I am an Arizona boy, born and raised, and have always loved the lore and mystery of my home state. Well here is a story from my hometown that by all appearances was true. I have found accounts of this occurrence in journals and papers.
The story takes place in the late 1890s and carried on into the early 1900s. The tale goes that many early settlers of the southern part of the Verde Valley encountered a horrific monster that stalked the wilds between Ft. Verde and Ft. McDowell on the Salt River (the phantom was known as 'the Red Ghost'). It was described either as a 10 ft tall skeleton carrying a lantern or a skeleton riding a horrific red demon monster that stood feet taller than any horse. After years of sightings one old lion hunter managed to shoot the beast, aiming for its monstrous mount intending to capture the specter alive to make his fortune from showing it in a traveling show.
He tracked his mysterious quarry for miles, following tracks of a size and shape he had never seen. Eventually his 45/70 caliber ball did its job and the beast collapsed, allowing the old hunter to close within a hundred yards at which point he fired again, ending the monsters violent thrashing. He was crestfallen to see that in the ruckus the specter seemed to have been killed as pieces of bone and cloth were scattered about the beast and there was no sign of its rider.
The old man approached a beast which he had never encountered before fitted with a saddle of a style he had never seen. However, much to his amazement, the leather straps of this strange rig that had been on the creature so long that they had worn deep bloody sores into its body were bedecked with brass fittings with a very familiar stamp; U.S. CAVALRY. And even more incredible, on the beasts rump the oh so familiar U.S. Cavalry brand. This old hunter had killed a lost cavalry camel from Ft. McDowell's failed cavalry camel experiment.
Flashback now to the late 1890s. The day of the delivery of the camels to the fort the young cavalry men were ordered to choose and begin training a mount. Many of the men were dubious of these foul smelling, large and lumbering, spitting creatures but apparently one young trooper's fear was so great that he wouldn't come within 20 yards of the camels. To correct his man the lieutenant ordered the young coward tied securely to his mounts back and set loose in a pen to overcome his phobia.
Well after a short time the camel took fright at a pistol shot and broke through the cedar posts that formed the corral, carrying his helpless passenger off into the desert and while an effort was made to track him later he could not be rescued in the moment as none of the men including the officers knew how to ride a camel to chase him down. This poor young trooper remained the passenger of the lost camel until he perished right there on it's back and began the slow process of desert mummification. Only to be freed from his strange resting place by an old lion hunter nearly a decade later. JJ
NOTE: Here's a link to an article about the Army Camel Corps. Lon
**********
Facebook event announcement: Ken Gerhard - Cryptozoologist - 'The Essential Guide to Bigfoot' - Arcane Radio
**********
**********
**********
Commercial pilot films strange 'metallic' UFO
This is how many motorists think they’ve seen a ghost while driving on 'haunted roads'
The Creepy Wax Covered heads of 19th Century Thieves and Murderers
The Mysterious Sea Monk
Loch Ness-Type Monster Filmed In Argentine Lake
Marcus Ellis - Crypto Researcher / Investigator - Arcane Radio
Arcane Radio Archive
'Phantoms & Monsters' Mobile Archive at News360 - Updated daily - Make sure to bookmark
'Phantoms and Monsters' Daily Archive at Mix.com - Over 4K posts! - Updated and adding daily - Make sure to bookmark
'Phantoms & Monsters' Daily Posts at Flipboard and the 'Phantoms and Monsters' Fortean Archive at Flipboard - Top Pre-2016 posts - Make sure to bookmark
Phantoms and Monsters / Arcane Radio on YouTube
One of my recent interviews - Vegas Supernatural hosted by Shawn Whittington - KCOR Radio
Chicago & Regional Winged Humanoid / Flying Entity Sightings & Encounters
Chicago & Regional Winged Humanoid / Flying Entity Sightings & Encounters Interactive Map
PA Upright Canine/Dogman Witness Sightings Map
Phantoms and Monsters Fortean Research / Pennsylvania Lycan Investigations / Bigfoot & Sasquatch / Upright Canines & Dogman
Todd Sees Investigation
Lon Strickler - Fortean Researcher / Author
Phantoms & Monsters Ad Rates
**********
Orbs and Beyond: Communications and Revelations From Another Reality
The Brown Mountain Lights: History, Science and Human Nature Explain an Appalachian Mystery (Contributions to Southern Appalachian Studies)
Mysteries of Mount Shasta: Home Of The Underground Dwellers and Ancient Gods
Lightforms: Spiritual Encounters with Unusual Light Phenomena
The Phoenix Lights: A Skeptics Discovery that We Are Not Alone
Lon's Suggested Reading List - Books & Films / DVDs
**********
Disclaimer:
The publication of any and all content e.g., articles, reports, editorials, commentary, opinions, as well as graphics and or images on this web-site does not constitute sanction or acquiescence of said content unless specified; it is solely for informational purposes.
Fair Use Notice:
This site may contain copyrighted material the use of which may not be specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material available in our efforts to advance understanding of environmental, political, human rights, economic, democratic, scientific, social justice, and religious issues, etc. We believe this constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes.
You understand that all Content posted on, transmitted through, or linked from the Phantoms and Monsters Site, are the sole responsibility of the person from whom such Content originated. You are responsible for all Content that you post, email or otherwise make available via the Phantoms and Monsters Site. Phantoms and Monsters does not control, and is not responsible for Content made available through the Phantoms and Monsters Site. By using the Phantoms and Monsters Site, you acknowledge that you may be exposed to Content from other users that is offensive, indecent, inaccurate, misleading, or otherwise objectionable.
Please Note:
On this day, November 27, 2014, in accord with 15 U.S. Code Chapter 107 - Protection of Intellectual Property Rights, I declare that my rights are attached to all personal data, voice recordings, photos, art, text, titles, etc. published or reproduced at any media source. For commercial and/or recreational use of the foregoing my written consent is required at all times. By this release, I tell all unauthorized person and/or parties that it is strictly forbidden to disclose, copy, distribute, broadcast, or to take any other action against me on the basis of its contents. The actions mentioned above apply equally to employees, students, agents and/or other staff under the direction of the offending parties. The contents of my profile include private information. The violation of my privacy is punished by the law (UCC 1 1-308 - 308 1 -103 and the Rome Statute) NOTE: Any use of witness information, which includes any attempt to contact a witness or persons involved in an event, is strictly prohibited without the written consent of Phantoms & Monsters.
© 2005-2020 Phantoms & Monsters - All Rights Reserved
