Battle of Sulphur Springs

The Battle of Sulphur Springs was an ambush by members of the 1st California Cavalry Battalion on the Chiricahua in Sulphur Springs Valley, Arizona. It was the only engagement fought in General Mason campaign against Cochise 1865–1866.

Background
General Mason was planning a campaign against Cochise that involved the soldiers of Fort Mason. This Included men of the 7th California Infantry Regiment and the 1st California Cavalry Battalion.

Most of Native Cavalry's service in the Arizona Territory had not engage in combat with the Apache. Many of the Californios had never seen any Apache, they would only get a brief look at them. The only time they fought was just a skirmish that Captain Jimemo gave an account of "killing one Apache in a brief exchange in October. " Cochise was being very elusive in the area because of the troop increase with General Mason's appearance in Arizona.

Mason's campaign against Cochise called for troops from Fort Mason and Bowie to conduct a campaign against the Chiricahua Apaches. Colonel Lewis's lead it with men from the 1st Battalion and his own 7th. They left Fort Mason in December with the 7th Regiment of New York Volunteers flag flying overhead.

Battle
In late December they split into three detachments that scouted the San Pedro Valley and the Huachuca and Dragoon Mountains. Captain Jimeno's cavalry followed a party of Apaches to an encampment at Sulphur Springs on Christmas Eve. "Attacking from ambush, the Californios killed one Indian, wounded two others, and scattered the remainder."

Aftermath
Days after the ambush, Colonel Lewis and the rest of the expedition united with Jimeno's Cavalry at the ambush site. Heading north and west, the California Volunteers headed to Fort Bowie. By the 6 of January, command was in the field again, trailing Cochise's band in the Chiricahua Mountains. Although at one point the Californios observed sixty to seventy warriors at a distance, the Apache constantly remained a few steps ahead of Lewis's men. The chased continued as far south as Fronteras, Sonora where Lewis turn around ending the expedition's in failure. Captain Jimeno was blamed by lewis in spite of the fact that the Lancers had the only noticeable success of the campaign.

This was the last battle that the Battalion took part in.