The Life and Times of a Chiricahua Apache Chief
Cochise, born in 1805, was a highly respected leader of the Chokonen band of the Chiricahua Apache tribe in what is now the southwestern United States. A skilled warrior and strategic leader, Cochise fiercely defended his people and their land against encroachment by Mexican and American settlers. Though often at odds with opposing forces, his eventual negotiation for peace led to the establishment of a reservation for his people. His life serves as a testament to the resilience of the Apache people in the face of adversity and the ongoing struggle for Native American rights.
Born into the Chokonen band of the Chiricahua Apache tribe, located in the region now encompassed by Arizona and New Mexico, Cochise grew up embracing the traditional Apache way of life. As tensions with Mexican and American settlers and military forces increased, Cochise rose to leadership within his band and gained a reputation as a skilled warrior and strategist. The Bascom Affair, a pivotal event in Cochise's life, marked the beginning of a decade-long conflict with American forces. In response to the escalating violence, Cochise forged alliances with other Apache leaders, most notably Geronimo.
Despite years of conflict, Cochise eventually sought a path to peace for his people. He engaged in negotiations with American military leaders, which resulted in the establishment of the Chiricahua Apache Reservation in 1872. This granted the tribe a measure of autonomy and land rights, reflecting Cochise's persistent efforts to protect his people's interests. In his final years, Cochise focused on maintaining peace and overseeing the well-being of his tribe on the reservation.
Cochise passed away in 1874, marking the end of an era for the Chiricahua Apache. His legacy as a tenacious and skilled leader who fought to protect the rights of his people in a rapidly changing world endures today. Cochise's life continues to inspire and inform present-day indigenous activism, reflecting his impact on the ongoing struggle for Native American rights and recognition.
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"Nobody wants peace more than I do. Why shut me up on a reservation? We will make peace; we will keep it faithfully. But let us go around free as Americans do. Let us go wherever we please."
1805-1874
A famous chief of the Chiricahua Apache, at the core of Cochise's reputation was his resistance to the white man's invasions in the 19th century. In the Apache language his name, Cheis. means "strong like the oak" or "hardwood," a name that proved to be entirely appropriate. Cochise is most infamous for having held off the U.S. Army for four years, with just 200 men, when the Government tried to force them to move onto a reservation in New Mexico. Cochise County in Arizona is named in his honor.
Cochise's tribe originally occupied that part of the United States which would become Arizona and New Mexico, as well as Sonora. The Chiricahua were already used to invasions; they had resisted the encroachment of the Spanish and the Mexicans into their territory. Consistently losing to the Chiricahua in various skirmishes, the Spanish rethought their approach, employing wilier means than mere warfare. They devised a strategy whereby the Chiricahua would become dependent on cheap liquor and the substandard guns issued to them by the Colonial Government. This worked for a while, and Spain gained control of the land; however, Mexico managed to win it from Spain. As a result, the supplies of liquor and guns to the Chiricahua dried up. The more traditional method of warfare flared up once again, since the tribe were no longer reliant on cheap alcohol to befuddle them.
In an attempt to subdue the Chiricahua, the Mexicans decided on a policy of killing them off. Mercenaries, who were paid per scalp, were employed in this endeavor. Cochise's father was a victim of this policy, and it was this tragedy that proved to be the driving factor behind his desire for vengeance, not only for his father in particular, but for his people as a whole. A mark of Cochise's effectiveness was that when he was captured by the Mexicans in 1848, he was ransomed in exchange for a dozen Mexican prisoners of war. Tensions on the U.S./Mexican border were nothing new, not to the Apaches and the Europeans in any case, although there was a relatively settled period in the 1850s after the United States acqUired the area. But since the U.S. perSisted in encroaching further into Apache grounds, the skirmishes continued, and in 1861 things blew up when Cochise and his men were (falsely) accused of kidnapping the son of a local rancher, and stealing his cattle. This crime had in fact been committed by a different band of Apaches. In a case that became known as The Bascom Affair, which is cited as a key trigger in the Apache War, a young Army officer invited Cochise into the camp, where he was then accused of the kidnapping. Cochise denied everything and even offered to help find those gUilty, but when the officer made moves to arrest him, Cochise struck back with a knife, which he then used to slash his way to freedom. The U.S. Army officers retaliated by taking, as hostages, some of Cochise's people. Numbered among these hostages were some of Cochise's immediate family.
The whole situation was racked up another few notches as Cochise took more U.S. hostages in an attempt to release his own people. As the situation escalated beyond anyone's control, the hostages from both sides were summarily murdered; among the slain was Cochise's brother. The war raged on for another 1 1 years, resulting in countless deaths; a total body count of as many as 5,000 has been estimated.
In the meantime, Cochise had married Dos Teh Seh, the daughter of the renowned chief, Mangas Coloradas. With his father-in-law, Cochise led a series of raids on the white settlements that continued to encroach on Apache land. One of these raids became known as the Battle of Dragoon Springs, during which the Apache's superior knowledge of the landscape, and their ability to survive in the tough environment, meant that they held sway over a U.S. Army that was increasingly preoccupied with its own civil war. At the Battle of Apache Pass, however, the U.S. Army turned their artillery fire on Cochise, Coloradas, and their men. Up until that point the Native Americans had been holding their ground. Despite the fact that this was the first time that they had experienced such powerful weaponry, some of them still fought on until they were either killed or forced to flee to save their lives. General Carleton, who had orchestrated the battle, took over as Commander of the territory.
In 1863, the U.S. Army perpetrated a shameful crime. Pretending to fly the flag of truce, General Joseph Rodman, under the orders of Carleton, captured Mangas Coloradas and, sometime later, murdered him. For Cochise-for anyone-what the Army had done-murdering someone under the pretence of inviting them to negotiate-utterly violated all the rules of war. And so the bloody battles continued.
Cochise and his men were driven toward the Dragoon Mountains, which provided good cover to use as a base from which the Indians could continue their attacks. For four years, Cochise managed to avoid capture by his enemies. Eventually, though, Cochise negotiated a peace treaty and retired, with his people, to a new reservation, a position which he had resisted for as long as he was able. Cochise felt that there was no need for the Native peoples to live on reservations, and that it was possible for them to live side by side in harmony with their white neighbors. He said: "Let my people mingle with the whites, in their farms and communities, and let us be as one people. "
Sadly, this would not come to pass during Cochise's lifetime. He died in 1874 of natural causes, and was buried in the Dragoon Mountains, in a secret location in a larger area that is now called Cochise's Stronghold.