On March 2, 1855, Congress appropriated money to import camels for military use. Navy Lt. David Dixon Porter was tasked with getting the camels. Major Henry Wayne would receive them on the Texas coast. On June 3, 1855, they set sail for the north African coast.
They arrived at Tunisia on August 4. They went on a few days later to Malta and other ports but couldn't find but few camels to buy. The good ones had all been taken by the British for use in the Crimean War. They finally obtained six in Egypt. They got 26 more at Smyrna. Five handlers were also hired.
The ship set sail for the U.S. on February 15, 1856. They arrived in Texas on April 29. Most of the camels came through a little underweight but in good health. A few had even been born on ship. They were corralled at Indianola on the gulf coast. After three weeks of acclimatizing the camels, Wayne drove the camels to San Antonio, 140 miles away. From there they went on to Fort Martin Scott looking for a permanent home for the camels. The grazing there was inadequate. But Camp Verde was more promising. On August 28, the camels were first tested. They did remarkably well. Six camels carried the same weight as two 6-mule teams and did it in 42 hours less time.
John B. Floyd took over as Secretary of War. His first mission was to send the camels to survey for a wagon road along the 35th parallel between Fort Defiance in New Mexico territory and the Colorado River border of California. Beale was put in charge. Twenty-five camels would make the trip. At first sight of them, the horses and mules went crazy with fright. Things settled down and the expedition left San Antonio on June 24. It was a potentially hazardous route through few water sources and hostile Indian territory. There had already been six raids on stages that year alone.
