A Visit to Picacho Peak for the Battle’s 163rd Anniversary
I had the opportunity recently to visit Picacho Peak State Park, midway between Phoenix and Tucson, Arizona. The battle that took place there—the westernmost battle of the war—took place on April 15, 1862.
To call it a “battle” is giving it too much credit, really. It was little more than a skirmish. However, six of the 13 Federals who participated ended up as casualties, including three dead. Federals also captured three Confederates and claimed to have wounded two, although Confederates claimed their 10-person force made it through unscathed. Depending on whose numbers you believe, that’s as much as a 50% casualty rate. Skirmish or battle or whatever you want to call it, that’s still an eye-popping percentage.
I wanted to share a few pics from the trip, as well as a link to a short video I posted at the Emerging Civil War YouTube page. It’s a battlefield most folks don’t get to see, so I wanted to share a quick look. My thanks to the great folks at the Scottsdale (AZ) Civil War Roundtable for helping make my visit possible.
I stayed in the campground at Picacho Pass years before I became interested in the Civil War. It’s ann interesting area to explore for flora & fauna. Even though I am culturally tied to the region, it was still a surprise to read about the skirmish that took place there. It wasn’t until I read MeganKate Nelson’s “Three Cornered War” that I was educated on the complexities of Southwest regarding the Civil War and what followed.
In the many years since I started visiting Pichaco Peak as a high school student, the historical society and the AZ DOT have tried to make as much of the ‘battle’ as is reasonably possible. Look at that amazing sky. That is not a photographic trick. It is really that blue.
Are there any witness cacti?
There was a 175 year old saguaro there that toppled back in 2023. It might have been the only one. But, saguaros are elusive vedettes, having no tree rings, and largely aged based on their height and the number of arms. At this point, 163 years after the skirmish, it’s unlikely any of the saguaros would be witnesses.
Thank you, Chris! These are great pictures of Picacho Peak! I’m heading over now to watch the video you posted. It was great to have you speak to the Scottsdale Civil War Roundtable and a pleasure to meet you!
Cheri