The
Chiefs of the Apache tribes were the main representatives of the Apaches to
outside viewers. The chiefs were the
only members of the tribe that had any real connection to the American army and
negotiations with them. The Apache leaders
reflect the well-being of the tribe and strength of the tribe through their
actions and position. Therefore, only the strongest and most experienced Apache
warriors were chosen to be chiefs; it was not hereditary. There were many
prominent and monumental chiefs during the years of the Apaches such as,
Cochise, Geronimo, Naiche, Victorio, Nana, Mangas, and Chihuahua. Three chiefs that stood out the most and were
a part of the more significant changes in the Apache tribe are Cochise,
Victorio, and Geronimo.
Cochise
represents one of the earliest defining moments for the Apache and American
relations. In February 1861, Cochise received
word that he was to visit and American Army official. Cochise was then accused of stealing cattle
and a young boy. Cochise had not stolen
this boy but knew who really had.
Therefore, he offered to try and get the boy back himself from the
correct captors. The American Army
proceeded to arrest Cochise, though. In
response, he fought his way out and fled but the Army still had his relatives
that had joined him on the trip. Cochise
tried to plead for his relatives but after many failed attempts Cochise invaded
the Army stations killing as he went. He
did not succeed in saving his relatives, though, because as soon as he killed
an army official, the Lieutenant holding Cochise’s relatives killed each
relative in retaliation. This started a
cycle of war between the Apache under Cochise and the Americans. Before this event, the Apaches and Americans
had been moving towards peaceful relations, but this quickly turned into a
hostile relationship. Sergeant Bernard,
and ex-Apache, describes Cochise by saying, “This Indian was at peace until
betrayed and wounded by white men. He now, when spoken to about peace, points
to his scars and says, ‘I was at peace with the whites until they tried to kill
me for what other Indians did; I now live and die at war with them’” (Lockwood,
Frank. The Apache Indians). Cochise
had lost all trust in the Americans. He
had seen his people innocently killed for too long and the event in February of
1861 was the last straw for Cochise. As
the Americans and Apaches were at war with each other, Cochise tried to make
several camps for his people. This
became harder and harder, though, as the Americans continued to drive the
Apache away from each camp they tried to make.
This forced Cochise to split his tribe into smaller bands. By the time Cochise died in 1875, most Apache
bands were either confined to reservations or had fled to Mexico. In 1873, though, General Lockwood had
attempted to make agreements with Cochise.
General Lockwood described Cochise as, “Though born and bred a savage,
Cochise was a man of distinction. His
nature was not simple and shallow but very complex and passionate” (Terrell,
John Upton. Apache Chronicle). These agreements between Lockwood , Cochise,
and eventually General Howard allowed what was left of Cochise’s people to live
peacefully on a reservation.
Victorio
was another prominent leader of the Apache Tribe. He was chief from the 1860s-1880. Under Victorio was the well-known Apache
leader, Geronimo. After Victorio died,
Geronimo became chief until1909. A
defining moment between the Americans and Geronimo and Victorio was in
1877. In 1867-77, Geronimo and Victorio
had been raiding the Mexicans. During
this time, American leaders described them as, “daring, dangerous, desperate,
cruel, unyielding, powerful, influential men whose command was law” (Terrell,
John Upton. Apache Chronicle). The American army discovered their raids and
sent word for them to come to Apache Pass under General Clum. To Geronimo and Victorio, this appeared to be
for friendly relations but were instead captured by the Americans. They then released Victorio and kept Geronimo
for another four months. While Geronimo
was still being held, Victorio tried to take his people back to their native
land and the Americans allowed this but only for a year before attempting to
bring them back to Apache Pass. Victorio
fought these attempts and soon fled with his men. In 1879, Victorio was caught and charged for
stealing a horse. He escaped and
resolved to never be out under the mercy of a white man again. Victorio did not like the Americans to have
control over him and was quickly losing respect and trust for them. This led to a deep hatred for the Americans
by Victorio and he began a ruthless killing spree. At this point, the Apaches were also at were
with the Mexicans. In 1882, Victorio was
killed by the Mexicans and Geronimo became chief. In 1884, after much fighting on Geronimo’s behalf,
a step towards peace between the Apaches and Americans. Geronimo signed an agreement with General
Crook of the American Army. General
Crook allowed Geronimo and the Apaches to return to their territory and work
the land for the Americans. During this
time, Geronimo and his men worked the land like they were supposed to yet the
Americans made them out to be evil.
After discovering the lies the Americans were spreading, Geronimo and
his men fled out of fear. The Americans
thought they fled out of violence when really Geronimo fled to avoid
confrontation. Geronimo described this
time by stating, “I was living peacefully with my
family…taking care of my people, and perfectly contented. I don’t know where those bad stories first
came from…I was behaving well…I don’t know what was the matter with the people
in charge of us. They knew this to be so,
and yet they said I was a bad man and the worst man there; but what had I done?
I was…doing just what General Crook had told me to do and trying to follow his
advice…I was praying to the light and to the darkness, to God and to the sun,
to let me live quietly there with my family. I don’t know what the reason was
that people should peak boldly of me.
Very often there are stories put in the newspapers that I am to be
hanged…When a man tries to do right, such stories ought not to be in
newspapers. There are very few of my men
left now…There are very few of us left.” (Brown, Dee. Bury My Heart At Wounded Knee). Crook recruited Chief Cochise to look for Geronimo. In 1886, Geronimo surrendered. He then attempted to flee again, though, but
was quickly discovered and surrendered for the last time. Geronimo and his people were taken to Fort Marion,
Florida. Then in 1894, Geronimo moved
his people to the reservation at Fort Sill where he did in 1909. While with the Americans, Geromimo’s people
were then Americanized and taught to be “proper”. This is described in General Miles’ Annual
Report by the US Army, 1886. Geronimo is
considered the last of the Apache chiefs.
Thomas
Fitzpatrick, an American official passed through the Apache are once led by
these prominent chiefs. He described it
by saying, “The Indians are ravaging the territory throughout, murdering and
carrying off the habitants to a much greater extent than heretofore; and what
would seem very strange, they carry their hostilities (except when they want
presents, and then they are as gentle as lambs) almost within gunshot of the
head quarters of the army” (Fitzpatrick, Thomas. Appendix to the report of the Commissioner
of Indian Affairs). He also admits that the laws between the
Americans and Apaches is not being help up well and there is too much leniency which
is a factor enhancing the conflicts in the area. Other officials in the area described the
citizens living there as a “terror-stricken class of people” (Miles, Nelson
Appleton. Apache Indians Annual Report
by US Army, 1886). There seemed to
be a large case of mistrust and misunderstanding between the Americans and
Apaches causing these opinions.
Sources:
Primary Sources:
Curtis, Edward S.
Apache Camp. The North
American Indian, 1906. Bury My Heart At Wounded Knee. Dee Brown. Canada:
Holt, Rinehart, and Winston, 1970.
Fitzpatrick, Thomas. Appendix to the report of the Commissioner
of Indian Affairs. United States Bureau of Indian Affairs. Microfilm reel.
Washington : Wendell and Van Benthuysen, 1848. reel 557, no. 5668.1
Miles, Nelson Appleton. Apache
Indians Annual Report by US Army,
1886. Microfilm reel. Albuquerque,
NM : s.n., 1886. Microfilm. Reel 553 no.
5578.
Randall, Frank.
Geronimo (1839-1909) or One Who
Yawns. 1886. Bury My Heart At Wounded Knee. Dee Brown. Canada: Holt,
Rinehart, and Winston, 1970.
Safford, Anson Peasley
Keeler. Brinley, Charles H. Campell,
John Goulder. Arizona, Legislative
Assembly. Resources of Arizona Territory with a description of the Indian tribes;
ancient ruins; Cochise, Apache chief; Antonio, Pima chief; stage and wagon
roads; trade and commerce, etc. Microfilm reel. San Francisco, Francis & Valentine,
1871. Microfilm. 1 reel. 35 mm.
Confernce
of Crook With Nachez and Geronimo. Lockwood, Frank C. The
Apache Indians. New York: The Macmillan Company, 1938.
Victorio
(1825-1880), Apache Warrior. Bury My
Heart At Wounded Knee. Dee Brown. Canada:
Holt, Rinehart, and Winston, 1970.
Secondary Sources:
Brown, Dee. Bury My Heart At Wounded Knee.
Canada: Holt, Rinehart, and Winston, 1970.
Terrell, John Upton. Apache Chronicle. New
York: World Publishing Company, 1972.
Lockwood, Frank C. The Apache Indians. New
York: The Macmillan Company, 1938.
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