History The US Army Camel Corps and other notable camels in US history

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The deployment of camels in the U.S. military sparked significant debate, particularly regarding their future use beyond military service. Major Wayne advocated for delaying deployment by three to four years to establish domestically bred herds for training and study. However, Secretary of War Jefferson Davis and his successor, John Floyd, favored immediate military deployment, which ultimately prevailed. The Camel Corps began its first assignment in February 1857. Over time, camels became part of American folklore, with legends like the "Red Ghost" emerging in the Southwest. Reports from the US-Mexico boundary commission in 1901 noted sightings of wild camels in southern Arizona. Additionally, small Gatling guns were developed for troops accompanied by camels, highlighting the unique military adaptations of this initiative.
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... A debate immediately arose over the deployment of the camels that would prove crucial in determining their future. Major Wayne's vision was one in which camels not only performed military service, but would also become a common feature of American commercial and private life. To this end, he proposed a three- to four-year delay of their deployment during which large, domestically bred herds could be raised, studied and trained. But both Jefferson Davis and his successor as secretary of war, John Floyd, backed immediate deployment limited to US Army service. Their views prevailed.

The Camel Corps' first assignment came in February 1857...

...Roaming the deserts, these camels unwittingly carved themselves a niche in American folklore. Legends of phantom camels popped up throughout the Southwest, prominent among them that of the "Red Ghost," which was said to have been sighted several times with a headless corpse strapped to its back. In 1901, members of the US-Mexico boundary commission reported seeing a herd of wild camels in southern Arizona... [continued]
http://www.saudiaramcoworld.com/issue/200203/camels.west.htm
 
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You may wish to Google the temrs "Gatling" and "camel gun" too. It gets pretty weird, but verifiable, just same.

There were small Gatling guns made for the troops with camels.
 
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turbo-1 said:
You may wish to Google the temrs "Gatling" and "camel gun" too. It gets pretty weird, but verifiable, just same.

There were small Gatling guns made for the troops with camels.

Of course there was a one humper and a two humper camel gun. :rolleyes:
 

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