Third Battle of Tucson (1782)

The Third Battle of Tucson took place during the Spanish colonization of Sonora, now the present day Arizona in the United States. The battle pitched the Apache warriors against the Spanish cavalry garrison of Tucson.

Third Battle of Tucson
Part of the Apache-Mexico Wars
A group of Apaches in their traditional tribal clothing, year unknown.
Date December 25, 1782 Location Tucson, Arizona Result Spanish victory
Belligerents
Spain	Apache
Commanders and leaders
Pedro Allande y Saabedra	unknown
Strength
~60 cavalry 1 fort	~200 warriors
Casualties and losses
unknown	6 killed

Battle

On Christmas Day, December 25, 1782, Apache attacked Tucson for a third time, specifically to raid the cattle herds. General Pedro Allande y Saabedra described the attack later:

"More than 200 seized the cattle which were recovered by the parties of troops which he dispatched in their pursuit inasmuch as the wound in his leg was still open. They were able to kill six of the Apache aggressors, whose heads were cut off."

The heads were later placed along the presidio walls, meant to scare off potential threats. Specific Spanish casualties are not known. Apaches would attack again, two years later, to try a capture Spanish livestock again.

See also

• History of Tucson, Arizona
• Siege of Tubac
• American Indian Wars
• Apache Wars
• Navajo Wars

References

1. Bancroft, Hubert Howe, 1888, History of Arizona and New Mexico, 1530–1888. The History Company, San Francisco.
2. Cooper, Evelyn S., 1995, Tucson in Focus: The Buehman Studio. Arizona Historical Society, Tucson. (ISBN 0-910037-35-3).
3. Dobyns, Henry F., 1976, Spanish Colonial Tucson. University of Arizona Press, Tucson. (ISBN 0-8165-0546-2).
4. Drachman, Roy P., 1999, From Cowtown to Desert Metropolis: Ninety Years of Arizona Memories. Whitewing Press, San Francisco. (ISBN 1-888965-02-9).