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    The Apache Wars: The Hunt for Geronimo, the Apache Kid, and the Captive Boy Who Started the Longest War in American History
    The Apache Wars: The Hunt for Geronimo, the Apache Kid, and the Captive Boy Who Started the Longest War in American History
    The Apache Wars: The Hunt for Geronimo, the Apache Kid, and the Captive Boy Who Started the Longest War in American History
    Audiobook17 hours

    The Apache Wars: The Hunt for Geronimo, the Apache Kid, and the Captive Boy Who Started the Longest War in American History

    Written by Paul Amdrew Hutton

    Narrated by Jonathan Yen

    4/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    They called him Mickey Free. His kidnapping started the longest war in American history, and both sides blamed him for it. A mixed-blood warrior who moved uneasily between the worlds of the Apaches and the American soldiers, he was never trusted by either but desperately needed by both. Free was the only man Geronimo ever feared. He played a pivotal role in this long war for the Southwest with his pursuit of the renegade scout, Apache Kid. #160; In this sprawling, monumental work, Paul Hutton unfolds over two decades of the last war for the West through the eyes of the men and women who lived it. This is Mickey Free's story, but also the story of his contemporaries: the great Apache leaders Mangas Coloradas, Cochise, and Victorio; the soldiers Kit Carson, O. O. Howard, and Nelson Miles; the frontiersmen Al Sieber, Tom Horn, and Texas John Slaughter; the scout Alchesay and the Apache female warrior Lozen; the fierce Apache warrior Geronimo; and the Apache Kid. These lives shaped the violent history of the deserts and mountains of the Southwestern borderlands where a people would make a final, bloody stand against an American war machine bent on their destruction.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherHighbridge Company
    Release dateMay 3, 2016
    ISBN9781681680774
    The Apache Wars: The Hunt for Geronimo, the Apache Kid, and the Captive Boy Who Started the Longest War in American History

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    Reviews for The Apache Wars

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    • 4/5
      I received an advanced reading copy of this book in exchange for a fair review. Apache Wars is an exhaustive review of the longterm war between the Americans, the Mexicans, and the numerous Apache tribes of the southwest. Dates, places, and names are given for virtually every major battle between the factions.The author has done an excellent job of providing the backdrop for the hostilities between the three groups. He is unflinching in his portrayal of all the groups; the good, the bad, and the very ugly. He does touch somewhat on the impact the Spaniards had on both the Mexicans and the Apache, but a little more of the background would be helpful. It would be nice to know how the two groups got along before the Spanish arrived or even if there was a division between the populations.What is shown here again and again is that hatred, prejudice, indifference, and an acceptance of genocide were present in all levels of the Mexican government, and the American military and government. Despite the Emancipation Proclamation and the North winning the Civil War, Indian were still largely viewed as sub-human as the African-American slaves were. Even those who were more favorably inclined towards the Native Americans wanted to see them corralled and Christianized. There was never any question but that the white men had the right to come and take whatever they wanted and to move aside anyone in their way.The author is even-handed in his portrayal of the Apaches. He does not paint them as peaceful innocents who had no knowledge of war. The various tribes fought violently amongst themselves and loyalties could turn on a dime. They made a good portion of their living from raiding other people's stock, crops, and even children, and they had no qualms about killing in the process. However, it was only after several of their own people were tortured, mutilated, and murdered did they begin to the do the same. The first people to take scalps were not the Apaches. They also kept captives but usually integrated them into tribe life unlike the Mexicans and Americans who tended to sell or enslave the captives.The book's premise is partially based on the life of a boy who was captured at the age of 11 and raised as an Apache. The boy, who was eventually known as Mickey Free, was half Mexican and half Irish but became fully integrated into Apache life. His capture is touted as what started the beginning of the war between the US and the Apaches, but, as presented, it is clear that his kidnapping was just an excuse for hostilities to increase. His kidnapping was wrongly accredited to Apache chief Cochise and it was Cochise and his people who were then captured by the American military under the disguise of a parley. Cochise escaped, but the hideous murders of his family at the hands of Indian hater Lt. George Basom, enflamed the Apache nation to war. Mickey became a well-respected Apache warrior who eventually worked as an Indian scout for the US military and killed many of his own tribesman. So, while his capture was technically started the war, in and of himself. Mickey Free was not that important. There were many other Apache, half-Apache, and Mexican scouts who slaughtered and sold-out their own people. In the end, Mickey retires and moves his family to a ranch. Two other main characters, Geronimo and the Apache Kid, played far larger parts in the war. Geronimo proved to be a strong, wily leader who nonetheless gave the white people numerous chances for peace. He parleyed with the US government many times and was consistently lied to and cheated. Despite this, he continued to call for peace among his people and it was his influence that led thousands of Apaches to move to the reservations. During these years he was held captive by the military numerous times, often as a way to complete his people to comply with what the military wanted. When he was incarcerated for the last time, already an old man, he gave up trying to lead his people and died on a reservation. The Apache Kid was the son of an Apache chief who was taken to live on a reservation and became a favorite of the military men. He was taught to wrangle animals, shoot, and scout and became an Indian Scout for many years. He was incarcerated numerous times for various crimes and served time in both Alcatraz an Yuma prison. He escaped with several other men and proved to be an elusive and wily target. He was never conclusively found despite many attempts throughout the years and his name became legend as the one Apache who got away. If you are looking for the facts of this war, this is a good reference, although without an index finding those facts could be difficult. If you want more of the story of the war and the people involved in it, the nuggets are harder to find. You get a sense of what people are like, but their personal stories are set aside in favor of the wheres and whens of what happened. In the end, this is a rather dry read and only those really interested in the facts are gong to read all the way through it. It left me wanting to know more about these fascinating characters, and for that alone it was worth reading.
    • 4/5
      This is an exhaustive history of the Apache Indian wars in Arizona, New Mexico and Mexico between the Civil War and the capture of Geronimo in 1886. There were many different bands of Apaches and there were often conflicts among them. This factor led to the formation of the Apache Scouts in the U.S. Army in the Southwest. Without the Apache Scouts, the Apache hostiles would have taken much longer to subdue. The scouts knew the habits, and hideouts of the bands they were pursuing. Many of them had been on raiding parties before being scouts. Some of them were even awarded the Medal of Honor. The reservation system was very complicated with conflicts between the "Indian Ring", that is, contractors and vendors who sold food and supplies to feed the reservation, the U.S. Army, local civilians,Indian Affairs bureaucrats, and the Mexican military.. The local population wanted the Apache controlled or exterminated. They were being killed and their property, mostly stock, stolen. The Indian Ring was selling goods at inflated prices. The Army was a kind of middle man between the local population and the Apaches. The Indian Affairs bureaucrats were often of a do-gooder type who wanted to civilize and Christianize the Apaches. The Apache crossed the Mexican border at will to hide in the Mexican mountains there when the heat was on in Arizona. Often the U.S. troops would pursue them into Mexico. They would also return to the reservation periodically after raids to rest and recuperate, and then break out again. Geronimo did it at least four times. As a boy I watched the TV show Broken Arrow which was about Indian Agent Tom Jeffords and the Apache warrior Cochise. Their relationship is covered and explained. I found the book very interesting, if slow reading. I kept wishing for some maps because there were many references to minor mountain ranges of which I wasn't aware. Some photographs would have been nice also.
    • 4/5
      Exceptionally well researched, this book about the treatment of the Indians during the "settlement" of the West and their answer to it is a fascinating look at a period of American history that is often left to a few lines in school work. Mr. Hutton obviously did a lot of study before putting pen to paper and at times he seems to include every little bit of information he found which can overwhelm the casual reader. The book is written in a style as to make the information readable and not at all like a schoolbook.
    • 4/5
      I enjoyed the book but I feel like the narrative only became compelling at the halfway point. That's when the title characters stories begin to weave.
    • 5/5
      I was first introduced to Paul Andrew Hutton back in the 90s when he appeared as a "talking head" on A&E's Civil War Journal series. He served as editor of the trade paperback Eyewitness to the Civil War series, which included some classic titles of CW literature, including JL Chamberlain's Passing of the Armies. But his CW work is more of a side gig to his major works on the history of the American West and Southwest, and he ranks as one of that theater's main historians. I was living in Arizona when I acquired Apache Wars, so it was truly local history reading much of it. As an academic, Hutton's work is not for the casual reader (which does not bother me in the least as I am not a fan of "popular history"), but his research into and knowledge of his subject matter is quite deep. Familiarity with the geographic areas referred to in the text are of course helpful, but not a requirement. This ranks as unquestionably the best volume on the subject matter and is one of Hutton's finest works.
    • 5/5
      Great historical non-fiction. Hutton will be added to my list of authors to watch.
    • 4/5
      In 1851, an Apache warrior named Goyahkla found his entire family massacred by Mexican militia men. This warrior, believing the justice of his revenge earned him the protection of the gods, would embark on a lifetime of violent retribution. The name he would become known by was not his own, but (a bit perversely) the name of the saint his Mexican victims prayed to when he attacked: Geronimo. Ten years later, a young boy, Felix Ward, was abducted in an Apache raid on his parent’s ranch. These two figures would contribute to a war between the Apaches and the American government that would last for decades.This is an incredible history, and one which has largely been forgotten (at least in my east-of-the-Mississippi neck of the woods). While the name Geronimo is known to many (though to most as the word that is shouted before jumping from a high place), few know the details of the Apache resistance to American and Mexican encroachment. Like many Native American histories, it is a part of the past that has been de-emphasized in school curricula.The story is stunning, and devastating. The duplicity and racism of the American government, while not surprising, is nauseating to read about in such detail. The bad-faith deals, the continual shunting of the Apache onto smaller and smaller portions of land, the corruption of the Indian Agents assigned to their “care,” the selling of troublesome Apaches into slavery, it’s all there in black and white. And it’s horrifying.This is a well-written history, but keep in mind that this is more of an academically-inclined book. The story is an incredible one, but in this tone, it does become dry and dragging at times. History buffs and those interested in the topic will find an incredible trove of information here. Those looking for a more accessible version of the story should check out Indeh, written by Ethan Hawke and illustrated by Greg Ruth (Which made my Top 10 for 2016).A copy of this book was provided by the publisher via Blogging for Books in exchange for an honest review.
    • 4/5
      This is a fuller account than the ones I have read elsewhere (e.g. Tom Horn's memoirs) of the entire struggle between the US military and the Apaches, starting with the events leading to the Gadsden Purchase which gave the US title to much of the Apache lands and going down to the last alleged sightings of the Apache Kid after 1900. It is written with respect for many of the fighters and other leaders on both sides, though it is also clear on the brutality which also existed on both sides, and gives a balanced view of both the virtues and the faults (often self-righteousness) of attempted reformers like O.O. Howard and John Clum.
    • 4/5
      Exceptionally well researched, this book about the treatment of the Indians during the "settlement" of the West and their answer to it is a fascinating look at a period of American history that is often left to a few lines in school work. Mr. Hutton obviously did a lot of study before putting pen to paper and at times he seems to include every little bit of information he found which can overwhelm the casual reader. The book is written in a style as to make the information readable and not at all like a schoolbook.
    • 5/5
      Detailed history of the drawn out war with Apache Indians. Their treatment included broken treaties and failed government policies and practices. Apache warriors retaliated with raids and violence. Excellently written and researched history. (lj)
    • 3/5
      Few would name Squinter as America's greatest domestic adversary. Many, however, would recognize him as Geronimo. Paul Hutton presents his story, along with Mangas Colorado and other Apache greats, in this checkered chapter of American History in which we are disappointed by official government acts, yet claim its victims as our own heroes and legends.
    • 3/5
      At times dense and overwhelming, but definitely worth reading. Hutton does a great job compiling the longest war in American history without making it read like a textbook. It's as unbiased and fair as possible, and the author does a good job of outlining when the White Eyes (white Americans) are screwing over the Apaches and vice-versa (obviously though the White Eyes are the biggest ones at fault). I knew literally nothing before starting this and it kinda blew my mind, wild west history is so fascinating. I had heard of Geronimo and the Apache kid but it was completely out of context to what really happened. It's a sad story of a quickly diminishing land, broken treaties, vengeance, raids, kidnappings, and murder. It keeps getting more depressing the further you read because the government has less patience and less land to "give." A must read for fans of the wild west and Native American history. Included are pictures that help bring the whole story to light. I received this book for free from Blogging for Books in return for my honest, unbiased review.
    • 3/5
      I was hoping this book would be akin to "Empire of the Summer Moon" by S.C. Gwynne. While this work is not as compulsively readable as that book, it did provide a solid, literate background of its subject.As I read an ARC none of the maps or figures were included, which would have helped visualize some of the geographical details and which I hope (and assume) are included in the final edited version.
    • 3/5
      Well-written and detailed almost to a fault. Hutton did a good job of connecting this story with the generalities of The American approach to Native Americans but still told the stories of particular people. It is easy to loose sight of the large picture of the book because there is so much description of each person to appear. However, I found most these people interesting and enjoyed the anecdotes.
    • 3/5
      The book The Apache Wars gives you a lot of information about a neglected period in our history. The copy I had was a pre-publication version, so some of the information may have changed. I enjoyed reading and learning more about this time period. The only issue I had was that there was too much information at times and trying to keep track of all of the players was challenging.
    • 3/5
      An interesting slice of American history, but I thought Hutton overreached a little in what he included. I found, for example, including detailed backgrounds for almost every general to passed through Camp Grant added a bit of weight the book didn't need.
    • 4/5
      The Apache Wars is a study of Native American and settler/military interaction in the later part of the 19th century. Cochise, Mangas Colorados, and Geronimo are among the more famous leaders represented in the book. The author took care to explain differences between groups of Apaches as well as between leaders both Native American and military. This book has a lot of information in it and can be confusing until a reader gets familiar with all the characters but it provided great insight into the west (Arizona, New Mexico, and surrounding territory) during that time period. It was of special interest to me as my great-grandfather was an early settler of the Phoenix area and was likely aware of the "Apache" wars.
    • 4/5
      The ApacheWar, this was the United States’ longest war. From 1860 to 1890, the white man and the Apache battled it out over a sun scorched, wind blown , desolate terrain that became soaked with the blood of both sides. The Apache had been fighting for their land against the Spanish long before the Americans came. Apaches such as Mangas Coloradas, Cochise, Victorio, Nana, Geronimo, Manuelito, and Ulzana lead their people at various times, against units of the U.S. Army, the Confederate Army, various state and territory militias, and units of the Mexican Army. The Apaches fought a guerrilla war against a generally bigger and better armed, yet not necessarily better lead enemy. They were fighting for their families and the right to live their life on their homeland as they saw fit. The white eyes were fighting to take away this land from the Indians, either for the range land for their herds of cattle or for the possibility of gold or other mineral wealth thought to be on the homelands of the Apache. Both sides fought without pity or remorse. Both sides made promises of peace which they broke whenever it was to their advantage. There were honorable men on both sides, even as there were dishonorable on both sides. The outcome of this war was seldom in question, it was only a matter of the cost in human lives on both sides; of how many would survive the end of the bloodshed. This book is a very detailed history of this violent time in the Southwest. Even though I set it aside a couple of times, I was drawn back to it by the depiction of the doggedness and determination of the participants on both sides as they fought for what they believed.
    • 4/5
      Paul Hutton has produced a major work on the Apache Wars. He details the background and customs of the tribe and describes the terrain over which this book plays out. A wealth of detail conveys the story of the conflict between Mexico, the US, and the Apache nation.The Apache were a nomadic warier culture. There substance came from raids on the people around them. The author states that at their peak the numbered only eight to ten thousand. Even with this small number they burned their mark onto a hundred years of the history of Northern Mexico and the Southwestern United States.He starts his story with the kidnaping of an Irish-Mexican child named Felix Tellez in January of 1861. The child was raised by the Apache and came to be called Mickey Free. This kidnapping was the proximate cause of the Chiricahua Wars. This was the first of an almost continues series of conflicts between the Apache Nation and the United States and Mexico. The story of Mickey Free would weave in and out of these conflicts. As a grown man he sided against the tribe and was a scout and a bounty hunter. This is a dense book filled with a wealth of detail. Finishing it one feels that the subject has been well covered. I recommend it highly but it is not a quick read. However, it will repay the time invested. I received an advanced reader’s copy of this book
    • 5/5
      I received "The Apache Wars" by Paul Andrew Hutton through Library Thing early reviewers. I asked for the book because of Paul Anthony Hutton. I have seen and read about him and have been more than impressed with his interviews etc concerning American History in the 1800's. This book lived up to my expectations and more. I have found Paul Andrew Hutton to be a trusted historian concerning history in the 1800's and complement him on this book. It is well worth the time to read and study information from this book. It's a great book and an easy read and told as a story. Thank you for sharing your knowledge.
    • 5/5
      I thoroughly enjoyed Paul Andrew Hutton's book, The Apache Wars: The Hunt for Geronimo, the Apache Kid, and the Captive Boy Who Started the Longest War in American History. As with most histories, the reader already knew who won. Mr. Hutton provided an entertaining, well-researched answer to "how was it won". I'd recommend this book to anyone interested in this aspect of American history.
    • 4/5
      This is a really excellent look at Native American history both from the perspective of the settlers and the Apache. Good read
    • 5/5
      Paul Andrew Hutton's fascinating and captivating book, The Apache Wars: The Hunt for Geronimo, the Apache Kid, and the Captive Boy Who Started the Longest War in American History, is vivid, sweeping, popular history at nearly its best. Mr. Hutton vividly captures the final war between the Mexicans and white Americans (mostly on the same side) against the Apache (who were divided and sometimes helped, and sometimes warred against, the white Americans; sometimes both at the same time). In the process, Mr. Hutton, who appears very knowledgeable about his subject, greatly educates his readers about the people, the places, and the period he covers. You almost feel as if you are there (which is not always comfortable given the often arbitrary, unjust, unethical, and gruesome events that occurred).I could go on for many paragraphs about what a wonderful book this is, but it seems that most people reviewing this book have already sufficiently covered its many merits. I will thus note what amounts to a few (relatively minor) criticisms that I believe merit mention.The first is that the book's title is fairly misleading. Not all of it though. "The Apache Wars" is very accurate. That is indeed what the book covers, and covers well, even if I wish that Mr. Hutton had jumped around a bit less in time and place in covering his subject. It would have been a bit easier to understand the constant realignments and changes in course on the part of all sides if Mr. Hutton had told his story in a strictly chronological order. What is misleading is the rest of the book's title. Geronimo doesn't really enter the picture until Chapter 16, more than 200 pages into the book. And the hunt for him doesn't really start until close to page 300. The hunt for the Apache Kid likewise doesn't start until page 392, out of a book of 425 pages. And the Apache wars weren't actually started by any captive boy; the wars had started long before, the captive boy being just one of the victims/players in the long war. Yes, he had an important role, and Mr. Hutton asserts that the Apaches believed him to be the cause of their war with the white Americans, but having read Mr. Hutton's book, I don't understand either the assertion or the belief.The second criticism is that Mr. Hutton engages in an affectation in which many writers engage: that of believing his readers will hold it against him if he is too consistent in his references to various people. Thus, rather than referring to the various players in his story by a consistent name, he constantly changes how he refers to them, alternately using their given name, their Apache name, their Spanish name, their English name, their nickname, their rank or political position, or their job title. It doesn't add variety as much as it renders it difficult to understand who is actually involved in what, especially given the not entirely chronological order of the book. Mr. Hutton also does not always translate foreign names into English, even when noting that the untranslated foreign name is particularly significant or descriptive of a person or place (leaving his readers at a loss as to how it is significant or descriptive unless they look up the translation for themselves).But those are really minor quibbles. Mr. Hutton's book is both vivid, entertaining, and educational. As I read an advance copy of the book, which did not include photos that are apparently included in the version for sale, I cannot comment on them, but I imagine they would make the book even better than it is without them. I liked the book so much, even though I seldom read books about American history, that I suspect I'll purchase a copy of the final book in order to get a copy with included photos. But even if the book contained no photos, I'd still highly recommend it.
    • 1/5
      Portrayed as a tale of "The Hunt For Geronimo" and others, the story suffers from too much research, all of which was apparently determined to be worthy of inclusion.. Rather than mold this research into a focused story, The Apache Wars quickly becomes a confusing series of characters, battles, retaliations and political maneuvers as the years fly by. There is little hope of following who's who or determining which event is important enough to factor into the story. The book is a tedious, confusing read. If you are looking for a book for further research, or to understand the minutia of the late 1800 Indian conflicts, this may be for you. If you are looking for an understandable story, pass on this one.
    • 4/5
      I imagine that when some distanced historian in the future writes a history of the war in Afghanistan or the various Middle Eastern conflicts, it will read a lot like this. As in its subtitle this book characterizes the war between the US Army/settlers and the Apaches as the "longest war in American history," certainly those more contemporary conflicts are coming to rival it in length.Before a bullet gets fired, it all begins in fundamental cultural conflict. Living in the harsh physical environment of the American Southwest, the Apaches were a nomadic people. They survived by accessing whatever resources they could. That often meant raiding and commandeering the resources of others. Because the purpose of the raids was survival, violence was avoided if at all possible. A perfect raid would be theft without killing. When communities battled one another, it was for the purpose of revenge; the killing of one clan's member required payback.Needless to say, such vengeance-oriented ethic could escalate very quickly, and that's exactly what happened when white settlers appeared on the scene. Ranchers and farmers were not going to tolerate raids of their property, and the Apaches were prepared to wreak whatever violence they could on those who dared use their guns on them.Things turned ugly very fast. There were no heroes here. The Apaches, facing the overwhelming force of the US Army, essentially played the role of terrorists, unwilling to spare hardly anyone when they were on the warpath, including children and infants. The US Army undertook essentially a policy of genocide.But this was a guerrilla war, much like the conflicts of today. There was no front. Pursuits of Apache groups criss-crossed southern Arizona and New Mexico and northern Mexico. There were few big battles, but plenty of skirmishes. On the Army side, confusion led to frustration which led to a lot of personnel changes. Others knew how to exploit the confusion for personal gain, and corruption among some of those administering the war was rife.All this activity with such a broad cast of characters (not to mention the fact that the Apaches were neither a homogeneous group, but had many differences among themselves--some even served as Army scouts!) makes for a busy narrative. It certainly helps to read with the book in one hand and a map in the other to trace all the movement.Some characters stand out, with lives so interesting they could carry their own books (and indeed have--along with movies): Cochise, Tom Horn, Mickey Free, the Apache Kid, Tom Jeffords--not to mention Geronimo. But this book well-accomplishes the task of the tale of a complex time in Western American history together, connecting how all they relate.And perhaps even giving some insight into our own time.
    • 4/5
      This is a comprehensive history of the interactions between the American Indian groups known to settlers as Apaches and those settlers and their government. As a story, it is both complex and tragic, and many well-known figures appear, including Cochise, Tom Jeffords, Kit Carson and, of course, Geronimo. Because Hutton's subject is all of the Apache war, Geronimo does not get the detailed treatment he does in Angie Debo's biography of him, but Hutton draws three dimensional portraits of the major figures and relates policies and actions to the larger context of U.S. history including the Civil War, relations with Mexico and westward expansion. An enjoyable and informative book.
    • 4/5
      Apache Wars is a record of the Apache chiefs and leaders that roamed the southwest through the 1800's. The wars seemed to start with the abduction of a redheaded boy hiding in a peach tree. He became known as Mickey Free. He was raised as an apache, and become a scout for the military. The book include the capture of Cochise and the hunt for Geronimo and other apache leaders. It also followed the military officers who lead the searches for the apaches. The book tells what happened to most of these warriors and military leaders. Having lived in Tucson for 38 years, and traveled around a lot of southern AZ and NM, the book increased my interest, realizing I've been in a lot of these locations, and was curious about the history. It answered a lot of questions I had. I enjoyed the book, and learned a lot about the tribes and the history of the southwest.
    • 5/5
      The kidnapping of a young boy from his father's homestead in 1861 would launch a war that would last until 1890. Born of an Irish father and a Mexican mother the youngster would grow up among the Apache and would become trapped between two worlds. The initial search for him would lay blame on a band of Apache who had nothing to do with it and thus would be the spark that ignited the on going struggle between the "white eyes" and the Apache.Hutton gives the reader a look into the Apache, and one realizes that though they are grouped as a tribe that they were from different bands that lived in the southwest and were grouped together as Apaches. Instead of dealing with each band separately the US government grouped them as one tribe and the actions of one band could cause another band that was completely innocent to bare the brunt of the punishment. Prior to the kidnapping of the Ward boy by one band brought the war down on all Apaches. Up to this time the settlers and the Apache had gotten along because the Apache had stayed in the mountains and had even helped with America's run-ins with the Mexicans. But that all changed with the American acquisition of the southwest and the influx of new settlers who wanted more land and also who wanted to search the mountains for gold and silver.All of the famous or renown Apaches are here in this book. Mangas Coloradas, Cochise, Geronimo and Apache Kid others of lesser fame all played a part. On the other side were names like Kit Carson, Tom Horn, Al Sieber, General Crook and General Miles. They were all brought together by the kidnapping of one boy and the lack of understanding between two peoples. It is interesting that the military used Apache scouts to help them track down the Apache bands that were engaging in this war. One of these scouts was a small young man name Mickey Free, the young boy who had been kidnapped and started the whole conflict. His story is of a young man trapped between two worlds and still wanting to be accepted in both.The books covers the major battles of the war. The incursions of American troops into Mexico in hot pursuit. It also covers the reservation system that America was trying to establish and the corruption that came along with that system. The Apache were fighting for a style of life that was disappearing under the wave of white settlers that were coming into their land. It seems to be a shame that some sort of agreement could not have been reached and the Apaches could have been allowed to keep their homeland.A very good read and a good addition to the history of the American Southwest. We have all heard the names but probably never realized the struggle that went on there.
    • 5/5
      The Spanish may have settled the South West but when the Spanish army left after the Mexicans won their independence in 1821 the Mexicans were not able to defend these ranches, mines or outpost in what was the Apache lands. By the time Americans started moving into these territories their were few Mexicans left and as we read in this book at how well the Apache fought it is understandable why Mexico tried to sell the USA 9,000 more acres of land then was bought off them. If the USA had bought all that was offered Arizona would have access to the ocean today. In the 1840’s many of the Apache tribes considered Americans friends and aided the USA in their war against Mexico. It was not until a young boy was kidnapped off a ranch in 1861 that the Apache Wars, the various tribes, against the United States began. Each tribe had its own trigger point for hostilities but as you read the history it is amazing how easily most of the bloodshed could have been avoided. Over two decades of conflict covered Arizona, New Mexico, and Mexico that continued until Geronimo surrendered in 1886. And that is if you discount the time the Apache Kid fled for his life and fought for survival.The book is well detailed and written in an easily readable format. You read at how cultural misunderstandings and greedy U.S. government Indian Agents and merchants caused most but not all of the uprisings. I may have missed something but from what I read the Apache Chiefs and their tribes kept to what they understood to be the letter of the law of all treaties made with the U.S. Government. These accounts show me that the only renegade who lied and wanted war was Geronimo. The honor of the other Apache Chief I see as intact as their actions were forced by the inappropriate actions of those appointed to administer the treaties agreements by the U.S. government. This is not to say their were not honest Indian Agents or U.S. Military who peacefully administered the treaties. These few men are pointed out in this narrative.
    • 4/5
      The Apache Wars is the story of the long-running conflict between the United States and various bands of Apaches, beginning with a kidnapping in 1861 and ending with the final surrender of Geronimo in 1886. It was a long period of strife, primarily in the areas of southern Arizona and New Mexico, and northern Mexico. It was a complex conflict, in part because of the Apache people being driven from the lands they had roamed for centuries to the confinement of reservations, and also because the Apache were, and in many cases still are, a people aligned along lines of kinship. Whereas current Apache groups are organized in recognized tribes and nations in the time of the Apache wars in many of the tribes clan identity was more significant, so that even the great leaders, such as Mangas Coloradas and Cochise could speak for their clan but not make guarantees that the whole tribe would consent to.This book provides a great amount of detail for the Apache wars, in a very readable style, and paints robust portraits of many of the central figures on each side of the conflict, while also clearly showing the tension that affected a number of people who had no clear side but were strongly pulled in both directions. The one drawback of the book is its emphasis on the war among as it involved the Chiracahua, White River and San Carlos Apaches. There is an account of the Mescalero and their eventual settlement on their reservation but virtually no telling of the Jicarilla band, perhaps because their part in the war with the United States occurred from 1849-55 and before the timeline of this book. I enjoyed this book quite a lot and appreciate the way in which Hutton tells the story of the Apache wars. Having lived the past three years on the reservation of the Jicarilla Apache Nation I may be slightly biased, but I was glad to learn some of the history of the other Apache groups.