Victorio’s War

In 1879, Apache leader Victorio resisted forced removal from his homeland in New Mexico to the San Carlos Reservation in Arizona. Refusing to surrender, he and his followers launched a yearlong guerrilla campaign that swept across southern New Mexico, West Texas, and northern Mexico. Victorio’s band clashed repeatedly with U.S. troops, including the 9th Cavalry, and raided settlements along the borderlands before being surrounded and defeated by Mexican forces at the Battle of Tres Castillos in October 1880.

Victorio’s courage and tactical skill earned him a lasting place in frontier history. Historians remember him as one of the most capable guerrilla leaders of the Apache Wars, commanding respect even from his adversaries. After his death, leadership passed to his lieutenant, Nana, who continued the struggle the following year.

While little remains to be seen from the battles Victorio fought, travelers can see first-hand the type of terrain where the Apaches and US Army troops had to fight in Victorio Canyon. Victorio Canyon is a canyon located in Culberson County, Texas. Named for the Apache war chief Victorio, the canyon originates southwest of Victorio Peak and runs northeast for about eleven miles.