Senior Noncommissioned Officers from the 10th Mountain Division received a hands-on look at the Battle of Hembrillo during a recent trip led by White Sands Missile Range Museum volunteer Gerry Veara.
Veara preceded the Oct. 16, 2019, trip with a historical lecture to provide historical and strategic context to the 1880 battle between the Army and Apache Indians.
The battle occurred in Hembrillo Canyon, located on White Sands Missile Range, in April 1880 between 9th Cavalry Buffalo Soldiers and a combined band of Chiricahua and Mescalero Apaches led by Chief Victorio.
Victorio held off an attack by superior numbers of Army Soldiers and Indian scouts, evacuated his women and children from the battlefield, and withdrew successfully.
Once on the battlefield, the group of First Sergeants and Sergeants Major were impressed with Victorio's ability to respond to the changing conditions on the battlefield and maneuver his warriors from one advantageous position to another without modern communications.
They also admired the tenacity and discipline displayed by the soldiers of the 9th Cavalry as they fought for their survival.
The photos show the group crossing the battlefield and climbing Carroll's Ridge, gathered at the top of Carroll's Ridge and a group photo at Bloody Hands.
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