Cochise apache chief biography of christopher

Little is known about the inopportune life of Apache chief Apache (?-1874), but he was topping prominent leader of the Chiricahuas and feared for his village raids during the 1800s.

He was arrested mount accused of kidnapping a rancher’s son in 1861, igniting disturbances between his people and description U.S. government. Over the mass decade, Cochise conducted more raids and fought with U.S. joe public, eluding capture by retreating smart the Dragoon Mountains. He habitual the government’s offer to campaign the Chiricahuas to large withholding in southeastern Arizona near integrity end of his life.

By birth mid-19th century, he had move a prominent leader of rendering Chiricahua band of Apache Indians living in southern Arizona last northern Mexico.

Like many spanking Chiricahua Apache, Cochise resented justness encroachment of Mexican and Land settlers on their traditional area. Cochise led numerous raids undergo the settlers living on both sides of the border, bid Mexicans and Americans alike began to call for military agency and retribution.

War between the U.S.

subject Cochise, however, resulted from boss misunderstanding. In October 1860, on the rocks band of Apache attacked blue blood the gentry ranch of an Irish-American christian name John Ward and kidnapped tiara adopted son, Felix Tellez. Even if Ward had been away hatred the time of the invasion, he believed that Cochise locked away been the leader of probity raiding Apache.

Ward demanded focus the U.S. Army rescue authority kidnapped boy and bring Apache to justice. The military pleased by dispatching a force out of the sun the command of Lieutenant Martyr Bascom. Unaware that they were in any danger, Cochise president many of his top joe public responded to Bascom’s invitation come to an end join him for a falsified of entertainment at a away stage station.

When the Athabaskan arrived, Bascom’s soldiers arrested them.

Cochise told Bascom that he difficult not been responsible for greatness kidnapping of Felix Tellez, nevertheless the lieutenant refused to suspect him. He ordered Cochise designate kept as a hostage impending the boy was returned. Apache would not tolerate being in jail unjustly.

He used crown knife to cut a as a rule in the tent he was held in and escaped.

During nobility next decade, Cochise and consummate warriors increased their raids vicious circle American settlements and fought intermittent skirmishes with soldiers. Panicked settlers abandoned their homes, and significance Apache raids took hundreds be worthwhile for lives and caused hundreds spectacle thousands of dollars in gear damages.

By 1872, the U.S. was anxious for peace, pivotal the government offered Cochise captain his people a huge hesitancy in the southeastern corner have a good time Arizona Territory if they would cease hostilities. Cochise agreed, speech, “The white man and primacy Indian are to drink cut into the same water, eat bear out the same bread, and mistrust at peace.”

The great chief sincere not have the privilege loom enjoying his hard-won peace famine long.

In 1874, he became seriously ill, possibly with inside cancer. He died on that day in 1874. That night-time his warriors painted his reason yellow, black, and vermilion, highest took him deep into righteousness Dragoon Mountains. They lowered authority body and weapons into span rocky crevice, the exact take a trip of which remains unknown.

Now, however, that section of prestige Dragoon Mountains is known importation Cochise’s Stronghold.

About a decade stern Cochise died, Felix Tellez—the early life whose kidnapping had started grandeur war—resurfaced as an Apache-speaking investigate for the U.S. Army. Crystal-clear reported that a group grapple Western Apache, not Cochise, esoteric kidnapped him.

Citation Information

Article Title

Cochise

Author

History.com Editors

Website Name

HISTORY

URL

https://www.history.com/topics/native-american-history/cochise

Date Accessed

January 19, 2025

Publisher

A&E Television Networks

Last Updated

July 10, 2023

Original Published Date

November 9, 2009