Photo: Historical Background Sign

Photographer: Thomas Chris English
Taken: December 11, 2009
Caption: Historical Background Sign
Additional Description: Hi Jolly The famous camel herd with which the name of Hi Jolly is linked constitutes an interesting sidelight of Arizona history….
Jefferson Davis (afterward President of the Southern Confederacy). As Secretary of War. Approved a plan to experiment with camels for freighting and communication in the arid Southwest….Major Henry C. Wayne of the U.S. Army and Lt. D.D. Porter (later a distinguished admiral in the Civil War) visited the Levant with the storeship “Supply” and procurred 33 camels which were landed at Indianola, Texas. February 10, 1856. 41 were added on a second voyage….
With the first camels came. As caretaker, Haiji Ali whose Arabic name was promptly changed to “Hi Jolly” by the soldiers. And by this name he became universally known. His Greek (?) name was Philip Tedro….On the Beale Expedition in 1857 to open a wagon road across Arizona from Fort Defiance to California. The camels under Hi Jolly’s charge. Proved their worth. Nevertheless, the War Department abandoned the experiment and the camels were left on the Arizona desert to shift for themselves. Chiefly roaming this particular section. They survived for many years creating interest and excitement …. Officially the camel experiment was a failure. But both Lt. Beale and Major Wayne were enthusiastic in praise of the animals. A fair trail might have resulted in a complete success.
Submitted: December 12, 2009, by Chris English of Phoenix, Arizona.
Database Locator Identification Number: p89372
File Size: 2.182 Megabytes

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