U. S. Army Camel Corps

U. S. Army Camel Corps The proposal to use camels for commerce and transportation in the arid southwest came about in the 1830s, but it was under U. S. Secretary of War Jefferson Davis that the idea became a reality. The first shipment of camels arrived on the Texas Gulf Coast in 1856, and they were taken to Camp Verde (150 mi. NE of here) for training. Several expeditions made their way west through Del Rio, and this park was the site of one of their camps. Although the officers in charge wrote favorably of the Camel Corps, the Civil War brought the experiment to a close. Confederate troops stationed at nearby Fort Hudson found camels still in the area, and confirmed sightings of wild camels continued into the mid-20th century. (2002)

U. S. Army Camel Corps is a historical marker in Del Rio, Val Verde County, dedicated in 2002. It is one of 61 historical markers documented in Val Verde County in the Texas Historical Commission Atlas, among 75 historic sites cataloged across the county.

The site sits at 29.3674, -100.8829 near Del Rio. The nearest cataloged historic site is Camp Del Rio, Site of (historical marker), about 0.1 miles away. Others within a short drive include Camp Michie, Val Verde County, and Cal Rodgers and the Vin Fiz.

This record corresponds to Texas Historical Commission Atlas #5465012800. Use the map below for its exact position and turn-by-turn directions.