OLDNAVYMCPO
US Veteran, Absent Comrade
In any discussion of historical events among the Native American population of the Southwest, it is necessary to note the cultural complexities of the people as this is a significant aspect of understanding their behavior.
Anthropologist have divided the peoples known as Apaches into five major groups (tribes) mainly along geographical grounds but also on cultural commonality and/or differences. Among the Apaches, the family was the significant unit, every day life evolved around feeding, clothing and protecting the family. The next significant group was the clan, or extended family based on marriage or survival dependencies. Next was the tribe, made up of numerous clans which related to each other socially within a given geographical area.
In the desert region in which the Apache lived, the environment determined the size of the population the region would support. In the desert this is a fragile relationship requiring great survival skill and expertise passed down thru generations. Migration within the region was necessary in order not to deplete the natural resources which supported life.
The Apaches were hunter/gatherers but also a warrior society. Unlike the other peoples of the region, they were not primarily farmers. They did however depend to some extent on agriculture in that they stole from those that did farm. Slavery was also a significant part of their culture. Due to the high rate of childhood fatality, Apaches added to their numbers thru warfare and enslavement. Slaves were also a trade commodity. Other Indians (frequently Navajos) were stolen in the north and traded in Mexico. Mexicans in the south were stolen and traded in the north.
Among the Apache, there was no government, no courts, no constitution; family and clans operated pretty much independently. Often there were feuds and wars between groups of the same culture.
In the 1840's there arose a figure that was the greatest leader and organizer of all time among the Apache. Mangas Colorados (spelled any number of ways) was a physically impressive individual, tall and muscular ( no known photo exist) who possessed the leadership skills to unite all the various factions among the Apache into one entity ( or as close as possible without a government). As part of his campaign to unite the tribes, he encouraged marriage between groups. He had one of his daughters marry Cochise, a leader of the Chiricahua of the SE Arizona- Northern Mexico area.
Cochise was to become the greatest warrior chief of his day. He was also a diplomat that tried to co-exist with the new Anglo settlers. However he and his people had no love for Mexicans, their lifelong enemy.
In 1861 at a Butterfield Stage Stop in the Dragoon Mountains in SE Arizona an event took place which ignited twenty-five years of warfare and slaughter.
George Bascom, a gold-bar shavetail 2nd Lt. with a whopping 4 months service, along with 54 troopers camped at the stage stop. Bascom was assigned to investigate a cattle theft and kidnapping that had taken place near Tucson. Bascom invited Cochise to meet with him. Cochise brought a number of his family members with him to the meeting. While gathered in the tent, Bascom had the tent surrounded. Bascom commenced to question Cochise about the raid. Cochise explained that although he knew nothing of the raid, he would use his influence to try and return the kidnapped boy. Bascom overacted and informed Cochise that he, his wife and children, brother and nephews would be held hostage until the boy was returned and the cattle paid for.
Cochise drew a knife, slashed the tent and escaped under a fusillade of gunfire. Under a flag of truce the following day, Cochise met with Lt. Bascom and reaffirmed that he knew nothing of the raid but would do everything in his power to retrieve the kidnapped boy. The meeting degenerated into a shouting match, nervous troopers opened fire and Cochise again escaped. Cochise and his band conducted a number of raids and captured many Anglo settlers in retaliation. Cochise hoped to trade his hostages for his family.
Lt. Bascom refused to deal. Cochise fearing his family lost, killed his captives. Bascom in return hanged Cochise's brother and his two nephews. From then until 1865, Cochise and his warriors attacked and killed every white settler that they encountered. When he saw the number of Bluecoats fading over the years, Cochise thought he was winning the war. Little did he know the Civil War in the East was drawing off the troops.
Satisfied with his revenge, Cochise moved back to his tribal area in the Sierra Madres of Mexico. In 1868, Cochise and his people returned to the SE Arizona homeland. They were not welcome. The settlers of Arizona formed vigilante groups and paid mercenaries to hunt down and slaughter Apaches.
On April 30, 1871, more than 100 Tucson vigilantes murdered and mutilated 8 men and 110 women and children in an attack on the wrong people. The sleeping Pinai and Aravaipa Apaches were slaughtered at what became known as the Camp Grant Massacre.
U.S. Grant, then president of the US was outraged over the atrocity and threatened to declare martial law if the perpetrators were not brought to justice. Over a hundred men were brought to trial in Tucson, they were all acquitted.
Cochise died in 1874 and according to his wishes his gravesite was kept secret.
Anthropologist have divided the peoples known as Apaches into five major groups (tribes) mainly along geographical grounds but also on cultural commonality and/or differences. Among the Apaches, the family was the significant unit, every day life evolved around feeding, clothing and protecting the family. The next significant group was the clan, or extended family based on marriage or survival dependencies. Next was the tribe, made up of numerous clans which related to each other socially within a given geographical area.
In the desert region in which the Apache lived, the environment determined the size of the population the region would support. In the desert this is a fragile relationship requiring great survival skill and expertise passed down thru generations. Migration within the region was necessary in order not to deplete the natural resources which supported life.
The Apaches were hunter/gatherers but also a warrior society. Unlike the other peoples of the region, they were not primarily farmers. They did however depend to some extent on agriculture in that they stole from those that did farm. Slavery was also a significant part of their culture. Due to the high rate of childhood fatality, Apaches added to their numbers thru warfare and enslavement. Slaves were also a trade commodity. Other Indians (frequently Navajos) were stolen in the north and traded in Mexico. Mexicans in the south were stolen and traded in the north.
Among the Apache, there was no government, no courts, no constitution; family and clans operated pretty much independently. Often there were feuds and wars between groups of the same culture.
In the 1840's there arose a figure that was the greatest leader and organizer of all time among the Apache. Mangas Colorados (spelled any number of ways) was a physically impressive individual, tall and muscular ( no known photo exist) who possessed the leadership skills to unite all the various factions among the Apache into one entity ( or as close as possible without a government). As part of his campaign to unite the tribes, he encouraged marriage between groups. He had one of his daughters marry Cochise, a leader of the Chiricahua of the SE Arizona- Northern Mexico area.
Cochise was to become the greatest warrior chief of his day. He was also a diplomat that tried to co-exist with the new Anglo settlers. However he and his people had no love for Mexicans, their lifelong enemy.
In 1861 at a Butterfield Stage Stop in the Dragoon Mountains in SE Arizona an event took place which ignited twenty-five years of warfare and slaughter.
George Bascom, a gold-bar shavetail 2nd Lt. with a whopping 4 months service, along with 54 troopers camped at the stage stop. Bascom was assigned to investigate a cattle theft and kidnapping that had taken place near Tucson. Bascom invited Cochise to meet with him. Cochise brought a number of his family members with him to the meeting. While gathered in the tent, Bascom had the tent surrounded. Bascom commenced to question Cochise about the raid. Cochise explained that although he knew nothing of the raid, he would use his influence to try and return the kidnapped boy. Bascom overacted and informed Cochise that he, his wife and children, brother and nephews would be held hostage until the boy was returned and the cattle paid for.
Cochise drew a knife, slashed the tent and escaped under a fusillade of gunfire. Under a flag of truce the following day, Cochise met with Lt. Bascom and reaffirmed that he knew nothing of the raid but would do everything in his power to retrieve the kidnapped boy. The meeting degenerated into a shouting match, nervous troopers opened fire and Cochise again escaped. Cochise and his band conducted a number of raids and captured many Anglo settlers in retaliation. Cochise hoped to trade his hostages for his family.
Lt. Bascom refused to deal. Cochise fearing his family lost, killed his captives. Bascom in return hanged Cochise's brother and his two nephews. From then until 1865, Cochise and his warriors attacked and killed every white settler that they encountered. When he saw the number of Bluecoats fading over the years, Cochise thought he was winning the war. Little did he know the Civil War in the East was drawing off the troops.
Satisfied with his revenge, Cochise moved back to his tribal area in the Sierra Madres of Mexico. In 1868, Cochise and his people returned to the SE Arizona homeland. They were not welcome. The settlers of Arizona formed vigilante groups and paid mercenaries to hunt down and slaughter Apaches.
On April 30, 1871, more than 100 Tucson vigilantes murdered and mutilated 8 men and 110 women and children in an attack on the wrong people. The sleeping Pinai and Aravaipa Apaches were slaughtered at what became known as the Camp Grant Massacre.
U.S. Grant, then president of the US was outraged over the atrocity and threatened to declare martial law if the perpetrators were not brought to justice. Over a hundred men were brought to trial in Tucson, they were all acquitted.
Cochise died in 1874 and according to his wishes his gravesite was kept secret.
