Beale Wagon Road and Survey Expedition; The United States Camel Corps

 

BEALE WAGON ROAD AND SURVEY EXPEDITION: THE UNITED STATES CAMEL CORPS; ADVENTURES OF CAMELS ON THE WESTERN FRONTIER
                                COPYRIGHT; ALL RIGHTS RESERVED (5/10/22)
In May of 1856, The Army took delivery of 33 camels and their handlers at Indianola, Texas. In 1857 Lieutenant Edward Fitzgerald Beale was tasked with surveying and building a wagon road from Fort Smith, Arkansas, to the Colorado River. Lieutenant Beale was not a newcomer to the southwest, having served with Kit Carson in 1846, and an appointment as Indian Agent for all of California and Nevada ( Ferrell,16,17;Getzmann, 140, 284.) What is notable is that the well-equipped expedition used camels for transport. Some 22 camels and their handlers participated in the endeavor. The wagon road would provide another artery for the westward bound immigrants. Though interrupted by hostilities with the Native Americans and the Civil War, the road made a significant contribution to the settlement of the Southwest and Southern California.
 The Army had also attempted to use camels to supply western garrisons. The first survey to test the use of such animals was conducted by Lt. William H. Echols, in 1859. They began at Camp Hudson, Texas with their first destination at Camp  Stockton, and from their returning to Camp Hudson. In 1860 Lt. Echols left San Antonio, Texas to Fort Davis, then returned to Camp Stockton. Generally speaking, the experiment proved satisfactory (Goetzmann, 363,364.) 
In 1859 the herd increased to 91, and in 1862 a number of the animals were transferred to Fort Fitzgerald, California. A 300 mile 'Dromedary Express" trekked to and from Fort Mojave, Arizona (located near the Colorado River.) (Ferrell; 16,17.)
During the Civil War, the confederates captured 54 animals (80, according to Wikipedia) at Camp Verde, Texas. At the end of the war, the confederates returned some 100 animals to the U.S. Army. one source indicates by 1864 the Army had sold the remaining animals in its custody.
  Some 40 Bactrian (double humped camels) were used to haul salt to the silver mills in Nevada. On August 26, 1864 camels hauling salt arrived at Austin, Nevada. Cheaper to use than a mule, a camel hauled a heavier load and could subsist on the local vegetation. Camels were subsequently banned from Nevada in 1876, more likely due to their tendency to scare mules and horses. Complaints by the freight haulers and mule skinners might have had something to do with the new laws. Once again, the remaining animals were sold, relocated or set free. Over the next decades they were seen roaming the desert near Silver Bow, Nevada (1905); another herd was sighted near Penalas (1936.) Maybe someday, in the far-flung deserts and mountains of Nevada, Arizona, or California an odd shaped animal may be spotted. Camels are very adaptive to desolate places.(Ferrell; 16,17.) 
One of the camel handlers remained in the United States. Hi Jolly died in 1903, after many an adventure in the southwest. His grave is marked by a monument in Quartzite, Arizona. 
                                                                                                                                             
Brochure: Beale wagon road Historic Trail; USDA, RG-R3-07-5. 2013.
 Ferrell, Mallory Hope "Nevada Central Sagebrush Narrow Gauge," 2010 Heinburger House Publishing Company, Forest Park, Illinois
Goetzmann, William H, Army Exploration of the West, 1803-1863; 1959, Yale University Press   
 

Location of Monument, circled in Blue. Yellow is Beale Wagon Road. 




  Further along the Trail, in the Spring Valley area. FR141 and Government Mountain Roads.
    BLUE is the North Chalender line
    YELLOW is the Beale Wagon Road Expedition.  You can see the trail markings, in the form of a camel, along the road. Had to add the camel, just seemed right.
    The Beale trail generally follows the forest roads. The logging line crosses private property, and must not be entered without permission. 


One of the camel handlers remained in the United States. Hi Jolly died in 1903, after many an adventure in the southwest. His grave is marked by a monument in Quartzite, Arizona. Image post card in author's collection.
                                                                                                                                             

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