Battle of Apache Pass The Battle of Apache Pass was fought in 1862 at Apache Pass , Arizona , in the United States , between Apache warriors and the Union volunteers of the California Column as it marched from California to capture Confederate Arizona and to reinforce New Mexico ' s Union army . It was one of the largest battles between the Americans and the Chiricahua during the Apache Wars . Background . In early 1862 , Colonel James H . Carleton ' s force set out from Fort Yuma for Tucson , Arizona which had recently been occupied by a Confederate force , Company A , Arizona Rangers . After a small engagement known as the Battle of Picacho Pass just north of Tucson between a detachment of Carleton ' s cavalry and Confederate pickets , Carleton advanced on Tucson in three columns . His troops arrived in Tucson on May 20 , 1862 , forcing the heavily outnumbered Confederate garrison to withdraw without a fight . After capturing Confederate Arizona ' s Western outpost , Carleton prepared to march east with his main body in July , intending to enter New Mexico through Apache Pass in Southeast Arizona . To prepare for the advance of his main force , he sent a column ahead as he had on his march from Yuma to Tucson . The column was led by Captain Thomas L . Roberts of Company E , 1st California Infantry , accompanied by two 12 - pounder mountain howitzer s , a twenty - two man cavalry escort from Company B , 2nd Regiment California Volunteer Cavalry led by Captain John C . Cremony , and twenty - one wagons plus 242 mules and horses . After Roberts reached the San Pedro River , it became necessary to learn whether Dragoon Springs , twenty - eight miles further east , could supply both companies with water , or whether they would be forced to separate into smaller detachments . Captain Roberts led the advance detachment with his infantry company , joined by three wagons , the howitzers and seven of Cremony ' s best horsemen to serve as scouts and couriers . Captain Cremony remained behind with fifteen cavalry and ten of Roberts ' infantrymen , including the detachment left as a garrison at the river , where an adobe stage station building provided shelter and a defensive position to guard the remaining wagons and animals . Roberts found the water at Dragoon Springs was enough to support the entire force , and Cremony joined with him the next day . Together they advanced on the springs at Apache Pass in the same manner , leaving Cremony with the guard detachment . Battle . At noon on July 15 , Roberts detachment had just entered Apache Pass . After traveling about two - thirds through , Roberts ' force was attacked by about 500 Apache warriors led by Mangas Coloradas and Cochise . ( Geronimo claimed to have fought in this battle but this has not been confirmed . ) The Union soldiers were not in a good situation . The infantrymen had walked dozens of miles across the hot Arizona desert , heading for the spring at Apache Pass , which was now blocked to them by the well - armed Chiricahua warriors . Low on water , and realizing a retreat back to Tucson without water could cost him many men , Roberts chose to fight . The Apaches had thrown up defenses , which consisted of several breastworks made of stone . They had also surprised the invaders with an ambush , waiting until the soldiers came within thirty to eighty yards of their positions before opening fire . Behind almost every mesquite tree and boulder hid an Apache with his rifle , six - shooter and knife . At first the Union troops could barely see their attackers . After a few minutes of intense combat , Roberts ordered retreat , and his force withdrew to the mouth of Apache Pass . His men regrouped and unlimbered the mountain howitzers for an advance against the Apaches . This was one of the first times the United States Army had been able to use artillery against the Indians in the Southwest . Roberts ordered his infantry to take the hills overlooking the pass , while he remained in the pass to direct the artillery support . The skirmishers moved forward , where they were able to take cover in an abandoned Butterfield Overland Mail station . The foot soldiers were now about 600 yards from the spring . Overlooking the spring were two hills , one on the east , the other on the south . The Apaches riflemen behind the breastworks on the hills were delivering a deadly fire against the attackers . Roberts advanced with his howitzers forward and had them open fire . Their effectiveness was limited by the fact that they were 300 to 400 feet below the Apache defenses . Roberts moved his guns ahead to a better position , all the time under heavy fire . Once the guns were in effective range , the artillery opened fire in earnest . The Apaches held their positions until nightfall , when they fled , allowing the Union troops to reach the spring . After allowing his tired men to enjoy a meal , Roberts retreated to bring up Cremony ' s detachment . The next morning the Apaches returned , but they fled once the artillery opened fire on them . Aftermath . Two of Captain Roberts men were killed and three wounded in the battle for the spring . According to a report Colonel Carleton made to Colonel Richard C . Drum on September 20 , 1862 , about 10 Apaches were killed . According to Captain Cremony , however , a prominent Apache who was present in the engagement had said that sixty - three warriors were killed by the artillery , while only three died from small arms fire . Said the unnamed Apache , " " We would have done well enough if you had not fired wagons at us . " " The howitzers being on wheels , were called wagon s by the Apaches , who were unfamiliar with artillery tactics . Mangas Coloradas himself was wounded in the action , receiving a bullet wound in the chest when attempting to kill one of Roberts ' cavalry scouts . One day after the battle , on the New Mexico side of Apache Pass , the bodies of nine murdered and scalped white civilians were found . Carleton decided that it was necessary to establish a post at the pass to prevent settlers from being ambushed as they passed through it . On July 4 , the first units of the California Column reached Mesilla , New Mexico , along the Rio Grande . At the same time , the last remnants of the Confederate army withdrew to Texas . The 5th California Infantry was ordered to build a fort in Apache Pass , calling it Fort Bowie in honor of their colonel , George Washington Bowie . Carleton was placed in command of the Union ' s Department of New Mexico , and he continued to campaign against the hostiles in that area . Today the battlefield and fort are preserved in Fort Bowie National Historic Site . The engagement was portrayed somewhat inaccurately in the 1952 film The Battle at Apache Pass .