Hell Canyon in Arizona Territory was Apache country, and the scene of several violent and deadly acts in the late 1860s. One such event, a skirmish fought on July 3, 1869, involved an entire cavalry troop. Though few details were reported, four Indian warriors died in the engagement, and three soldiers received the Medal of Honor for conspicuous gallantry.
One of the cavalrymen is pictured here. Sanford D. Bradbury, a 29-year-old first sergeant in the 8th U.S. Cavalry when he went into the Hell Canyon fight, had served in the military most of the decade.
