Sitgreaves Expedition

Sitgreaves Expedition
Part of the American Indian Wars
On the Big Colorado, near Camp 37 by J. Ackerman.
Date September 1851 - November 30, 1851 Location New Mexico, Arizona, California Result United States victory in battle, successful expedition.
Belligerents
United States	Mohave
Commanders and leaders
Lorenzo Sitgreaves	unknown
Strength
51 infantry	~55 warriors
Casualties and losses
1 killed	4 killed

The Sitgreaves Expedition Down the Zuni and Colorado Rivers in 1851 was a combined American scientific and military mission to explore the Zuni River, the Little Colorado River and the Colorado River in 1851. Setting out from northern New Mexico, the expedition traveled west across Arizona and then south along the Colorado to Fort Yuma in California. Mohave native Americans attacked the explorers during their trek across the desert and in a short battle the natives were repulsed.

Since the Mexican Cession of 1848, topographers, naturalists and other enthusiasts had wanted to explore two of the largest rivers in the newly acquired lands so in 1850, an expedition was organized for that purpose. United States Army commanders were also interested in the area as tension with the Mormons was high and war was expected. Specifically the expedition was sent to map the riverways and determine if they could be navigated by river steamers. Before the establishing of railroads across the Old West, the frontier's riverways were seen and used as a valuable means of transportation. Captain Lorenzo Sitgreaves, of the Corps of Topographical Engineers, was appointed commander and with fifty infantrymen, some porters and the small group of enthusiasts, they headed west from the Zuni Pueblo in September 1851 for the Zuni River. Passing through the Petrified Forest, the party reached the Zuni and followed it southwest to its mouth at the confluence with the Little Colorado just north of present-day Woodruff, Arizona.

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