The FReeper Foxhole Profiles Chief Cochise - Feb. 2nd, 2004

http://www.geocities.com/~zybt/warriors.htm ^ | Paul R. Machula

[SAMWolf]

Lord,

Keep our Troops forever in Your care

Give them victory over the enemy...

Grant them a safe and swift return...

Bless those who mourn the lost.
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FReepers from the Foxhole join in prayer
for all those serving their country at this time.

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Chief Cochise
Shi-ka-she
(1812 - 1874)

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One of the most famous Apache warriors was the formidable Chiricahua Cochise. He is believed to have been born about 1805, and his father may have been an earlier Apache warrior called by the Mexicans "Pisago Cabezón." However, it is also possible that his father may have been "Reyes." There is no certainty in this regard. Reyes was killed by the American scalp hunter James "Don Santiago" Kirker near Galeana, Chihuahua, in July 1846.

Courtesy of Charles Parker California gallery owner Charles Parker recently uncovered this painting, identified as "Cochise, 1872," that Apache authority Edwin R. Sweeney says "appears to be the real thing."

At any rate, by the 1830s Cochise was already beginning to make a name for himself as a warrior. It must be remembered that the Chiricahua people roamed throughout southeastern Arizona and southwestern New Mexico to deep into the Sierra Madre of northern Mexico. There were basically three bands: the central Chiricahua, to which Cochise belonged, whose basic territory was the southeastern Arizona; the Mimbreño people, who were in southwestern New Mexico (Victorio later became chief of this band), and the so-called Nednhi (means "enemy people" in Apache), whose later chief was Geronimo's cousin, Juh. All of these Chiricahuas were bitter enemies of Mexico. They frequently raided both Sonora and Chihuahua. Cochise himself is first recorded to have been in a fight with Mexicans in May 1832 somewhere on the Gila River.

The next time we are definitely aware of Cochise is when he participated in a peace treaty at Arizpe, Sonora, in 1836. He may have then settled in the Peloncillo Mountains, just north of Janos, Chihuahua, in 1842 or 1843. The peace did not last long. From 1847 on, Sonora was laid waste by the central band of Chiricahuas, at that time led by "Miguel Narbona." Cochise was in this band. Narbona died in 1856.


This illustration of Cochise is taken from Samuel Cozzen's "The Marvelous Country," a report of his trip through Apacheria, begun in 1858. No photograph of the great Chiricahua chief is known to exist.

In 1859 Indian agent Michael Steck found Cochise to be friendly to Americans. Cochise hoped that the Americans would be helpful in his opposition to the Mexicans. However, there was an unfortunate incident in 1861 that was to end that prospect forever. On 27 January 1861 a young boy (later known as Mickey Free) was taken captive by Apaches from his home in southern Arizona. Cochise claimed the boy was taken by "Coyoteros" (White Mountain Apaches), or Pinal Apaches. But, some historians believe he was actually taken by Cochise's band. At any rate, a U.S. army officer, George Bascom, was dispatched to return the boy. Cochise was taken prisoner, but he escaped. Consequently, Bascom had six Indians hung. As a result, Cochise then killed four whites. Bitter warfare ensued. Within 60 days 150 whites were killed, and 5 stage stations were destroyed (the Butterfield stage line, contracted by the U.S. government in 1857, carried mail across southern Arizona). When the California Volunteers under Carleton reached the Chiricahua area (Apache Pass, Arizona) in July 1862, Cochise also threatened them. It was only after Carleton fired his howitzers at the Apaches that they retreated (Battle of Apache Pass, 15 July 1862).

Cochise's war continued until 1867, when a white man by the name of Thomas Jeffords fearlessly rode into Cochise's camp to converse with him. It was from this incident that the famous story "Broken Arrow" was taken. Jeffords was truly a remarkable individual. It has been hard for historians to understand just what kind of person he really was. Some consider him almost a scoundrel, while others feel he was just "a right person at the right time." Thomas J. Jeffords, government superintendent of the mails from Ft. Bowie to Tucson, walked into Cochise's camp to plead for the safety of his mail carriers, which Cochise granted, and thereafter the two men became close friends.



In 1869 Henry Clay Hooker, a contract supplier of beef to reservations, was surrounded by Apache warriors and boldly rode into Cochise's camp; there Cochise entertained him and returned his guns, and Hooker was allowed to depart in peace. When he evinced surprise at this treatment, Cochise said he had not been killed because he was supplying beef eaten by Indians.

In September 1870 Cochise went to Fort Apache and conversed with Army officers there. In 1872 he also talked with General Oliver Otis Howard in the Dragoon Mountains (Cochise's "stronghold"). It was at this time that Howard agreed that the Chiricahuas should have a reservation, which covered nearly all of southeastern Arizona, south of Fort Bowie. For a short time peace was maintained, while Jeffords was agent at Fort Bowie. In 1874, however, Cochise died, probably from cancer. It is believed that he was buried somewhere in the Dragoons, and the only white man to know where was Thomas Jeffords. Jeffords, however, never divulged the location. He was faithful to Cochise's memory to the last.


Wife of Cochise

In 1876 the Chiricahua's reservation was terminated, and the people were supposed to move to San Carlos. Some did move, but many escaped to the Mimbreños at Warm Springs, New Mexico, or Mexico. Later, the Chiricahuas suffered captivity with their leader, Naiche, and Geronimo. The few remaining Chiricahuas eventually settled in Oklahoma and New Mexico, where their descendants live to this day. (There are also a few Chiricahua descendants who still live on the San Carlos Reservation, and probably also on the White Mountain Reservation.)

The best book, unquestionably, to read about Cochise is: Sweeney, Edwin R. Cochise, Chiricahua Apache Chief. Norman: Univ. of Oklahoma, 1991.

[SAMWolf]

Morning Matt.

I grew up playing Cowboys and Indians too. It was later when I started reading history that I realized the Indians weren't the "bad guys".

My Dad is a big time "American West" fan. He can never get enough of Cowboy movies and TV shows.

[Darksheare]

Morning.
Had the 50 cal guy, but his barrel always drooped.
And had the grey German army set too.
But they always met their end upon the M80 block buster fuse detonation land mines in the mud.

[SAMWolf]

I had the Germans too only mine were grey. Lost a lot of my guys to flame throwers (lighter fluid). 1 1/2 inch fire crackers didn't damage them too much.

[Professional Engineer]

Lost a lot of my guys to flame throwers (lighter fluid)

WD-40 and a lighter. Worked wonders.

[Darksheare]

My German set usually ended up blown into tiny bits..
But, that's how it went.
"Herr fuhrer! The field is mined!"
"Nonsense stupkhoff! Go defeat them!"
"Yes Mein Fuhrer! *Kaboom!* Aiiiiieeee!"
Outside of mud pit: Umm.. did you see where he flew to?
Response: Nope. Did you?
First voice: Unh-unh.
At same time: Darn. More men!

[SAMWolf]

I didn't know about WD-40 back then. ;-)

[SAMWolf]

"Dances with Wolves" is the only good Kevin Costner movie I've seen. Most John Wayne movies treated the Indians a lot better than most movies of that time

[Professional Engineer]

LOL I seem to remember Aqua Net hairspray(red can) seemed to work just as well too.

[SAMWolf]

AquaNet I remember :-)

[PsyOp]

Cool! thanks for the link!

[Darksheare]

Aerocroil worked.
"The Oil that Creeps!"

[SAMWolf]

We have our share of Socilaists and Communist here too, they just haven't been able to take complete control yet, but they're trying.

[SAMWolf]

The word "Apache" comes from the Yuma word for "fighting-men". It also comes from a Zuni word meaning "enemy". The Zuni name for Navajo was called "Apachis de Nabaju" by the earliest Spaniards exploring New Mexico. They called themselves Inde, or Nide "the people".

The Apaches are well-known for their superior skills in warfare strategy and inexhaustible endurance. Continuous wars among other tribes and invaders from Mexico followed the Apaches' growing reputation of warlike character. When they confronted Coronado in 1540, they lived in eastern New Mexico, and reached Arizona in the 1600s. The Apache are described as a gentel people; faithful in their friendship.

Apaches belong to the Southern Athapascan linguistic family.

They are composed of six regional groups:

Western Apache - Coyotero - most of eastern Arizona which include the White Mountain, Cibuecue, San Carlos, and Northern and Southern Tonto bands.

Chiricahua - southwestern New Mexico, southeastern Arizona, and adjacent Mexican states of Chihuahua and Sonora - The band was the informal political unit, consisting of followers and a headman. They had no formal leader such as a tribal chief, or council, nor a decision making process. The core of the band was a "relative group," predominantly, but not nessarily, kinsmen. Named by the Spanish for the mescal cactus the Apaches used for food, drink, and fiber. The basic shelter of the Chiricahua was the domeshaped wickiup made of brush. Similar the Navajo, they also regarded coyotes, insects, and birds as having been human beings; the human race, then, but following in the tracks of those who have gone before.

Mescalero - Faraon - live east of the Rio Grande in southern New Mexico, with the Pecos River as their eastern border

Jicarilla - Tinde - southeastern Colorado, northern New Mexico, and northwest Texas - During their zenith in the SouthWest, two divisions of the Jicarilla Apache were known: the Llanero, or "plains people," and the Hoyero, the "mountain people." They roamed from central and eastern Colorado into western Oklahoma, and as far south as Estancia, New Mexico. As a result of their eastern contacts, the Jicarilla adopted certain cultural traits of the Plains Indians, as did the Mescalero who also ranged the eastern plains.

Lipan - occupy territory directly to the east of the Jicarilla

Kiowa - Gataka - long associated with the KIOWA, a Plains people, range over the southern plains of Colorado, Oklahoma, and Texas.

HISTORY

Early Apache inhabitants of the southwestern United States were a nomadic people; some groups roamed as far south as Mexico. They were primarily hunters of buffalo but they also practiced limited farming. For centuriesthey were fierce warriors, adept in desert survival, who carried out raids on those who encroached on their territory.

The primitive Apache was a true nomad, a wandering child of Nature, whose birthright was a craving for the warpath with courage and endurance probably exceeded by no other people and with cunning beyond reckoning. Although his character is a strong mixture of courage and ferocity, the Apache is gentle and affectionate toward those with his own flesh and blood, particularly his children.

he Apache people (including the Navajo) came from the Far North to settle the Plains and Southwest around A.D. 850. They settled in three desert regions, the Great Basin, the Sonoran, and the Chihuachuan.

They were always known as 'wild" Indians, and indeed their early warfare with all neighboring tribes as well as their recent persistent hostility toward our Government, which precipitated a "war of extermination," bear out the appropriateness of the designation.

The first intruders were the Spanish, who penetrated Apache territory in the late 1500s. The Spanish drive northward disrupted ancient Apache trade connections with neighboring tribes.

When New Mexico became a Spanish colony in 1598, hostilities increased between Spaniards and Apaches. An influx of Comanche into traditional Apache territory in the early 1700s forced the Lipan and other Apaches to move south of their main food source, the buffalo. These displaced Apaches began raiding for food.

Apache raids on settlers accompanied the American westward movement and the United States acquisition of New Mexico in 1848. The Native Americans and the United States military authorities engaged in fierce wars until all Apache tribes were eventually placed on reservations.

Most of the tribes were subdued by 1868, except for the Chiricahua, who continued their attacks until 1872, when their chief, Cochise, signed a treaty with the U.S. government and moved with his band to an Apache reservation in Arizona.

The last band of Apache raiders, led by the chief Geronimo, was hunted down in 1886 and was confined in Florida, Alabama, and finally Oklahoma Territory.

[snippy_about_it]

Thanks for the Cochise info at the Foxhole Jinxy.

[snippy_about_it]

I never used my flamethrower in the house...

Gee, how thoughtful of you. LOL.

[snippy_about_it]

Good afternoon PE.

[snippy_about_it]

Yippee, I learned how to make reports from our database today with some new software....Whatever. You know those classes where you "get it" in the first 10 minutes but the class is 4 hours long. LOL.

Good tagline today Sam.

[snippy_about_it]

Good afternoon stand watie.