JANUARY 9, 1918

BATTLE OF BEAR VALLEY VERSUS YAQUI-LAST BATTLE OF AMERICAN INDIAN WARS

In 1918, the Yaquis were in open rebellion against Mexico hoping to establish a new independent state for themselves. Also, with Pancho Villa’s army in the region, the army’s presence on the border with Mexico was steady. Members of the 10^th U.S. Cavalry—the Buffalo Soldiers–came to the assistance of a shop owner whose cow had been mutilated allegedly by the Yaqui. Following their likely trails back to Mexico, the troops quickly came under fire from concealed positions. In the end, the skirmish was nothing remarkable. A Yaqui native was killed and 9 more were captured. The rest scattered into the hills. Later, the Yaqui prisoners claimed that they only fired on the Americans because they thought they were Mexican irregulars. The Battle of Bear Valley will go down as the last official engagement of America’s longest conflict.

Source: Grant Piper, “Bear Valley: The Last Battle of The American Indian Wars,” Exploring History, 1/9/2021. Retrieved 7/24/2022, Bear Valley: The Last Battle of The American Indian Wars | by Grant Piper | Exploring History | Medium

Photo:  Bain News Service, 1910-15. Public Domain.  Source: United States Library of Congress's Prints and Photographs division: Digital ID ggbain 16451, Yaqui Indians | Library of Congress (loc.gov), LOC Control Number: 2014696427