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The American expansion into the Southwest in the middle of the 19th century, brought the newcomers face to face with a hardened people who had lived off the rugged terrain for hundreds of years. By 1850 there were about 7,000 Apaches living in the areas of modern day Arizona, Texas and New Mexico. They had already made the Spanish and Mexican settlers who had encroached on their lands pay a heavy price. Now it was the turn of the Americans. The Apache were divided into about a dozen self governing bands. The most hostile of these bands were to be the Chiricahuas, under the leadership of Cochise.
About 1850, Cochise inherited the leadership of the Chiricahuas from his father. These people roamed over the Dragoon and Chiricahua mountains in southeastern Arizona. At a council of all the chiefs of the Apache bands at about that time, it was decided that a combined campaign of chastisement against Mexico was in order in retaliation for recent attacks. Soon a great war party was gathered, and it began to wind it’s way down the Sierra Madre. The town of Arizpe was surrounded. The townspeople soon became aware of the Indian presence and sent out a peace envoy under a white flag. These men were soon killed. The battle was under way. After three hours of savagery the Apaches withdrew. The field was littered with Mexican dead.
By the Treaty of Guadalupe the United States took possession of the former Mexican territory inhabited by the Apache. At first the Americans didn’t seem interested in moving into the new territory. But in 1858 the route for a transcontinental stage line was laid across the territory of the Chiricahuas. When representatives of the new stage line, the Butterfield Overland, approached Cochise requesting permission to cross his land, Cochise granted permission, thinking that he could get useful information from the newcomers. He allowed them to build a station at Apache Pass, where there was a fresh water springs. In 1860, Cochise actually entered into an agreement for his people to cut firewood for the station.
This peace did not last long. A white man had set up a ranch near Fort Buchanan, to the west of Apache Pass. When some warriors raided the Ranch, drove off cattle and stole a 10 year old child away, the Army sent out a regiment to get the boy back. Under the command of Lieutenant George Bascomb, 55 men marched to Apache Pass from Fort Buchanan. Telling the station master he was on a routine patrol, Bascomb carried on into the Canyon. Cochise soon turned up at the station asking about the Army force. When told that their intentions were peaceful he decided to call on Bascomb himself. He was greeted cordially and invited, along with his brother, wife, son and two nephews into Bascomb’s tent. But then, Bascomb had the tent surrounded. Bascomb now turned nasty, accusing Cochise of kidnapping the boy. Cochise knew nothing of the affair. Bascomb declared that Cochise and his family would be held prisoner until the boy was produced. Cochise was incensed and jumped to his feet. In an instant his knife had slashed through the tent and he had escaped into the canyon. His family, however, were still prisoners. The die was cast.
Cochise now killed the Station agent Charles Culver and attacked a wagon train. He took two American hostages and killed eight Mexicans. He now attempted to trade prisoners with Bascomb. The cocky Lieutenant refused. The whites were executed by the Apaches. Soon thereafter, Cochise’s wife and child were set free. On July 14, Cochise led a force of 700 fighting men against 126 Union soldiers who were crossing Apache Pass to get to New Mexico. Initially the Indians had the upper hand. But the Soldiers had with them two Howitzer which ripped into the Indians with shrapnel. It was a major defeat for Cochise. Never again would he attempt a mass action, preferring swift strikes against travelers, prospectors and settlers. The Army chased them for 10 years but could never catch up with the Apache who would seem to simply vanish into the canyons. But try as he might, Cochise could not halt the white advance. He finally decided that it was possible to coexist with the white man. In 1872, he concluded an 11 day peace council with General Oliver O. Howard. Differences were finally settled. The Indians were allowed to keep their weapons and their way of life. A Reservation was given to them that incorporated their traditional grounds in the Dragoon and Chiricahua mountains. Peace was at hand. But Cochise was not to enjoy it for long. In 1874 he became gravely ill. The fifty one year old died within hours. His people painted his body yellow, black and vermilion and lowered his body and weapons into a crevice. The location of this burial spot has remained a secret ever since.
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