Archeological Findings of the Battle of Apache Pass, Fort Bowie National Historic Site Non-Sensitive Version
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National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior Resource Stewardship and Science Archeological Findings of the Battle of Apache Pass, Fort Bowie National Historic Site Non-Sensitive Version Natural Resource Report NPS/FOBO/NRR—2016/1361 ON THIS PAGE Photograph (looking southeast) of Section K, Southeast First Fort Hill, where many cannonball fragments were recorded. Photograph courtesy National Park Service. ON THE COVER Top photograph, taken by William Bell, shows Apache Pass and the battle site in 1867 (courtesy of William A. Bell Photographs Collection, #10027488, History Colorado). Center photograph shows the breastworks as digitized from close range photogrammatic orthophoto (courtesy NPS SOAR Office). Lower photograph shows intact cannonball found in Section A. Photograph courtesy National Park Service. Archeological Findings of the Battle of Apache Pass, Fort Bowie National Historic Site Non-sensitive Version Natural Resource Report NPS/FOBO/NRR—2016/1361 Larry Ludwig National Park Service Fort Bowie National Historic Site 3327 Old Fort Bowie Road Bowie, AZ 85605 December 2016 U.S. Department of the Interior National Park Service Natural Resource Stewardship and Science Fort Collins, Colorado The National Park Service, Natural Resource Stewardship and Science office in Fort Collins, Colorado, publishes a range of reports that address natural resource topics. These reports are of interest and applicability to a broad audience in the National Park Service and others in natural resource management, including scientists, conservation and environmental constituencies, and the public. The Natural Resource Report Series is used to disseminate comprehensive information and analysis about natural resources and related topics concerning lands managed by the National Park Service. The series supports the advancement of science, informed decision-making, and the achievement of the National Park Service mission. The series also provides a forum for presenting more lengthy results that may not be accepted by publications with page limitations. All manuscripts in the series receive the appropriate level of peer review to ensure that the information is scientifically credible, technically accurate, appropriately written for the intended audience, and designed and published in a professional manner. This report received informal peer review by subject-matter experts who were not directly involved in the collection, analysis, or reporting of the data. Views, statements, findings, conclusions, recommendations, and data in this report do not necessarily reflect views and policies of the National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior. Mention of trade names or commercial products does not constitute endorsement or recommendation for use by the U.S. Government. This report is available from the Sonoran Desert Network website, http://www.nature.nps.gov/im/units/sodn, as well as at the Natural Resource Publications Management web site, http://www.nature.nps.gov/publications/nrpm. To receive this report in a format optimized for screen readers, please e-mail [email protected]. Please cite this publication as: Ludwig, L. 2016. Archeological findings of the Battle of Apache Pass, Fort Bowie National Historic Site: Non-sensitive version. Natural Resource Report NPS/FOBO/NRR—2016/1361. National Park Service, Fort Collins, Colorado. NPS 424/135582, December 2016 ii Contents Page Figures.................................................................................................................................................... v Tables .................................................................................................................................................... ix Acronyms and Abbreviations................................................................................................................ xi Acknowledgments ...............................................................................................................................xiii Introduction ............................................................................................................................................ 1 Background..................................................................................................................................... 1 Study Purpose and Methods ........................................................................................................... 3 Findings and Significance .............................................................................................................. 3 Part 1: History of the Battle of Apache Pass .......................................................................................... 9 References .................................................................................................................................... 39 Part 2: Archeology of the Battle of Apache Pass ................................................................................. 43 Site Description ............................................................................................................................ 43 Methodology................................................................................................................................. 46 Artifacts ........................................................................................................................................ 50 Small Arms Ammunition ........................................................................................................ 57 Personal Items ......................................................................................................................... 67 Artillery-Related Artifacts ....................................................................................................... 70 Interpretations ............................................................................................................................... 79 Section A, Hill East of Parade Ground (16 Artifacts) ............................................................. 79 Section B, Ambush Site (42 Artifacts) .................................................................................... 83 Section C, Approach to Apache Spring (42 Artifacts) ............................................................ 86 Section D, South Side of Siphon Wash (62 Artifacts) ............................................................ 90 Section E, Point Below the First Fort (22 Artifacts) ............................................................... 92 Section F, Saddle Area (125 Artifacts) .................................................................................... 94 Section G, Area Below the Saddle (117 Artifacts) .................................................................. 97 Section H, First Fort Hill (50 Artifacts) ................................................................................ 100 Section I, Breastwork Area on Overlook Ridge (78 Artifacts) ............................................. 103 Section J, Base of Overlook Ridge (128 Artifacts) ............................................................... 107 iii Section K, First Fort Hill Overshots (42 Artifacts) ............................................................... 111 Section L, Hillside Northeast of Overlook Ridge (69 Artifacts) ........................................... 114 Section M, East Slope of Overlook Ridge (25 Artifacts) ...................................................... 120 Conclusions ................................................................................................................................ 123 References .................................................................................................................................. 127 Part 3: Appendices ............................................................................................................................. 131 Appendix A: Captain Thomas Roberts’s Report ........................................................................ 131 Appendix B: Excepts for Old Time Reminiscences, The Battle of Apache Pass ...................... 132 Appendix C: Notes of Marches Made by Co. E 1st Inft, C.V. by Eli W. Hazen ........................ 139 Appendix D: Letter From Lieutenant Thompson to Lieutenant-Colonel West .......................... 141 Appendix E: Troops at the Battle of Apache Pass ..................................................................... 142 Appendix F: Miscellaneous Bullets (N=17) ............................................................................... 146 Appendix G: Miscellaneous Artifacts (N=49) ........................................................................... 147 iv Figures Page Figure 1. Albert Jennings Fountain, 1883. New Mexico State University Library, Archives and Special Collections. ......................................................................................................... 2 Figure 2. Location of Fort Bowie National Historic Site, southeast Arizona. ....................................... 4 Figure 3. Battle of Apache Pass site. ..................................................................................................... 5 Figure 4. Overview map, progression of the Battle of Apache Pass. .................................................. 19 Figure 5. West approach to Apache Pass. ............................................................................................ 21 Figure 6. Ruins of Butterfield Overland Mail