Sometimes difficult circumstances occasionally require some out-of-the-box thinking. Such was the history of camels in the Old West. The vast, arid desert conditions in America’s Southwest challenged most 19th-century explorers and settlers. So, in the 1850s, the American government created the US Camel Corp.
Why Were Camels Needed?
By 1850, America had included the Southwest, from Texas to southern California. During and after the 1849 Gold Rush, westward-bound settlers needed to cross the arid desert regions, often with difficulty. Horses, mules, and oxen worked but required water and food. This, too, affected the US Army, which needed to protect settlers from outlaws, harsh terrain and potentially hostile tribes. In stepped Secretary of War Jefferson Davis, future Confederate President. In 1855, Jefferson proposed using camels to President Franklin Pierce. To him and his supporters, this was a no-brainer. Camels were a desert species. They required less water, carried heavier loads, travel further, ate wild plants.
Who Imported the Camels?
The US Army became the importer. Once the decision was made, Congress allocated $30,000, forming the US Camel Corp. The Army sent two officers to Southern Europe and North Africa to buy camels. They stopped in various ports in Tunisia, Malta, Turkey, Greece and Egypt. In total, they purchased thirty-three camels plus riding gear since such items didn’t exist back home. Also, the team hired five camel drivers to help, being unfamiliar with the beasts.
The team purchased two camel breeds to see which did better. Dromedary (single hump) camels, Bactrian (twin hump) camels, and even a hybrid called a boogdhee. This cross is larger than either parent and is used for draft work. Upon completion, all boarded the USS Supply in mid-February 1856, bound for Texas. Upon their return, Davis ordered one of the officers to return to purchase more. The Army established the first Camel Corp base in Camp Verde, Texas, in August 1856.
Where Were Camels Used?
Once the Camel Corp settled in at Camp Verde, the experiment started. As a test, Major Wayne, the Corp’s commander, organized a trip to San Antonio, Texas. Three wagons pulled by mule teams competed with six camels to return with oats. The camels speedily won, carrying only half what the mules carried but in two days. The mules took nearly five days. With the camel concept firmly established, the Army started using camels for military expeditions.
In several more expeditions to rough parts of the Southwest, camels triumphed over horses or mules. During an August 1857 surveying expedition from Fort Defiance, the camels impressed their handlers. Apart from their mellow dispositions, the camels ate any food given to them, kept a steady pace, and needed little water. The camels even ate creosote plants, edible to other Army pack animals. The expedition ended near Los Angeles, California, covering 1,200 miles in four months.
Why Did Camels Work So Well?
The US Camel Corp successfully debuted in 1857. The surveying expeditions around the Southwest US from 1857 through 1859 worked well. The camel’s natural abilities made them better for desert climates than most pack animals. Horses, mules, and oxen required frequent watering, had less endurance, and were prone to injuries.
Camels needed water infrequently, carried heavier loads, and dealt well with heat or cold. In one case, a camel bitten by a rattlesnake only required a quick treatment. Though not as fast as horses and more difficult to train, these “ships of the desert worked well. Camel Corp officers heartily recommended purchasing more, but events overtook this experiment.
How Did the Civil War End the Camel Corp?
On April 12, 1861, the Civil War broke out. Fighting happened more in the East. US Troops in the Southwest declared for the Confederacy or the Union. The Union abandoned Camp Verde. Confederate troops moved in, even employing Hadji, a Turkish man who arrived with the first camels. The Confederates made little use of the camels. Most were used for hauling baggage or supply runs. Few Confederate soldiers (or Union) liked their smell or how easily they spooked horses. Rumors of Confederates shooting camels surfaced. When Union soldiers recaptured Fort Verde in 1865, many camels survived.
When did the US Army End the Camel Corp?
The decade-long story of the Camel Corp ended in 1866. Any government interest faded during the War. Being far fewer available than horses and mules, they became a burden. All camels in Texas and California were auctioned. Some were set loose, scattering into the wilderness. Camel sightings occurred for years after the War, the last confirmed one shot in 1893. Other rumors occurred until 1914.
