The Great Camel Experiment was a mid-19th-century undertaking by the U.S. Army to find a superior military transport animal for the arid Southwest. The goal was to replace horses and mules with a more durable beast of burden capable of handling long-distance logistics in the newly acquired western territories.
The Genesis of the US Camel Corps
The concept was championed by Secretary of War Jefferson Davis, who secured a $30,000 appropriation from Congress in 1855. Davis believed the camel’s proven endurance and carrying capacity made it an ideal candidate for military transport. A team procured 70 camels over two voyages from the Middle East, including Dromedary (one-humped) and Bactrian (two-humped) varieties.
The first cargo landed at Indianola, Texas, in 1856, establishing the initial base at Camp Verde, Texas. Early field tests confirmed the animals’ superiority. Camels carrying over 3,600 pounds of oats completed a supply run in two days, a journey that took mule teams nearly five days. An expedition led by Lieutenant Edward Fitzgerald Beale later took a herd westward toward California, demonstrating the animals’ ability to traverse over 1,200 miles of rugged territory through the future Arizona Territory.
The End of the Experiment and Dispersal
Despite the documented success in field trials, the experiment was prematurely abandoned due to the escalating political tensions leading to the Civil War. The war diverted military focus and resources, ending any chance of the camels being fully integrated into the Army. Furthermore, many program advocates, including Jefferson Davis, resigned to join the Confederacy.
The government eventually ordered the sale of the camels, though the process was disjointed. Confederate forces seized the herd at Camp Verde, mistreating some and allowing others to wander away. The remaining herd in California was sold at public auction by Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton. The camels were sold to private owners, including freighting and mining operations, while others were simply released into the desert by owners who could not manage them.
Feral Camels in the American Southwest
The dispersal of the Army’s camels, combined with private imports, led to the development of feral populations across Texas, Nevada, California, and the Arizona Territory. These escapees and their offspring were the source of numerous documented sightings throughout the late 19th and early 20th centuries, fueling the legend of the “Wild Camel.” Their appearance often caused panic, as the exotic animals frequently frightened horses and mules, creating nuisances for settlers.
One enduring figure from this period is Hadji Ali, a Syrian camel driver hired by the U.S. Army, whose name was Americanized to “Hi Jolly.” Hi Jolly remained with the camels after the experiment ended, attempting to use them for private freighting operations in Arizona. The story of the “Red Ghost,” a large, reddish feral camel rumored to have terrorized the Arizona high country in the 1880s, is another notable anecdote from this era. Hi Jolly eventually settled in Quartzsite, Arizona, becoming a local legend tied directly to the history of the camels in the state.
The Status of Camels in Arizona Today
The core question of whether camels currently exist in Arizona as a wild population is answered definitively: they do not. While the initial dispersal created a temporary feral population that survived for decades, there is no evidence of a reproducing herd today. The last reliable sighting of a probable descendant from the original experiment is often cited as occurring around 1941 or 1942.
The camels’ typical lifespan of 40 to 50 years meant the original animals and their immediate offspring died out by the mid-20th century. Without sufficient numbers to sustain a viable breeding population, the wild camels slowly vanished from the landscape. The camel is now solely a part of Arizona’s historical folklore, commemorated by monuments like the one dedicated to Hi Jolly in Quartzsite.