Camel Expedition
1857-58Camels on the Mojave Road
In the 1850s, the United States Army experimented with camels to transport equipment and supplies across the Southwest's deserts. Secretary of War Jefferson Davis believed camels might prove more useful than horses and mules in a country where water was scarce, forage was poor, and distances between settlements were great.In 1855, Congress appropriated $30,000 to purchase camels for military use. Army officers traveled to the Mediterranean and North Africa to obtain the animals. The first shipment arrived at Indianola, Texas, on May 14, 1856, with 34 surviving camels. A second shipment of 41 arrived in February 1857, bringing the total imported for the experiment to 75.
The Army took the animals to Camp Verde, Texas, where it tested their usefulness for military transportation. They carried heavy loads, traveled considerable distances between watering places, and fed on vegetation that horses and mules often refused.
The results were encouraging enough that the Army tested the camels on a major expedition across the Southwest.
Edward F. Beale and the Wagon Road
In 1857, Edward Fitzgerald Beale, a former naval officer and federal wagon-road superintendent, was assigned to survey and improve a wagon route from Fort Defiance in present-day Arizona westward to the Colorado River.On June 25, 1857, Beale departed Camp Verde, Texas, with 25 camels, 46 mules, and 250 sheep to deliver to Fort Defiance. The expedition also included wagons, horses, teamsters, and experienced camel handlers.
Among the camel handlers was Hadji Ali, whose name Americans pronounced "Hi-Jolly." They brought him to the United States to help care for and manage the unfamiliar animals.
The soldiers and teamsters were accustomed to horses and mules. Camels were something new. Their long necks, padded feet, unusual gait, and loud complaints when being loaded made them a curiosity. Horses and mules sometimes became frightened in their presence.
Nevertheless, the camels soon proved useful.
They carried heavy loads over difficult ground and traveled through dry country where ordinary pack animals required frequent watering. They browsed on desert shrubs and other vegetation, reducing the amount of feed they had to carry.Beale became an enthusiastic supporter of their use.
Crossing the Colorado River
Beale reached the Colorado River in October 1857. The river presented a considerable obstacle to the expedition.Although the camels had already shown they could travel through dry country, their performance in deep water remained in question.
The expedition took the camels into the river and sent them across in small groups. Beale reported that they handled the crossing remarkably well, while the horses and mules experienced greater difficulty.
The crossing demonstrated that camels were useful for more than traveling across sand and desert plains. They could also negotiate rivers and other barriers encountered along an overland wagon route.
Beyond the Colorado River lay the Mojave Desert, with its broad valleys, mountain passes, rocky washes, and widely separated watering places.
Across the Mojave Desert
Beale continued west from the Colorado River toward Southern California, following the general corridor of established Native American trails and earlier overland routes.Water determined the direction of travel. Springs, river crossings, and dependable watering places were essential to moving wagons and livestock through the desert.
The camels had an advantage on the long stretches between water sources. Their ability to conserve water and browse on available vegetation made them valuable additions to the expedition.
Beale's official wagon-road assignment ended at the Colorado River, and his surviving report does not provide a detailed account of the Mojave portion of the journey. For this reason, historians cannot always identify individual camps and watering places along his westward passage with certainty.
Beale later directed improvements along the Mojave corridor, helping establish the government wagon road known as the Mojave Road.
The route followed older Native American travel corridors and built upon earlier exploration and wagon-road surveys. It later became an important military and transportation route between the Colorado River and Southern California.
Although the camels attracted considerable attention, Beale's expedition primarily aimed to develop a practical overland wagon route.
The camels were being tested while that work was carried out.
Bitter Springs and the Fort Irwin Country
Bitter Springs, northeast of present-day Barstow, was an important watering place along an older route connecting the Mojave River with the country to the northeast.Native travelers knew the spring long before American military expeditions entered the region. During the nineteenth century, Bitter Springs and the surrounding country became associated with wagon travel, military patrols, and conflicts between soldiers and Native Americans.
The earliest account of the camel expedition places Beale and Hi-Jolly at Bitter Springs. However, contemporary expedition records do not establish this particular visit.
The spring lay north of the principal Mojave Road corridor. Although the country surrounding Bitter Springs later became part of the Fort Irwin military reservation, Fort Irwin itself did not exist at the time of Beale's expedition.
The connection between the camel expedition and Bitter Springs is therefore best perceived through the stories that later developed around Hi-Jolly and the Army's camels.
Desert Legend: Hi-Jolly at Bitter Springs
One of the more colorful stories associated with the camel expedition concerns Hi-Jolly and an encounter with Native Americans near Bitter Springs.According to the story, Beale sent five men on horseback to search for water. When they failed to return, Hi-Jolly was sent out on a camel to locate them.
He reportedly discovered the men under attack by a group of Native warriors. Realizing there was no time to return for help, Hi-Jolly drew a curved sword and charged toward the attackers on his camel, shouting in Arabic.
The sudden appearance of the unfamiliar animal and its strangely dressed rider supposedly frightened the warriors, who fled, leaving the five men unharmed.
The story has everything a good desert legend should: missing soldiers, a desperate rescue, an Arabian sword, and a camel charging across the desert.
However, no verified contemporary account proves that the incident occurred. The soldiers are unnamed, the Native group is unidentified, and the episode has not been connected to a dated military report or Beale's surviving expedition records.
The story remains folklore surrounding Hi-Jolly and the Army's camels, not a documented military engagement.
Horses and Camels Compared
The Army wanted to know whether camels could do the work of horses and mules under the Southwest's harsh conditions.The results were surprisingly favorable, although the experiment also revealed problems.
How Often Did They Need Water?
Horses and mules required regular access to drinking water, especially when carrying loads in hot weather. This limited the distance they could travel between springs and rivers.Under favorable conditions, camels could go several days without drinking. Their ability to conserve water gave them a considerable advantage on long desert crossings.
However, they still needed water. Working camels still needed to drink, and their endurance depended on temperature, exertion, available forage, and the weight they carried.
What Did They Eat?
Horses and mules required suitable grass, hay, or grain to remain in good condition. Much of the desert offered little forage they preferred.Camels could browse on a wider variety of coarse vegetation, including thorny shrubs and plants that other livestock avoided.
This reduced the amount of feed they had to carry in the wagons.
How Much Could They Carry?
A packhorse or mule ordinarily carried a few hundred pounds, depending on the animal, terrain, and distance traveled.Camels could carry considerably heavier loads. Beale reported that they could carry several hundred pounds over long distances, and some experimental loads were much heavier.
The experiment reported loads of about 600 to 700 pounds, though this should not be considered a suitable load for every camel under all conditions.
Heavy loads required proper packing, suitable saddles, and occasional rest.
How Did They Travel Over Rocky Ground?
The camel's broad, padded feet suited many desert surfaces. Unlike horses, camels didn't need iron shoes.Their feet spread under the animal's weight, helping them travel over sand and uneven ground.
Beale praised their performance on gravel and rocky trails. However, later historical assessments have questioned whether he fully reported the injuries and difficulties the animals experienced on rough desert surfaces.
The camels were capable travelers, but their feet were not indestructible.
Could Camels Swim?
Yes. Camels are capable swimmers.During Beale's expedition, the camels successfully crossed the Colorado River, while horses and mules experienced greater difficulty. Some of the latter animals drowned during the crossing.
This demonstrated the camels' usefulness because a practical military pack animal needed to cross rivers and traverse deserts.
How Did They Handle Snow and Cold Weather?
The camels also performed well in winter conditions.In January 1858, Beale reported that his camels were living in two or three feet of snow in the mountains near Fort Tejon and remaining in good condition.
During a severe snowstorm, a wagon carrying provisions became stranded. Camels were sent to retrieve the load and brought it through the snow and ice after a six-mule team had been unable to move the wagon.
Beale considered this another demonstration of their value.
The incident showed the animals could work in conditions beyond the hot desert.
Camels in Winter Weather
During the winter of 1857-1858, Beale's expedition encountered cold weather, snow, and difficult travel conditions in California's mountains. The camels continued carrying their loads despite conditions quite different from the hot deserts where they were accustomed to working.Horses and mules struggled with the weather and rough terrain, but the camels proved they could travel through cold and snow. Their performance impressed Beale, who considered it another demonstration of their value.
The incident showed that camels could work in conditions beyond the hot desert.
January 1858
Were Camels Difficult to Handle?
Camels had disadvantages.They could be stubborn, noisy, and difficult to handle. Some bit, spat, or resisted being loaded. Their unfamiliar smell and appearance sometimes frightened horses and mules.
The soldiers and teamsters also lacked experience with camels. Proper handling required skills different from those used with horses.
These difficulties were real, but they did not prevent the camels from performing useful work.
Why the Camel Experiment Ended
Despite the favorable results, the Army never adopted camels on a large scale.The experiment continued after Beale's expedition, but changes in military leadership and government priorities weakened support for the program.
Secretary of War John B. Floyd, who succeeded Jefferson Davis, was impressed by the results and recommended purchasing additional camels. Congress did not approve the proposed expansion.
The approaching Civil War and the conflict itself redirected military resources and attention.
The Army also had an established transportation system based on horses, mules, wagons, and experienced teamsters. Introducing camels on a large scale would have required new equipment, trained handlers, and changes in established practices.
The government eventually disposed of its camel herds. The government sold the California animals at auction in 1864, and the remaining Texas camels in 1866.
Some of the animals entered private service, while others escaped or were released. Reports of wandering camels continued in the Southwest for decades.
Hi-Jolly's Later Years
Hadji Ali remained in the Southwest after the military camel experiment ended.He worked in various occupations in Arizona and became a familiar figure in the region. His unusual name and association with the camels made him a figure in southwestern frontier history.
Hi-Jolly died at Quartzsite, Arizona, in 1902.
A monument in Quartzsite commemorates his life and his association with the Army's camel experiment.
Legacy of the Camel Expedition
The camel experiment demonstrated that these animals could carry heavy loads, travel considerable distances between watering places, and work under conditions that challenged horses and mules.It also showed that introducing an unfamiliar animal into an established military transportation system was not simple.
The experiment did not fail because camels were incapable of doing the work. The animals performed well enough to convince several military officers that they deserved further consideration.
The Army, however, never developed the experiment into a permanent transportation program.
Beale's wagon-road expedition helped develop an important east-west route across the Southwest. The road followed older Native American travel corridors and built upon earlier exploration and wagon-road surveys.
In the Mojave Desert, the route became known as the Mojave Road and later served emigrants, travelers, and military expeditions.
The camels disappeared from military service, but their journey remained one of the more unusual episodes in the history of western transportation.
For a brief period in the 1850s, camels carrying Army supplies crossed the Mojave Desert, showing that animals brought from another continent's deserts could perform remarkably well in the American Southwest.
References
1. Beale, Edward F. Report of the Superintendent of the Wagon Road from Fort Defiance to the Colorado River. House Executive Document No. 124, 35th Congress, 1st Session, 1858.2. Lesley, Lewis Burt, editor. Uncle Sam's Camels: The Journal of May Humphreys Stacey, Supplemented by the Report of Edward Fitzgerald Beale. Harvard University Press, 1929.
3. Fowler, Harlan D. Camels to California. Stanford University Press, 1950.
4. Faulk, Odie B. The U.S. Camel Corps: An Army Experiment. Oxford University Press, 1976.
5. U.S. Army Transportation Corps. The U.S. Army Camel Corps.
6. National Park Service. The Mojave Road and the Old Spanish Trail.
7. Fort Tejon Historical Association. History of the Camels at Fort Tejon.
8. Army Historical Foundation. The U.S. Army's Camel Corps Experiment.
Historical note: The figure of 75 refers to camels imported in the two shipments, not the number living at Camp Verde at one time. The surviving herd numbered approximately 70 after earlier losses. The Hi-Jolly rescue story remains identified as folklore because no contemporary evidence has been established for the incident.
The Camel Express
Beale's Wagon Road
Edward F. Beale
To satisfy part of his transportation needs, Beale took 25 camels, imported from Tunis, as pack animals during this expedition ...Fort Tejon
Fort Tejon was located in the Canada de las Uvas, about 15 miles southwest of the ...Mojave Road
