March 2019 18 THREE GREAT APACHE CHIEFS OF ARIZONA/NEW MEXICO TERRITORIES When Cochise heard of the treatment of his father in law and mentor at the hands of the California Volunteers, he let his deep anger, grief, and hostility be known. Tradition has it that he declared “No white eyes will ever look on me and live.” If Cochise said that, it was soon forgotten. Pioneer Bill Kirkland encountered Cochise and some of his warriors on a trail to a lumber camp Kirkland had started in the Chiricahua Mountains. Cochise informed Kirkland that he and his men were hungry. Kirkland unloaded some of his supplies, started a fire, and cooked for the Apache. Cochise and his men then left, leaving Kirkland unharmed. Still, the bitterness in Cochise over the murder of Mangas was to remain throughout his life. It took a decade before Cochise would consider talking peace with any Anglos. In the meantime, white settlers and miners paid the price for the betrayal of Mangas by West and his troops. Estimates vary among historians, but in the two decades of hostilities following the murder of Mangas, 3000 to 5000 whites were killed by the Apache. Became Chief in 1856 When Chief Miguel Narbona died in 1856, Cochise became the main war leader of the Chokonen Apache. In 1858, Cochise had his first contact with Americans. He met with Apache Agent Michael Steck, but Steck gave Cochise no reason to fear the few Americans who were in the area that was to become southern Arizona five years later. Those Americans were mostly in the Tucson Pueblo and at a few ranches and mines to the west along the Gila. The Mexican Army had withdrawn from the Tucson Pueblo in 1858. Kirkland and some dozen Americans were there to see the Mexican troops and their family withdraw. Cochise, Mangas, and their warriors raided some of these early settlers, running off stock for food, but Cochise and Mangas saw no reason to act against the few American pioneers militarily. The raids of stock caused rising tensions among the settlers and a white hatred of the Apache began to build. Apache Pass Insult It took a brash and arrogant 2nd Lieutenant named George Nicholas Bascom to outrage Cochise and pit him against all whites in the region. Bascom and a detachment of troops rode into Apache Pass. The pass formed a trail between the heart of the Dragoon Mountains and the Chiricahua Mountains, the traditional strongholds of Cochise and his people. Bascom requested a conference with Cochise. It was February of 1861. Bascom had orders from Fort Buchanan Commander Lt. Col. Pitcairn Morrison to ride to Apache Pass and meet with Cochise. Bascom was seeking a Mexican-Apache boy, Felix Ward, later to be known as Mickey Free, one of the best known of the Apache Scouts General Crook recruited a dozen years later. A band of Apache had stolen some cattle and captured the 12-year-old stepson of rancher John Ward, who had married the boy’s Mexican mother. Bascom was seeking the return of both and was convinced it was Cochise and his warriors who had the boy and cattle. The Lieutenant and his detachment had ridden out of Fort Buchanan, the first American fort in the Gadsen Purchase territory, established in 1857. The fort was about 12 miles from John Ward’s ranch and 70 miles from Apache Pass. Early pioneer and miner, Kentuckian Charles Poston, later described Bascom by saying “He was a fine looking fellow, a Kentuckian, a West Pointer and, of course, a gentleman, but unfortunately, he was a fool.” Bascom’s Trap Carefully Set The Lieutenant and his detachment stopped at the Butterfield Stage station in Apache Pass after his ride from Fort Buchanan. He told station keeper Charles Culver he was headed for the Rio Grande. After watering the detachment’s mules, Bascom and his men mounted and rode northeast toward Siphon Canyon. Three-quarters of a mile from the station, the detachment made camp. Cochise had a contract with Butterfield to provide firewood to the stage station. After seeing the troops camp, Cochise went into the station to ask Culver what was going on. Culver said the troops were headed for the Rio Grande. Bascom had laid his deception well. He had left word at the station that if Cochise came by, he would like to talk to him. Cochise had family members with him, a brother, two nephews, a woman and a child. Cochise decided to walk down the road to the Army camp with his family and see what the Lieutenant wanted. Entering the tent at Bascom’s invitation and joining him for coffee as they talked, Cochise soon learned that Bascom was not headed for the Rio Grande, but had come to demand the return of the boy and the stock taken from Ward’s ranch. Cochise explained to Bascom that his tribe did not have the boy or the cattle and did not raid Ward’s ranch. He said he believed the boy and cattle were taken by the Coyotero Apache and he would try to negotiate for their release. Cochise said this would take about ten days. Bascom then told Cochise he would hold him and his family members prisoner until the boy and cattle were turned over to his detachment. One of Bascom’s aides had slipped out of the tent during the conversation and ordered the detachment to surround it. Realizing he was a prisoner, Cochise jumped to his feet, pulled his knife and slit the side of the tent. He lunged through it and ran through the fire of the surrounding troops to freedom. The members of the Chief’s family were blocked from escaping by Bascom and the troops and were held prisoner. Bascom apparently realized his mistake. He had captured the family of Cochise and was holding them hostage; he had enraged the great war chief, and his small detachment was in the heart of the Chiricahua homeland where Cochise could bring a force four to six times as large as his down As word spread of the murder of Mangas Coloradas, Apache leaders throughout Arizona and New Mexico territories were stunned. The Apache Nation that Mangas had glued together with his statesmanship seemed in danger of coming apart. It was saved by the foresight of Mangas in merging his Warm Springs Apache with the Chiricahua Apaches by giving Cochise his daughter as a bride. PART 2, COCHISE By Bill Roberts — Reprinted from The Traveler Mangas merged the Warm Springs Apache with the Chiricahua Apache by giving Cochise his daughter as a bride. Tradition has it that Cochise declared “No white eyes will ever look on me and live.” continued on page 20