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Hunter's Arizona Campaign
- Time Period: February 10- May 14, 1862
- Area: Arizona area
- Explanation: ?????
On February 10, Capt. Hunter and Company A, Baylor's Regiment of Arizona Rangers were ordered to proceed to Tucson, Arizona, there to establish an advanced military post for observation of Union forces known to be gathering in California, and to pacify the surrounding area, which was under threat of attack by the dreaded Apache Indians. These orders marked the beginning of Captain Hunter's Arizona Campaign, which was to last until May 14th.
Arriving in Tucson on February 27th, Hunter conducted a brilliant hit-and-run campaign in which his tiny Confederate force (consisting of less than 100 men) liberated what is now the state of Arizona from the rule of the United States, carried the Confederate flag to within 80 miles of the Colorado River (the farthest west penetration of the Confederate army), captured or destroyed foodstuffs and hay stored for the use of a 2,000-man Union army from California, thus delaying the advance of said army by more than a month, and fought and won the westernmost skirmish (Stanwix Station, March 30, 1862) and battle (Picacho Pass, April 15, 1862) of the Civil War.
During this campaign they inflicted losses of 3 killed, 4 wounded, and 10 captured on the Californians, for a loss of only 3 men captured (by the Federals at Picacho Pass) and 1 dead (not by enemy action...Pvt. Benjamin Mays died of pleurisy at San Simon on February 25th). They also fought 2 engagements against the Apaches in which they lost 4 men killed (at Dragoon Springs on May 5, 1862) while in return slaying 5 of their enemies (on May 9, also near Dragoon Springs).
They were finally forced to evacuate Tucson on May 14th, arriving back at Mesilla on May 27th.
When the Confederate Army of New Mexico evacuated the Mesilla region and went back to Texas, Hunter and Company A (which had, in June 1862, been amalgamated with other Arizona cavalry companies to form Lt. Col. Philemon T. Herbert's Battalion of Arizona Cavalry) went with them.
