The Second Battle of Tucson or the May Day Attack was a battle in
Tucson
, "(at the) base of the black ill
, nicknames = "The Old Pueblo", "Optics Valley", "America's biggest small town"
, image_map =
, mapsize = 260px
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,
Arizona
Arizona ( ; nv, Hoozdo Hahoodzo ; ood, Alĭ ṣonak ) is a state in the Southwestern United States. It is the 6th largest and the 14th most populous of the 50 states. Its capital and largest city is Phoenix. Arizona is part of the Fou ...
, and the neighboring
pueblo
In the Southwestern United States, Pueblo (capitalized) refers to the Native tribes of Puebloans having fixed-location communities with permanent buildings which also are called pueblos (lowercased). The Spanish explorers of northern New Spain ...
. It occurred during the
Mexican Apache Wars
Mexican may refer to:
Mexico and its culture
*Being related to, from, or connected to the country of Mexico, in North America
** People
*** Mexicans, inhabitants of the country Mexico and their descendants
*** Mexica, ancient indigenous people ...
on May 1, 1782, between a small
garrison of
Spanish
Spanish might refer to:
* Items from or related to Spain:
**Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain
**Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many Latin American countries
**Spanish cuisine
Other places
* Spanish, Ontario, Can ...
soldiers and hundreds of
Apache warrior
A warrior is a person specializing in combat or warfare, especially within the context of a tribal or clan-based warrior culture society that recognizes a separate warrior aristocracies, class, or caste.
History
Warriors seem to have be ...
s.
Background
Presidio San Augustin del Tucson
A presidio ( en, jail, fortification) was a fortified base established by the Spanish Empire around between 16th and 18th centuries in areas in condition of their control or influence. The presidios of Spanish Philippines in particular, were cen ...
, or Fort Tucson, was a Spanish built
fortress located in present-day
downtown Tucson, it was founded by
Hugh O'Conor
Hugh O'Conor (born 19 April 1975) is an Irish actor, writer, director, and photographer. In 2020, he was listed as number 49 on ''The Irish Times'' list of Ireland's greatest film actors.
Career
His first film appearance was opposite Liam Neeso ...
. The construction of the structure occurred from 1775 to 1783 and was used to protect communication and trade routes across northern
Sonora and southern
Alta California. The garrison on average consisted of forty to sixty
cavalry, mostly of Sonoran descent. Though
detribalized Pima native American scouts
Scouting, also known as the Scout Movement, is a worldwide youth movement employing the Scout method, a program of informal education with an emphasis on practical outdoor activities, including camping, woodcraft, aquatics, hiking, backpack ...
were also employed. Fort Tucson was primarily made of
adobe bricks and wood from
mesquite
Mesquite is a common name for several plants in the genus '' Prosopis'', which contains over 40 species of small leguminous trees. They are native to dry areas in the Americas.
They have extremely long roots to seek water from very far under gr ...
trees. At least one
cannon
A cannon is a large- caliber gun classified as a type of artillery, which usually launches a projectile using explosive chemical propellant. Gunpowder ("black powder") was the primary propellant before the invention of smokeless powder ...
and only a few officers also manned the position. Tucson was an isolated community during its earliest years, situated on the right side of the
Santa Cruz River, next to a
Pima pueblo, known as Indian Town, on the left side of the water, roughly northwest of Tucson. Between the village and
presidio
A presidio ( en, jail, fortification) was a fortified base established by the Spanish Empire around between 16th and 18th centuries in areas in condition of their control or influence. The presidios of Spanish Philippines in particular, were cen ...
was a bridge, leading across the river.
The area around the presidio
jacal
The jacal (həˈkɑːl; Mexican Spanish from Nahuatl ''xacalli'' contraction of ''xamitl calli''; literally "hut") is an adobe-style housing structure historically found throughout parts of the Southwestern United States and Mexico. This type o ...
s was
fortified
A fortification is a military construction or building designed for the defense of territories in warfare, and is also used to establish rule in a region during peacetime. The term is derived from Latin ''fortis'' ("strong") and ''facere'' ...
with a wide ditch
roundabout filled with water and a
palisade of logs, ordered to be constructed by commander
Captain Pedro Allande y Saabedra, with two
ramparts on which an unknown number of cannon were placed. Four
bulwarks,
magazines
A magazine is a periodical publication, generally published on a regular schedule (often weekly or monthly), containing a variety of content. They are generally financed by advertising, purchase price, prepaid subscriptions, or by a combination ...
, a
guard tower
A guard tower is any military tower used for guarding an area. These towers are usually operated by military personnel, and are structures built in areas of established control. These include military bases and cities occupied by military forces. ...
and a
church
Church may refer to:
Religion
* Church (building), a building for Christian religious activities
* Church (congregation), a local congregation of a Christian denomination
* Church service, a formalized period of Christian communal worship
* C ...
were built as well. The walls spanned various heights from ten to almost thirty feet high and were built to be compact. There were two gates, one on the eastern wall and the other on the western wall. A
stockade and then an earthen defensive wall surrounding the military buildings. Some of the houses, belonging to Tucson citizens or soldiers, were outside the palisade and were protected only by
artillery
Artillery is a class of heavy military ranged weapons that launch munitions far beyond the range and power of infantry firearms. Early artillery development focused on the ability to breach defensive walls and fortifications during siege ...
.
By 1782 the Spanish had been fighting a long war with the Apaches throughout the Tucson area. The garrison had already fought off an enemy attack in 1779, known as the
First Battle of Tucson, at the edge of the town. In 1780 other small skirmishes between Spain and Apaches occurred near Tucson. Raids were also conducted by Apaches against
wagon train
''Wagon Train'' is an American Western series that aired 8 seasons: first on the NBC television network (1957–1962), and then on ABC (1962–1965). ''Wagon Train'' debuted on September 18, 1957, and became number one in the Nielsen ratings ...
s and other small unprotected
convoy
A convoy is a group of vehicles, typically motor vehicles or ships, traveling together for mutual support and protection. Often, a convoy is organized with armed defensive support and can help maintain cohesion within a unit. It may also be used ...
s. However, Apache tactics changed in 1782 when they began to mass in larger numbers and attack heavily fortified or heavily protected settlements. A force of about 600 warriors headed for Tucson, retaliating for a recent Spanish campaign deep into Apache territory. After the battle, Captain Saabedra stated that the assault was carried out by the largest force of Apaches warriors he had ever seen.
Battle
At around 10:00 am on Sunday May 1, 1782, the Apaches began a surprise attack. The force was split in two and proceeded simultaneously to attack Indian Town and Fort Tucson itself with a clear intention of capturing the fort. Unfortunately for the Spaniards, most of the garrison was not present inside the fortification, a lot of whom were scattered across the town, preparing for Sunday mass. Several
Jesuit missionaries were among the population of Tucson, one later reported that around 200 Apaches fought on foot and said he did not attempt to estimate the number mounted on
horse
The horse (''Equus ferus caballus'') is a domesticated, one-toed, hoofed mammal. It belongs to the taxonomic family Equidae and is one of two extant subspecies of ''Equus ferus''. The horse has evolved over the past 45 to 55 million yea ...
s. Fighting occurred at three main places, the first was at the bridge connecting Indian Town to Tucson, the second, at the western gate of the presidio, and the third near the western gate at
Lieutenant
A lieutenant ( , ; abbreviated Lt., Lt, LT, Lieut and similar) is a commissioned officer rank in the armed forces of many nations.
The meaning of lieutenant differs in different militaries (see comparative military ranks), but it is often ...
Miguel de Urrea's home.
At the time, Spanish forces numbered forty-two
lancers, twenty
dragoons and ten native scouts, including officers. One Apache force first swarmed into Indian village from the north where they encountered little resistance before advancing on to the bridge. The other force headed directly for the citadel. At the bridge a small force of Spanish troops were capable of holding their position, due to superior weapons, muskets against bows and arrows. Meanwhile, the second Apache unit rushed for the open gate of Fort Tucson but the advance was halted by cannon and musket fire from Captain Allande and four of his men, positioned on the bridge above the gate. The attack also failed due to Lieutenant Urrea's position, on the roof of his
parapet
A parapet is a barrier that is an extension of the wall at the edge of a roof, terrace, balcony, walkway or other structure. The word comes ultimately from the Italian ''parapetto'' (''parare'' 'to cover/defend' and ''petto'' 'chest/breast'). ...
topped house, which flanked the Apache attack. Urrea and his native servant were later credited with delaying a force of over 140 Apaches from joining their main force for the capture of Fort Tucson. The holders of the bridge, who held against over 200 warriors, also were commended. After two hours of close quarters combat, the Apaches suffered eight confirmed deaths and dozens more severely wounded. Apaches were known for removing their dead and wounded from their battlefields, immediately after a casualty was sustained. Meaning it is likely that more than eight warriors died as result of the battle, either in the engagement or afterwards.
The Spanish suffered one dead trooper and three wounded, one female civilian was also found to have been killed by the attackers. After seeing the deaths and wounding of so many warriors, the unknown Apache war chief ordered a retreat.
Aftermath
The eight Apache deaths were confirmed by the various reports of the battle, written by the garrison and by the Jesuits there. Other accounts say as many as thirty Apaches were killed during the action. Lieutenant Urrea personally killed or wounded at least five Apaches from the top of his house. His servant killed or wounded a few others. Captain Allande killed two men. One soldier, José Antonio Delgado, who hid in a tree from the beginning to the end of the battle, evading capture, later reported that he witnessed three killed Apaches, being removed from the field by their fellow warriors.
He also reported that several Apache wounded were being carried off into the surrounding desert as well, casualties of cannon fire. The Spanish won the engagement but the Apaches would return again a few months later, on December 15, the Apaches
raided some livestock, resulting in another Spanish victory and the deaths of a handful of warriors. Spanish records of the time indicate that only few Apaches were killed in overall campaigns. The largest Apache body counts never numbered more than fifty dead, most likely due to the Apache's
evasion tactics.
See also
*
History of Tucson, Arizona
*
Siege of Tubac
The siege of Tubac was a siege during the Apache Wars between settlers and militia of Confederate Arizona and the Chiricahua Apaches. The battle took place at Tubac in present-day southern Arizona. The actual dates of this engagement have been ...
*
American Indian Wars
The American Indian Wars, also known as the American Frontier Wars, and the Indian Wars, were fought by European governments and colonists in North America, and later by the United States and Canadian governments and American and Canadian settle ...
*
Apache Wars
*
Navajo Wars
The term Navajo Wars covers at least three distinct periods of conflict in the American West: the Navajo against the Spanish (late 16th century through 1821); the Navajo against the Mexican government (1821 through 1848); and the Navajo agains ...
References
# Bancroft, Hubert Howe, 1888, ''History of Arizona and New Mexico, 1530–1888.'' The History Company, San Francisco.
# Cooper, Evelyn S., 1995, ''Tucson in Focus: The Buehman Studio.'' Arizona Historical Society, Tucson. ().
#
Dobyns, Henry F., 1976, ''Spanish Colonial Tucson.'' University of Arizona Press, Tucson. ().
# Drachman, Roy P., 1999, ''From Cowtown to Desert Metropolis: Ninety Years of Arizona Memories.'' Whitewing Press, San Francisco. (.
{{DEFAULTSORT:Tucson, Second Battle of
1782 in New Spain
Apache–Mexico Wars
Conflicts in 1782
Battles involving the Apache
Battles involving Spain
Events in Tucson, Arizona
Tucson 2
Pre-statehood history of Arizona