Devils Kitchen Skeleton Canyon Peloncillo Mountains

Skeleton Canyon, called Cañon Bonita by the Mexicans, is located northeast of the town of

Douglas, Arizona Douglas is a city in Cochise County, Arizona, United States that lies in the north-west to south-east running Sulpher Springs Valley. Douglas has a border crossing with Mexico at Agua Prieta and a history of mining. The population was 16,531 in ...

, in the Peloncillo Mountains, which straddle the modern

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

New Mexico ) , population_demonym = New Mexican ( es, Neomexicano, Neomejicano, Nuevo Mexicano) , seat = Santa Fe , LargestCity = Albuquerque , LargestMetro = Tiguex , OfficialLang = None , Languages = English, Spanish ( New Mexican), Navajo, Ker ...

state line, in the

New Mexico Bootheel The New Mexico Bootheel is a salient which comprises the southwestern corner of New Mexico. As part of the Gadsden Purchase it is bounded on the east by the Mexican state of Chihuahua along a line at extending south to latitude 31°20′0″ ...

region. This canyon connects the

Animas Valley The Animas Valley is a lengthy and narrow, north–south long, valley located in western Hidalgo County, New Mexico in the Bootheel Region; the extreme south of the valley lies in Sonora- Chihuahua, in the extreme northwest of the Chihuahuan De ...

of New Mexico with the

San Simon Valley The San Simon Valley is a broad valley east of the Chiricahua Mountains, in the northeast corner of Cochise County, Arizona and southeastern Graham County, Arizona, Graham County, with a small portion near Antelope Pass in Hidalgo County, New Mex ...

of Arizona, and was once a main route between the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...

and

Mexico Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guatema ...

for both legal and illegal traffic. While originally known as Guadalupe Canyon, the area became called Skeleton Canyon, as a result of the bones of cows and humans left behind from cattle drives from Mexico.

Battles

The canyon was the site of several battles during the American Old West. In 1879, a group of outlaw Cowboys attacked a group of Mexican Rurales and stole their cattle. In July 1881,

Curly Bill Brocius William Brocius (c. 1845 – March 24, 1882), better known as Curly Bill Brocius, was an American gunman, rustler and an outlaw Cowboy in the Cochise County area of the Arizona Territory during the late 1870s and early 1880s. His name is like ...

attacked and killed about a dozen Mexican smugglers carrying silver and heading to the United States. In retribution, the Mexican government attacked and killed

Newman Haynes Clanton Newman Haynes Clanton (c. 1816 – August 13, 1881), also known as "Old Man" Clanton, was a cattle rancher and father of four sons, one of whom was killed during the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral. Two of his sons were involved in Cochise County in ...

and others as they were driving cattle through

Guadalupe Canyon Guadalupe Canyon is a canyon and valley in the southern portion of the Peloncillo Mountains (Hidalgo County), Peloncillo Mountains Hidalgo County, New Mexico, Cochise County, Arizona and Agua Prieta Municipality, of Sonora. The waters of Guadalup ...

. In 1883, Apache Indians from Chihuahua's band surprised eight troopers of Troop D, Fourth Cavalry, killed three men, burned the wagons and supplies, and drove off forty horses and mules.

Geronimo's surrender

Geronimo Geronimo ( apm, Goyaałé, , ; June 16, 1829 – February 17, 1909) was a prominent leader and medicine man from the Bedonkohe band of the Ndendahe Apache people. From 1850 to 1886, Geronimo joined with members of three other Central Apache ba ...

's final surrender to General Nelson A Miles on September 4, 1886, occurred at the western edge of this canyon. As the surrender site is now on private property, commemorative monument has been erected to the northwest along SR 80, where it intersects with Skeleton Canyon Road in Arizona, at geographic coordinates . The mouth of the canyon lies about to the southeast just west of the Arizona – New Mexico line.''Chiricahua Peak, Arizona – New Mexico'', 30x60 Minute Topographic Quadrangle, USGS 1994

Murders and shootouts

On November 4, 1889, Judson "Comanche" White was found dead in Skeleton Canyon after being killed by person or persons unknown; all his possession had been stolen as well.The Deseret News November 7, 1889
/ref> On August 12, 1896, a shoot-out between the Christian gang and a posse resulted in the Skeleton Canyon shootout.

References

External links

Evolution, Use, and Effectiveness of the Apache Indian Scouts

Jul 31, 1937, Apache scout Martine dies

Scouts Guide Lieutenant Gatewood to Geronimo's and Naiche's camp
{{Coord, 31, 35, 24, N, 109, 2, 10, W, type:landmark_region:US-AZ, display=title Arizona folklore Canyons and gorges of Arizona Canyons and gorges of New Mexico Cochise County conflict Geronimo Landforms of Cochise County, Arizona Landforms of Hidalgo County, New Mexico New Mexico Bootheel New Mexico folklore

Battles

Geronimo's surrender

Murders and shootouts

See also

References

External links