Kearny, Arizona

At the outbreak of the Mexican War in 1846, President Polk directed Colonel Kearny to organize the so-called "Army of the West" and to lead it to Santa Fe and thence on to secure California. On August 18, 1846, Kearny claimed the area of Santa Fe for the United States and organized a civil government.<br><br> Dividing his forces near Socorro, New Mexico, and with Kit Carson serving as guide, Kearny proceeded on the long march to California with 100 dragoons.<br><br> The official log of this trip, kept by Lt. William H. Emory, records under the dates of November 5 and 6, 1846, that the group camped near the junction of the Gila and San Pedro rivers near the town of Winkelman, Arizona. On November 7, 1846, they journeyed down the Gila passing near this marker and camped that night at the junction of the Gila River and a creek named by Lt. Emory as "Mineral Creek" on which the now famous mines of Ray, Arizona are located.<br><br> General Kearny has often been called the "Father of the United States Cavalry" statesman as well as soldier. He was Military Governor of New Mexico where he had established a code of laws known as the Kearny Code which has continued as a basis of the laws of that state to this date. He was also Military Governor of California and two great foreign cities, Vera Cruz and Mexico City. General Kearny died at St. Louis, Missouri at the age of 54 of fever contracted during his service in Mexico.<br><br> <center>Born 1794 - Died 1848</center>