By Al Bates
This article is one of a series that will appear in this space during this year on historic events relating to the Arizona Territory’s Sesquicentennial and the founding and establishment of Prescott as the Territory’s first capital.
After leaving Navajo Springs, Governor John Goodwin’s party of territorial officials and their military escort followed the Puerco River to the Little Colorado River, then past the Cosino Caves (now Walnut Canyon National Monument) and onward to Volunteer Springs (south of today’s Bellemont). From there they turned further south, using records from Lt. Amiel Whipple’s 1853 exploration and more recent notes from Surveyor General John Clark (Days Past, August 18) for their guides.
From the beginning at Leavenworth, Kansas, in September 1863, the party could travel only as fast as the slowest oxen-drawn freight wagon. After passing through New Mexico, the pace was even slower, for the Beale “Road” hardly deserved the name. Still worse, struggles were yet to come; they were about to enter an area with no developed roads, forcing more frequent rest days for recuperation of animals, and also equipment repair.
Impatience with the enforced slow pace had been building, thus, at an estimated two days ride from Fort Whipple, four mounted members of the party, including Judge Joseph Allyn, and Secretary Richard McCormick, accompanied on foot by six soldiers, went ahead on their own. As they approached the recently emptied Fort Whipple cache at Sycamore Canyon (Days Past, December 22) they found—stuck on a tree—a note from Lt. Pomeroy warning that the road ahead was nearly impassable and that Tonto Apaches had stolen 40 of his mules and were exhibiting open hostility.
They continued on in bright moonlight until halting near midnight, but in fear of lighting a fire lest hostile Indians would discover them. In the morning, Indian smoke signals could be seen, “in every direction.” After crossing Hell Canyon, they arrived at Fort Whipple “in time to get dinner” on January 17, 1864. In his next letter to the Hartford Courier, Judge Allyn observed, “Our welcome was of the most cordial character, and reports from the mines are the most favorable.”
The rest of the official party arrived five days later. The heavy freight wagons were several days farther behind because of the difficult-to-traverse Hell Canyon. Judge Allyn wrote that Hell Canyon was, “The most infernal canon for wagons I have seen yet. It was about 300 feet deep and the sides were nearly perpendicular, and covered with rolling stones. I doubt if wagons can get down except by letting them down with ropes.” The military escort’s commander, Lieutenant Col. J. Francisco Chavez, confirmed Allyn’s opinion, “This is by far the worst canyon I ever saw for wagons to cross and at first sight it appears impossible.”
Capt. Rafael Chacón of the escort described the actuality of the crossing: “It took us eight days to go through this canyon … Carts and wagons were lowered with a team of horses, with the four wheels tied with rope and half a pine tree fastened behind. Thus they lowered them, one by one, with their corresponding cargo. In order to make our way up, we cleared a space large enough in order that three rows of mules with twenty teams in each row could work. They spread them out to the sides and when they were united together again they had progressed the wagons about eight or ten yards, and we returned to open up the teams until they could get to the top.”
Jonathan Richmond wrote of the governor’s greeting at Fort Whipple: “Our arrival here was announced by the firing of a Governor’s Salute of eighteen guns on the morning of the 22nd. Offers of prayers and thanksgiving should have been made, but upon viewing the site which Major Willis … had selected for a military post, and, if suitable, for a capitol, we concluded to let the thing slide.” Richmond’s further comments gave a clue to the fort’s future. After praising the fine grass available for feeding the animals, he noted the lack of wood for buildings and heating, and remoteness from the mines.
The next months would be extremely busy ones for the new officials while they established the political structure necessary for a functioning territorial government. One early action would be Governor Goodwin’s exploration of his new domain taking him to Tucson and La Paz in a search for the most appropriate site for the Territorial Capitol.
Days Past is a collaborative project of the Sharlot Hall Museum and the Prescott Corral of Westerners International (www.prescottcorral.org). The public is encouraged to submit articles for Days Past consideration. Contact 445-3122, ext. 14, or email dayspastprescott@gmail.com for information.