy firearms and ammunition from the United States to smuggle to Mexico and use it in wars. On January 9, 1918, a local rancher found a body of a mutilated cow with its hide peeled off for sandals in the mountains to the north and reported it to the Cavalry, suggesting that the Yaquis were near. Captain Fredrick Ryder and his troops patrolled the area, and the troops were ordered to watch the trails for the Yaquis. In southern Arizona, near the border with Mexico, soldiers encamped the area preparing an attack on the Yaqui band. The Yaquis knew they were pursued and prepared their ambush.
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Mistaking the Buffalo Soldiers for Mexicans, the Yaquis concealed and fired at Captain Frederick Ryder near the Atascosa Canyon, sparking a small-scale skirmish. After a battle of hostile firing that lasted 30 minutes, the Yaquis surrendered. Some Yaquis escaped, and others were surrounded. None of the American Soldiers were killed, yet the chief of the Yaquis was killed, and 9 Yaquis were captured and prisoned for thirty days. |