600-mile March Across the Colorado Desert to Consolidate Union Control Over Arizona Territory.
"Over one of the wildest sections of [California]."
Los Angeles to Fort Yuma and Tucson in 1863-64
A pair of remarkable unpublished manuscript journals documenting an arduous march by a company of California Cavalry volunteers along the southerly route across the Colorado Desert to Fort Yuma and on to Tucson in 1863-64. This Civil War-era army expedition was part of the overall Union effort to consolidate control of California and the West, and particularly of Arizona Territory. The documents record the movements of Company G of the 1st California Cavalry under Capt. Samuel A. Gorham as they escorted Union civil authorities to Tucson. The Company set out from the Far Western Southern California outpost of Drum Barracks (in present-day Wilmington, near Los Angeles) on December 3, 1863, crossed the Southern California desert, and thence to Tucson in mid-January. The two journals, which relate to the same expedition and complement each other, describe the terrain and camps along the route from Drum Barracks, east through Warner's Ranch in San Diego County, Vallecito, Palm Springs, Temecula, Carrizo, Indian Wells, Alamo Mocho, Cooke's Wells and to Fort Yuma in California's southeast corner, and then on to Tucson, Arizona Territory along the Gila Trail.
As mentioned, Gorham was charged with ensuring the safe arrival of recently appointed government officials for Arizona Territory. One of the six manuscript Special Orders which accompanies the journals, issued to Capt. Gorham by Col. James F. Curtis, states: "Company G (Gorham's) . . . will take up its line of march from these Head Quarters for Tucson, Arizona Territory on the 3rd instant as escort to the U.S. Marshal of Arizona and other civil officers accompanying him. Head Quarters District of Southern California, Drum Barracks, Cal. December 1st 18[63]." While the civil authorities are not named in the instructions, Milton B. Duffield had recently been appointed United States Marshal for Arizona, and was thus one of the main officials being escorted. At Fort Yuma, on 18 December, Gorham received orders to await noted travel author J. Ross Browne and Indian Commissioner Charles D. Poston (1825-1902), the self-styled "Father of Arizona," who was soon to be elected to Congress for Arizona.
On 31 December the company camped at the recently abandoned ghost town of Gila City, where "there has been an old mining town." On visiting Oatman Flat, AZ, the writer notes the 1851 Oatman massacre. At Maricopa Wells on 9 January, "the chief of the Maricopa Indians paid us a visit today accompanied by several of his warriors." Two days later, a delay presented him the opportunity to "visit the Casa Grande, an old Aztec ruin." The journal concludes with a description of Tucson, "a small Mexican town built of adobes. . . . The hostility of the Indians in this part of the territory renders all kinds of pursuits hazardous. . . . Small parties of men are not considered safe in travelling anywhere unless well armed." Extensive excerpts from the two journals follow below.
Milton B. Duffield - U.S Marshal for Arizona via Texas and California
Dr. B. Sachs published a detailed article about Milton Duffield in the Journal of Arizona History, which makes reference to the present overland trek. However, Sachs seems to have been entirely unaware of the existence of Gorham's journal, or at least fails to mention it. Duffield, styled "Arizona's Angry Man" by Sachs, was a native of Virginia and had initially tried his luck in Texas around 1851, before heading to the California gold fields. According to Sachs, Duffield stood out in the rough and tumble of Tucson: "Marshall Duffield... was a conspicuous figure... a broad-shouldered, muscular, well-groomed man of no less than six feet three, dark eyes and complexion, his face framed with long sideburns reaching to his lower jaw, and his black glossy hair topped with a plug silk hat. No other man would have dared to show himself thus attired in the streets of Tucson, where many a ruffian stood ready to knock off so conspicuous an ornament from the pate of anyone less formidable."
Sachs refers to an entertaining serialized account of our desert trip written by one R. F. Greeley, published in the Daily Alta California in 1864. In the Jan. 15, 1864 issue, under the headline "Mr. Greeley's Letters from the Arizona Trail. - No. 3," we gain further insight on this unusual Civil War-era "reverse direction" overland through the Southern California desert:
Fort Yuma. December 19th, 1863. Marshal Duffield's party and escort arrived here yesterday morning in excellent preservation, after a wearisome march of sixteen days, over one of the wildest sections of the country to be found within the limits of [California]. We left Drum Barracks on the morning of the 3d., with a train of ten baggage wagons, forming not the least conspicuous feature in the cavalcade...At Temescal (which is in San Bernardino county) we learned that we were surrounded by a band of horse thieves and desperadoes of every description... At Temecala [Temecula], a little dirty village with one store, or tienda, known as the "Overland Store," and kept by one Magee, we met several ambulances and wagons conveying a number of officers and soldiers to Drum Barracks... On the 18th, we camped near an Indian rancheria on the banks of the Colorado, and on the 19th were safely ensconced within Fort Yuma, where the gallant and generous commanding officer Colonel C. E. Bennett, at once provided accommodations for our party... He has been foremost in the work of organizing companies for the purpose of clearing the State of Seccessionists... At the Fort, Colonel Bennett has a worthy and valuable aid in Lieut. J. M. Starkweather, who, as we were to be detained for several days awaiting the arrival of Colonel Posten, Indian Agent, and J. Ross Browne, the traveler, volunteered to take Major Duffield and those accompanying him, on a trip to the newly opened mines of Castle Dome District.
Gorham's Complementary Journals
While the present two journals cover the same time period (3 December 1863 to 16 January 1864), and are written in the same neat hand on similar (but not identical) bluish-lined paper stock, they are quite different compositions. One is signed by Captain Samuel A. Gorham, captioned on the first page Daily Journal, and is in the form of diary entries written in first person singular tense. This Daily Journal is more narrative in style, but both journals contain fresh observations at each camp and along the route. The California and Arizona landscapes are described at length, and the names of the settlements and ranches passed are recorded. The other journal, consisting of more concise entries, describes the company as "we" but does not indicate a specific author. The latter journal exhibits signs of heavy use (with tears on the first and final leaves), as well as some corrections and emendations to the text, which suggests it may be the earlier of the two. Why Gorham prepared two separate versions of his journal account is not known.
The initial entry describes the first night's camp, the first of 32 such entries. A selection of parallel entries from both journals are noted below, showing how the texts overlap and complement each other:
Camp No. 1, San Gabriel River, December 3, 1863. This morning at 10 o'clock a.m. Company G 1st Cavalry C.V. under marching orders for Tucson, Arizona Territory to proceed via Fort Yuma.
Daily Journal: On the 28th day of November 1863 received Orders to proceed with my comman to Tucson, Arizona Territory via Fort Yuma, California. Escorting to civil authorities in accordance with said instructions I took up the line of march on the morning of December 3, 1863. My command consisted of 94 men, 98 horses, 10 wagons, 62 mules, & 10 teamsters. The troops mounted and fully equipped were inspected on the morning of our departure by Lt. Col. Curtis, commanding Southern District "Cal." Hd. Qtr. at Drum Barracks. The road on which we marched to day is over an extensive plain, destitute of timber, and soil covered in many places with alkali.
On December 5, two days after leaving Drum Barracks, a private was wounded by the accidental discharge of a Colt pistol and was sent back to Drum Barracks:
Left Rowlands Ranch about Day Light. About noon to day David Monon a private in our company was wounded accidentally in the knee by a Pistol Ball on fired by from a Colt's Pistol in the hands of Louis Frémont a Corporal of said company. The Road during the latter part of the march today...Camped at Chino Ranch, travelled 18 miles, water in abundance, wood scarce. ...The Ranches passed to day are not much cultured but the proprietors raise large bands of cattle, horses, and sheep. And the pasturage is good in season.
Daily Journal: ...About noon, Private David Monon, Co. G. was accidentally wounded in the leg by a Pistol Ball fired from a small Colts Revolver in the handsof Louis Frémont a corporal, the wound was not serious, but he was sent back for surgical assistance to Drum Barracks.
Various ranches near Los Angeles are mentioned. In addition to Chino Ranch, on December 6, the expedition camped at Robottam's Ranch, or Temascal [Temescal]. On December 8 they camped at Temacla [i.e. Temecula]. By December 10 they had reached Warner's Ranch and the next day Gorham notes:
Left Warners at Day light, the country to day is more level with wood and water at many places, the country hereabouts is cultivated in a rough way by the Indians, several hundred of whom are living in this vicinity.
Daily Journal: Travelled 22 miles to day and camped at Warner's Ranch a small trading Post. Wood and water plenty... Broke Camp at Warner's Ranch at 4 am and proceeded on the march the country is not so broken and Rocky although there is one pretty bad hill & canyon to cross to day after marching 15 miles camped at San Felipe a trading Post and Indian Village some little Land is cultivated here by those Indians. There is a fine stream of water here but wood is scarce.
The party was divided in half on 15 December as they crossed the desert, this to ensure that they not deplete the scant water supplies available en route:
Daily Journal: Here it became necessary to divide my command preparatory to crossing the desert in order to procure water more conveniently at the wells, accordingly Lt. Arnold with about 40 men and part of the wagons proceeded on at 12 o'clock last night and myself with the balance about day light... we passed the Monument which is the boundary line between the U.S. and Mexico, wood abundant, day clear and pleasant.
Gorham mentions Palm Springs, describing it as one of the old Overland Stage Stations (i.e. the Butterfield Overland Mail Stage, which was suspended during the Civil War), where he noted water in small holes or springs. Following this place they camped at Carriso Creek, then proceeded over a sandy plain for 36 miles before reaching Indian Wells, where he notes an abundance of mesquite wood, though barely enough water. Another 30 miles and they reached Alamo Mocho Wells. On Dec. 16 a good watering place called 7 Wells is noted, followed by Cooks Wells where Gorham notes a small lagoon, noting a change in the appearance of the soil due to the overflowing of the Colorado River. They then camped near a hill called Pilot Knob - a name derived from the landmark's prominence to 19th-century riverboat traffic on the Colorado River - and a noted place during the Gold Rush for being located along the Southern Emigrant Trail.
On December 30 they broke camp near Fort Yuma:
...on account of strong winds prevailing we did not succeed in crossing our Wagons and animals as early as we desired, however we got all the animals &c over by Sundown and camped near the Gila about 2 miles from the Ferry we were detained about 12 days at Fort Yuma by an order of Lt. Col. Curtis to await the arrival of Col. Posten [i.e. Charles D. Poston, newly appointed as Superintendent of Indian Affairs for Arizona Territory] and other civil authorities who were then en route from Drum Barracks to Tucson via Fort Yuma, and desired to be escorted from Fort Yuma through to Tucson.
Daily Journal: Left Camp at Bank of the Colorado and marched up to Fort Yuma this morning and camped in a little Willow Bottom just below the Fort near the River... I received orders here to await the arrival of Col. Posten Supt. Indian Affairs Arizona Territory, Hon. J. Ross Browne and other Civil Authorities who were en Route from Drum Barracks to Fort Yuma and who were disirous of going through to Tucson with us... Our wagons were loaded at Fort Yuma with Forage to last us to the Pimo and 20 days Rations. I made preparations to leave on the 30th inst. Col. Posten and other civil authorities having in the mean time transacted all their business concented to depart on that date. All the animals are in fine condition, and the march of 300 miles has been made in 14 1/2 days. The troops are also in good health.
Gorham describes his Dec. 31 campsite at Gila City thusly:
About 1 o'clock crossed a spur of a Range of Granite Hills and camped at an old Post called Gila City where in times gone by miners congregated to work the Gold mines in the Hills adjacent - but want of water soon dispursed [sic] them and nothing now remains to mark the site but a few old timbers and piles of adobes.
Daily Journal: Left camp on the South bank of the Gila the road runs in the bottom and follows the general course of the River about East... About noon crossed the spur of a range of Granite Hills or mountains these Hills have been worked for Gold there has been an old mining town here called Gila City...
On January 5 Gorham records his stay at Oatman Flat, site of an infamous massacre:
We camped at Oatman Flat which derives its name from the fact that a family of Emigrants of that name Emigrating to Cala were murdered near there by the Indians. Mesquit sufficient for cooking, day clear.
Daily Journal: Camped at Oatman Flat distance marched to day 25 miles this Flat is on the South bank of the Gila and derives its name from the fact that an Emigrant & his family were murdered here by the Indians. Wood abundant. Day clear and pleasant.
On January 8-9 specific reference is made to several notable people in western history:
Col. Poston, Supt. Indian Affairs for this Territory, Hon. J. Ross Browne and Antonio the Pima Chief proceeded last night after feeding their animals to make before the heat of the day tomorrow the Maricopa Wells, or rather the Pima Village distant about 10 miles beyond the Maricopa.
Daily Journal: ...camped at Maricopa Wells about day light. The chief of the Maricopa Indians paid us a visit to day accompanied by several of his warriors, Col. Poston & others went on up to the Pima Village distance from the Gila River 40 miles. Wood very scarce.
The entry for Jan. 10 includes details about the Pima Village:
The Pimo Village is situated in a large plain or valley the Gila running through, the same, the land near the villages is fenced with Brush and Willows and Wheat, Pumkins, Squash, and othe vegetables are raised by Indians who have ditches to irrigate the farms with leading from the Gila, they have horses, cattle &c and are superior in many respects to many other of the North American Indian.
Daily Journal: The Indians raise large quantities of wheat which is purchased by Government. We loaded our Wagons with Forage to last to Tucson.
An interesting entry for Jan. 11 relates to ancient ruins near the Gila:
It was the intention of Government at one time to establish a Post here, but after several companies of Infantry were camped at this place for 3 or 4 months the plan was abandoned finally... We lay over on the 12th and 13th in order to accomodate Col. Posten, J. Ross and others, who were disirous of visiting some old ruins of the Montezumas or Aztecs up the River and some 8 or 10 miles from the Road to Tucson or the Southern Overland Road as should be called.
Daily Journal: Left the Casa Blanca at 8 o'clock and proceeded up to Oneida Station here we laid over two days to give the civil authorities an opportunity to attend to business and to visit the Casa Grande, an old Aztec Ruin distance about 12 miles up the River. Capt. Gorham took an escort with 30 men, Col. Posten, Hon. J. Ross Browne and others went up and remained one night they found good grass...
The final entry, on Jan. 16, notes their arrival in Tucson, concluding on a generally positive note:
We travelled 600 miles in 29 [days] and arrived at this Post without loosing [sic] an animal, or meeting with any serious accident.
Daily Journal: Tucson is a small Mexican town built of Adobes, the population derive their support from small farms near town and from traffic with the Soldiers & Teamsters. The hosility of the Indians in this part of the Territory renders all kinds of pursuits hazardous that is a few miles outside of Town. Small parties of men are not considered safe in travelling anywhere unless well armed and then in parties of not less than 10 or 20. Our animals are all in good condition and we have lost none by disease or otherwise. And have travelled 600 miles occupying 29 marching days. The Troops are also in good health, with few exceptions. Signed, S. A. Gorham, Capt. 1st Cav. C.V. Commanding C. "G" 1st. Cav. C.V.
Samuel A. Gorham Tintype
Samuel A. Gorham, born circa 1835, was a Sacramento saddler before the war. He enlisted at San Francisco on Oct. 8, 1862, and was eventually promoted from First Lieutenant of Company K to Captain of Company G, First Regiment of Cavalry, California Volunteers. Included with the manuscripts is a hand-tinted tintype portrait of a young bearded cavalry officer posing with his sword, presumably of Captain Gorham. The tintype exhibits some hand-applied gilt highlights.
Background
At the time of Gorham's expedition the Army's scientific exploration of the Far West, so masterfully described in William Goetzmann's classic book Exploration and Empire, was still a recent item. The work of the officers of the Topographical Corps, many of whom were swept up into the Civil War, had only recently appeared in print in the Pacific Railroad Surveys of the 1850s and such like. The ink on Jospeh Ives's pioneering reconnaissance of the Colorado River, published in 1861, was still drying when Gorham's Company traversed the Colorado Desert in 1863. Gorham's unpublished journals dovetail with those earlier western Army exploring efforts, being a rare example of a transitional account, made soon after the official Army explorations, but before the opening of the transcontinental railroad. Indeed, Gorham's journals stand as perhaps the only obtainable 19th-century manuscript account of overland travel across this desert route. Interest in Gorham's journals is further enhanced due to their status as among the few substantial source documents on the Civil War in California and the West still available in the antiquarian market.
During the first year or two of the Civil War Confederate forces made some headway in New Mexico Territory and in Arizona. West Texas-based Confederate Brig. Gen. H. H. Sibley envisioned that he could invade New Mexico with his army, defeat Union forces, then march westward to take California for the Confederacy. As part of this general plan, Col. John R. Baylor proclaimed Arizona a Confederate territory on August 1, 1861, shortly after his victory at the Battle of Mesilla. Confederate Arizona encompassed parts of both modern states of New Mexico and Arizona. The capital was located at Mesilla, along the southern border. The breakaway Confederate Arizona overlapped part of Arizona Territory, eventually established by the Union Government in February 1863. By the time of Gorham's expedition, which itself can be seen as part of the consolidation of Union control in the Far West, erstwhile Confederate Arizona was controlled by California Union troops. However, resistance at the partisan level continued in Arizona, and Confederate units fought there until the end of the war in May of 1865.
7 manuscript Special Orders issued to Gorham, June 1863 to May 1864, accompany his journals:
- Special Orders No. 133 (Extract). "The detail of Lieutenant S. A. Gorham, 1st Cavalry C.V. on recruiting service from the 27th ulitmo. by Lieutenant Colonel G. H. Ringgold, Superintendent of recruiting, is approved." By Order of Brigadier General Wright, signed by Col. Richard C. Drum, Assistant Adjutant General.
- Special Orders No. 174 (Extract). Head Quarters Deptartment of the Pacific, San Francisco, Cal. July 23, 1863. 1 page. "...So much of Special Orders No. 171, as relieves Lieutenant Samuel A. Gorham, 1st Cavalry C.V. from recruiting service and directing him to join his Company, is suspended."
- Special Orders No. 186. Head Quarters Department of the Pacific San Francisco, Cal. August 8th, 1863. "... 2nd Lieut. S. A. Gorham, 1st Cavalry C.V. having been tendered the 1st Lieutenancy of Company 'K' same regiment will be discharged the service and mustered in agreeably to appointment, to date from July 15th 1863." By Order of Brigadier General Wright, signed by Col. Richard C. Drum, Assistant Adjutant General
- Special Orders No. 202 (Extract). Head Quarters Department of the Pacific, San Francisco, Cal. Sept. 1, 1863. "1st Lieutenant Samuel A. Gorham, 1st Cavalry C.V. will report to Captain James Van Voast, Provost Marshal, at 8 A.M. tomorrow for duty with the Provost Guard." signed by Col. Richard C. Drum, Assistant Adjutant General.
- Special Orders No. 230 (Extract). Head Quarters Department of the Pacific, San Francisco, Cal. October 9, 1863. 1 page. "...Captain Samuel A. Goham...will be relieved from recruiting service in this City and will join his Company at Camp Drum without delay. The Quarter Masters Department will furnish transportation for the Captain and his horse from this City to Wilmington, California."
- Special Orders No. 34. Head Quarters, District of Southern California, Drum Barracks, Cal. December 1st 18[63]. 1 page. Orders to Gorham from Lieut. Col. Curtis. "Company G . . . will take up its line of march from the head quarters for Tucson, Arizona Territory on the 3rd instant as escort to the U.S. Marshal of Arizona and other civil officers accompanying him."
- Special Orders No. 31. Head Quarters, District of Arizona, Franklin, Texas. May 25th, 1864. "Capt. G. A. Gorham... will leave Camp McCleave, Texas, for Fort Sumner, N.M. by the way of Las Cruces and Fort Stanton, on Saturday the 29th day Inst. ... By order of Col. Geo. W. Bowie."
Rarity
Douglas D. Martin, author of Yuma Crossing (1954), suggested that original manuscript diaries dating from Civil War days at Yuma are very rare. Another one of Gorham's scout reports, August to November 1864, is transcribed in the Official Records of the Civil War, but not the present reports, which appear to be unpublished. Gorham's journal is notably lacking in E. I. Edwards's bibliography, The Enduring Desert, which includes an extensive list of several dozen journal and diary accounts of pioneer crossings of the Colorado and Mojave Deserts: "Record of Journals, Diaries, Narratives, Letters, Accounts, Reminiscences, Reports, etc. of Pioneers Crossing the Colorado and Mojave Deserts." Certainly any substantial mid-19th-century manuscript account of overland travel in the Colorado Desert is an extremely rare item in both the antiquarian market and in institutional confines.