Fort Rucker, or Camp Rucker, is a former

United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the primary Land warfare, land service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is designated as the Army of the United States in the United States Constitution.Article II, section 2, clause 1 of th ...

post in

Cochise County, Arizona Cochise County ( ) is a county in the southeastern corner of the U.S. state of Arizona. It is named after Cochise, a Chiricahua Apache who was a key war leader during the Apache Wars. The population was 125,447 at the 2020 census. The count ...

. First known as Camp Supply and Camp Powers, its name was changed on October 1, 1878, in honor of

Lieutenant A lieutenant ( , ; abbreviated Lt., Lt, LT, Lieut and similar) is a Junior officer, junior commissioned officer rank in the armed forces of many nations, as well as fire services, emergency medical services, Security agency, security services ...

John Anthony "Tony" Rucker. On July 11, 1878, Lieutenant Rucker died in an unsuccessful attempt to save the life of a fellow soldier, Lieutenant Austin Henley, when the two tried to cross a nearby river which had swelled following a rainstorm.

History

The camp was initially built to protect

settlers A settler or a colonist is a person who establishes or joins a permanent presence that is separate to existing communities. The entity that a settler establishes is a Human settlement, settlement. A settler is called a pioneer if they are among ...

in the area, and also housed mounted

cavalry Historically, cavalry (from the French word ''cavalerie'', itself derived from ''cheval'' meaning "horse") are groups of soldiers or warriors who Horses in warfare, fight mounted on horseback. Until the 20th century, cavalry were the most mob ...

units. On July 21, 1880, six mules were stolen from the Camp Rucker stables, allegedly by William "Curly Bill" Brocius and two others alleged to be

Ike Clanton Joseph Isaac Clanton (c. 1847 – June 1, 1887) was a member of a loose association of outlaws known as Cochise County Cowboys, The Cowboys who clashed with lawmen Wyatt Earp, Wyatt, Virgil Earp, Virgil and Morgan Earp as well as Doc Holliday. ...

and Calico Jones. The mules were later discovered on the ranch of

Tom Tom or TOM may refer to: * Tom (given name), including a list of people and fictional characters with the name. Arts and entertainment Film and television * ''Tom'' (1973 film), or ''The Bad Bunch'', a blaxploitation film * ''Tom'' (2002 film) ...

and

Frank McLaury Frank McLaury born Robert Findley McLaury (March 3, 1849 – October 26, 1881) was an American outlaw. He and his brother Tom allegedly owned a ranch outside Tombstone, Arizona, although this ownership is disputed, that cowboy Frank Patterson ...

after a search by Lieutenant J. H. Hurst,

Virgil Earp Virgil Walter Earp (July 18, 1843 – October 19, 1905) was an American lawman. He was both deputy U.S. Marshal and City Marshal of Tombstone, Arizona, Tombstone, Arizona Territory, Arizona, when he led his younger brothers Wyatt Earp, Wyatt a ...

, and Earp's deputies. During the 1880s, Camp Rucker became Fort Rucker. It was one of the more important military stations in the campaign against the

Apache The Apache ( ) are several Southern Athabaskan language-speaking peoples of the Southwestern United States, Southwest, the Southern Plains and Northern Mexico. They are linguistically related to the Navajo. They migrated from the Athabascan ho ...

tribes led by

Geronimo Gerónimo (, ; June 16, 1829 – February 17, 1909) was a military 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 bands the Tchihen ...

and

Cochise Cochise ( ; Apache: or , ; later or , ; June 8, 1874) was the leader of the Chiricahui local group of the Chokonen and principal nantan of the Chokonen band of a Chiricahua Apache. A key war leader during the Apache Wars, he led an upri ...

. A small community grew up around the fort, as the military method of obtaining necessary supplies was through civilian contractors. It was abandoned by 1890. The remnants of Camp Rucker are located on

United States Forest Service The United States Forest Service (USFS) is an agency within the United States Department of Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture. It administers the nation's 154 United States National Forest, national forests and 20 United States Natio ...

land today. Officers' quarters, a bunkhouse, a sheltered latrine, a commissary warehouse, and a bakery are still standing. The site is adjacent to the south side of the Chiricahua Wilderness in the Douglas Ranger District of the

Coronado National Forest The Coronado National Forest is a United States National Forest that includes an area of about 1.78 million acres (7,200 km2) spread throughout mountain ranges in southeastern Arizona and southwestern New Mexico. It is located in parts of ...

; walk-in public access is permitted. Rucker Canyon and

Rucker Lake Rucker may refer to: Activities * Loaded march, the practicing of which is also called ''rucking'' and the performer a ''rucker''. People * Rucker (surname) * Ruckers, Flemish family of harpsichord makers Places United States * Rucker Park ...

are sites of popular Forest Service campgrounds, and in the summer a firefighting crew is stationed at a nearby administrative site.

References

{{reflist Buildings and structures in Cochise County, Arizona

Rucker Rucker may refer to: Activities * Loaded march, the practicing of which is also called ''rucking'' and the performer a ''rucker''. People * Rucker (surname) * Ruckers, Flemish family of harpsichord makers Places United States * Rucker Park, ...

History of Cochise County, Arizona Former installations of the United States Army 1878 establishments in Arizona Territory