
17/08/2025
In 1836, Major George H. Crosman of the U.S. Army, drawing on his experiences during the American Indian Wars in Florida, recognized the potential of camels as reliable pack animals. He advocated for their use in military transportation and urged the War Department to explore the idea. Later, around 1848 or earlier, Major Henry C. Wayne conducted a detailed study and recommended importing camels to the War Department—echoing the views of Senator Jefferson Davis of Mississippi. Davis faced initial resistance, but after becoming Secretary of War in 1853 under President Franklin Pierce, the concept gained traction, particularly as the Army confronted the challenges of operating in arid southwestern regions.
In his 1854 annual report, Davis highlighted the practical advantages of using camels and dromedaries for military and logistical purposes. Acting on this recommendation, Congress approved $30,000 on March 3, 1855 (equivalent to approximately $872,464 in 2021) to fund the project. Davis later issued a report in 1857 titled Purchase of Camels for Military Transportation.
Years later, Edward Fitzgerald Beale reportedly told his son, Truxtun, that the idea of using camels first came to him while exploring Death Valley with Kit Carson. Davis reportedly supported the notion, and Beale persuaded his friend and relative, Lieutenant David Dixon Porter, to request command of the camel acquisition expedition. However, no corroborating evidence exists in Beale’s diaries or papers to confirm this account.