Jefferson Davis and the Failed US Army Camel Corps
In 1847, Major Henry C. Wayne sought camels from the War Department, emphasizing their adaptability to desert environments. Although Senator Jefferson Davis backed the initiative, it did not succeed at first. However, as Secretary of War in 1853, Davis reintroduced the concept, resulting in a $30,000 funding allocation for a camel corps in 1855. The USS Supply, commanded by Lieutenant David Dixon Porter, brought 33 camels from the Mediterranean, reaching Texas on February 11, 1856. While field tests indicated that camels were not fit for cavalry use, they proved valuable as pack animals. During the Civil War, Confederate forces mistreated the camels, leading to their eventual dispersal. The last military camel, Topsy, is said to have died in 1934, with no remaining wild population today.
Key facts
- Major Henry C. Wayne requested camels from the War Department in 1847
- Congress appropriated $30,000 for the camel corps in 1855
- The USS Supply was refitted as a floating camel barn with stalls, hatches, ventilation and harnesses
- 33 camels were acquired in Tunis, Egypt, Constantinople and Smyrna and sailed for the US on February 11, 1856
- The herd comprised nine dromedaries, 23 Bactrians and one hybrid, growing to 34 with a birth during the 87-day voyage
- Camels failed as cavalry animals but hauled twice a six-mule team's load in two days versus five in a 1858 test
- 25 camels served under Edward Fitzgerald Beale on a wagon road later used as an immigration route to Arizona
- The last army camel, Topsy, reportedly died in 1934
Entities
Artists
- Jefferson Davis
- Henry C. Wayne
- Franklin Pierce
- David Dixon Porter
- Edward Fitzgerald Beale
Institutions
- Senate Committee on Military Affairs
- War Department
- US Army
- US Navy
- Confederacy
- USS Supply
- Library of Congress
- Wikimedia Commons
- Smithsonian Magazine
- TheCollector
Locations
- United States
- American Southwest
- Texas
- Cape Verde
- Arizona
- Tunis
- Tunisia
- Egypt
- Constantinople
- Turkey
- Smyrna
- Mediterranean
- Middle East