One of the largest battles in Arizona history, it was the only known hostile native assault on a heavily garrisoned U.S. fort after the Mexican–American War.
Key Facts
- Navajo attacking force
- ~1,000 warriors
- U.S. defenders
- 150 soldiers, 3rd Infantry
- Navajo casualties
- ~7 killed, several wounded
- U.S. casualties
- 4 killed, 3 wounded
- Date of battle
- April 29, 1860
- U.S. commander
- Captain Oliver L. Shepherd
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
Tensions during the Navajo Wars led Navajo warriors to plan a coordinated surprise assault on Fort Defiance in New Mexico Territory (present-day Arizona), one of the primary U.S. Army posts in the region. Ongoing conflicts over land and resources between the Navajo people and U.S. forces had escalated to the point of open confrontation.
On April 29, 1860, approximately 1,000 Navajo warriors launched a surprise attack against Fort Defiance, defended by around 150 soldiers of the 3rd U.S. Infantry under Captain Oliver L. Shepherd. The defenders consolidated in the center of the fort's buildings and repulsed the assault, forcing the Navajo to retreat.
The Navajo suffered around seven killed and several wounded; the U.S. garrison lost four men killed and three wounded. The battle prompted militia commander Lieutenant Colonel Manuel Antonio Chaves to launch an unauthorized campaign into Navajo territory in 1860 and 1861, further intensifying the broader conflict.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
1 belligerent
Captain Oliver L. Shepherd.
Side B
1 belligerent