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Battle of Hembrillo Basin

Battle of Hembrillo Basin
Part of the Apache Wars, Victorio's War

A map of the engagement in Hembrillo Basin. Note that N is to the left on this map.
DateApril 5–8, 1880
Location
Hembrillo Basin, Doña Ana County, New Mexico
Result Apache Victory, women and children evacuated and U.S. Army kept at bay
Belligerents
 United States Apache
Commanders and leaders
United States Henry Carroll Victorio
Strength
c. 220 cavalry, 150 Indian scouts ~150 warriors
Casualties and losses
2 killed
5 wounded		 perhaps 3 dead

32°55′26″N 106°38′42″W / 32.924°N 106.645°W / 32.924; -106.645 The Battle of Hembrillo Basin was fought April 5–8, 1880 between the United States Army against a combined band of Chiricahua and Mescalero Apaches led by Chief Victorio.[1][2][3] Hembrillo Basin was the largest battle of Victorio's War, although casualties were light on both sides. Victorio held off an attack by superior numbers of army soldiers and Indian scouts, evacuated his women and children from the battlefield, and withdrew successfully. Hembrillo Basin is located on the White Sands Missile Range and access by the public is strictly regulated.

Victorio was the Apache leader.

Forced out of one of his strongholds, Victorio engaged in a running battle with thousands of American and Mexico troops which would end with his defeat and death by the Mexican army a few months later.[4]

  1. ^ White Sands Missile Range: WSMR Chronology: Cowboys to V-2s to the Space Shuttle to Lasers
  2. ^ Milliken, Frederic. The Buffalo Soldiers. Phoenixmasonry Masonic Museum.
  3. ^ Associated Press. (1999) "Scientists rewrite history of cavalry, Apache fight", Lubbock Avalanche Journal, 24 April 1999
  4. ^ The Hembrillo Battlefield," White Sands Missile Range Museum, http://www.wsmr-history.org/Hembrillo.htm Archived 2010-12-13 at the Wayback Machine, accessed 21 May 2018