Steck and Apache Solution/Mexican Treachery

From 1852 -1863, Dr. Michael Steck of Pennsylvania, and a graduate from University of Pennsylvania medical college, was appointed New Mexico Indian Agent for the southern Apaches. He was the best of Agents presaging Tom Jeffords’ work with Cochise’s people in the 1870’s. Steck came to know Mangas Coloradas quite well. Steck realized that the Apaches had an outdated raiding economy. His Apache blueprint called for teaching the Apaches how to farm, raise cattle, and to establish a safe haven for them on a reservation in the Gila/Santa Lucia area where they would be autonomous and secure from Pindah incursion. Unfortunately, Steck’s plans ran into political difficulty as Congress was unwilling to formalize his negotiations with Mangas through a formal treaty arguing that America had already conquered it from Mexico. The other difficulty was providing adequate supplies on time to the Apaches in the form of food, clothing and tools until they became self sufficient in farming and cattle rising.  But because of the uncertainty over supplies (11 pounds of corn for adults and half the amount for children) by the Federal Government, bi- annual in March/November, as compared to the lavish monthly supplies available by either raiding or trading in Mexico, Mangus and Cochise would pull away from Steck, and continued to work out favorable terms south of the Border even though the war there had intensified. 

In 1858, Steck encountered the elusive Chokonen leader Cochise at Apache Pass. Up until this time the Chokonen band had remained relatively obscured to the Americans as a separate Chiricahua group. Events however were occurring in southern Arizona that led Cochise to interact with Steck. In 1856, American troops under Major Enoch Steen had formally occupied Tucson ending decades of Mexican occupation. Steen rather than staying there however left to establish Fort Buchannan at the head of the Sonoita Valley. American troop presence brought more Americans into Cochise’s territory looking for gold, copper in the Tubac area. Even more significant was the opening of the Butterfield Overland Mail Company in 1857-58 through the very heart of Cochise country.  In 1859, Cochise again met with Steck promising to protect and to even supply wood for the Butterfield Line. Relations between Steck and Cochise soured over adequate supplies and by the fact that a young Mexican who he had raised, by the name of Merejildo Grijalva, escaped to work for Steck. Their last meeting occurred again at Apache Pass in November 1860 as Steck was planning to leave for Washington. By then it became clear to Cochise that Americans were long on promises but fell far short of providing the essential tools to assist his people to transition from hunters/raiders to ranchers/herders. Steck too had failed to establish a reservation for his people. Cochise sent Yones the wife of his brother Coyuntura to explore the possibility of reopening peace talks with Sonora. Regarding Steck he will pass from the Apache scene and became caught up in the Navajo war arguing with General James Carlton about the devastation of the “Long Walk”. Later Steck will turn to mining and then return to Pennsylvania in the late 60’s.

Mangas attempted at reaching an accord with the Americans however was not true of the “treacherous” Mexicans toward which he carried a deep anger. In the winter of 1857-58, Mangas lost two sons in Sonora, leading him to combine with Cochise in avenging the death of his sons and torching many Sonoran villages. 

(Cochise scouts saw the steady rise of puffs of smoke rising northeast , waited and then quickly relay the message to Cochise who was then in his summer Dragoon stronghold reflecting with his brother Coyuntura on Mexican treachery and growing Pindah presence in Apacheria. The “brown ones he knew for centuries, pale faces he didn’t know”? His people, Chiricahuas, unlike Mangas people, had only limited experience with Pindah but the question that gnawed in the pit of his stomach was how long the mountain fortress of Dragoons and Chiricahua would protect his people. The runner came to his wickiup bringing the sad news that Mangas two sons had been killed and he invited Cochise to avenge their death by meeting him at Stein’s Peak. Cochise at first hesitated, tightening his fist, turning to Coyuntura grimacing “I must tell Dos-te-she about death of her two brothers.” He went out into warm sun and beckoned his oldest wife to come to him sharing the painful news in the Apache way. She immediately began to wail, to cut her hair and to throw ash over her face in memory of her brothers. “They are gone” and their names would never be mentioned again providing a speedy release into the spirit world. Cochise beckoned his warriors, led by his trustworthy lieutenant Nahilzay. He mount quickly his favorite Black stallion urging speed by waving his favorite shot gun over his head leaving the stronghold for Doubtful Canyon, with sounds of women wishing them success ringing in their ears as they made their way down  the narrow canyon trail. Travelling rapidly and in small groups Cochise followers joined with Mangas forces. “Let’s us prepare our revenge on Mexicans for this terrible crime against my people and my family” Mangas screamed in anguish as his memory reminisced the scenes of his two dead sons. Fires were light and next four night’s warriors dance/pray around campfire preparing themselves for combat against their traditional Mexican enemy. Mangas called Cochise and other leaders to discuss strategy. “Let’s us break up into small groups rendezvous near Fronteras where we will spring on the nearby ranches and villages at first sign of light.” “Let them taste full fury of my pain and avenge their treachery and deceit over the years!” Striking early the Apaches caught Mexicans off guard and showed no mercy: burning, killing and looting all they caught or encountered. After several days of raiding Mangas/Cochise left Sonora and returned to their respective strongholds to ponder where they were and what there next step should be with growing Pindah presence.)  

 Mangas and Cochise raised a large force of 500 Apaches to avenge the lost of Mangas’ two sons. Cochise and Mangas conducted a series of devastating raids into Sonora during the summer of 1858 perhaps killing as many as 300 Sonorans. Younger Apache leaders emerged during this period including Victorio and his sister Lozen, Warm Springs, and Geronimo, a war lieutenant of the Bedonkohes Band, who had just lost his wife, Alope, and mother and three children, to a Mexican attack in the spring of 1858. Geronimo was so devastated by his lost that he became a loose cannon as his desire for revenge overwhelm everything else. It was during the summer of 1858 that he adopted the name of Geronimo (St. Jerome) from his Mexican adversaries whenever they saw Goyakhla, (One Who Yawns), cried out in fear to St. Jerome, to protect them! Another prominent Chiricahua was Juh who came from Nedhi Band, and was closed to Geronimo through marrying Geronimo’s sister Ishton. He too like Cochise was quite tall but much heavier with a stutter. In counsel he often relied on Geronimo to speak in his behalf. The Apache need for revenge finally spent Cochise decided to return to the Dragon Stronghold with lots of supplies for his people.  

Cochise was well aware that Apaches needed Mexican allies to offset the growing gringo presence in Apacheria. (“Mexican villages and towns are vital to Apache survival, trade, commerce, supplies, horse, guns” he mused. He turned to Dos–te-she letting her know of how successful the raid had been but confided “maybe doing ourselves more harm than good”. He came into wickiup to dress himself for the night festivities in which warriors would share their bravery and successes followed by dancing and tiswin. Cochise realized that his people needed badly these moments of celebration to recover from the growing pressure placed on their way of life. He came to campfire and took his place next to Coyuntura listening to rhythmic sound of the drumming which placed him into an altered state of consciousness in which he relived a village attack seeing in his mind’s eye how quickly his warriors fell on the unsuspecting Mexicans farmers emerging mysteriously from the desert floor as they entered their fields and then rushed the plaza. In minutes it was over. Faces of the fallen reflect the shock of surprise as they fell to an arrow or knife or spear. And so it went from village to hacienda until Apache furor was spent and Mangas signaled “enough!” Hearing his name mentioned Cochise broke from his revere and returned to the circle to listen to heroic tales of his men to win the attention of the single Apache women gathering outside to listen. Gaans dancers appeared, protectors of Apache people, inviting spirit world to provide abundance and long life to Cochise and Chiricahuas. Dancing/drinking began and Cochise wiping his mouth from tiswin turned to Coyuntura “let’s take an early sweat tomorrow to discuss relations with Sonora/Fronteras” “We can’t afford to burn bridges there”! “Can we repair it?” “Peace brother”.)

At sunrise in July “Father Sun” rose brilliantly and cast it yellows, reds and oranges across the eerie Rock People who inhabited the Chiricahuas Peaks, Cochise and Coyuntura met in alcove of pine near a stream and watched as medicine man constructed the Sweat with willow limbs and covered the roof with juniper and blankets. They blessed themselves with sage and entered into the Sweat on their knees as  a sign of humility seeking in the healing mystery of the Sweat guidance , and watched quietly as the fireman brought in 7 “Grandfather Stone People” and placed them into the pit. Once they were arranged the ceremony began with the closing of the door plunging them into utter darkness save for the light emanating from the pit in the center of the circle. Cochise, Coyuntura, Nahilzay, and several other elders, singers and medicine man participated. Cochise as he listened to the songs, drumming, and sharing’s that occurred in each Round found himself engulfed by the Steam. It magically allowed him to release and let go, and he thanked the Creator for the land, the four-legged and winged creatures that provided food and acted as spiritual guides to the People and asked for guidance in leading his people. Leaving the Sweat refreshed he turned to Coyuntura and said “let’s return to Fronteras soon to re-establish trade with our Mexican neighbors. We cannot fight everyone! The Americans are tough foes and we need Sonoran weapons/supplies to defend ourselves.”

Returning to Fronteras with his Band, Cochise sent Coyuntura wife, Yones, who spoke Spanish to sound the Mexicans out. Yones rode back with a few others to Apache encampment on Rio Bavispe to report to Cochise who was impatiently waiting for her along with Coyuntura both concerned for her safety. “Well” Cochise asked? “They promise to meet on some French holiday, sounded like Bastille Day, promising a fiesta to celebrate a new beginning. Food, music, dancing and mescal would be provided.” “Can the Mexicans be trusted” Cochise asked. His mind rapidly reviewed past meetings that ended badly for Apaches. Turning to Coyuntura, Cochise quietly uttered. “Let’s try it but carefully!”

The next morning drew hot in the Apache camp. It was the season of Ripening when crops matured and seeds /grasses/corn became available.  As Cochise approached, his hair was fastidiously groomed hanging down over his shoulders in Apache fashion, dressed in a beautiful turquoise cotton shirt tied at the waist by a silver Concha belt he acquired in a raid. He carried a beautiful Navajo blanket with thunder designs; he motioned to the people to gather around him. He instructed: “we all know that the Mexicans can be treacherous. So to protect ourselves in Fronteras let’s now agree to be careful of drinking mescal and if anything goes wrong separate into smaller groups and travel to the stand of cottonwoods shaped like herd of Elk along Bavispe. From there we will make our way quickly northward to Chiricahuas.” A dust whirl suddenly appeared casting a shadow as they rode to Fronteras. Arriving at Fronteras, Cochise and his lieu tents approached the city leaders and exchange gifts as a sign of peace. Cochise the Navajo blanket; the Mexican delegation, Havana cigars. Apaches/Mexicans mingled together, accompanied by talking; music, shopping, tortillas, and mescal, when suddenly Cochise heard shouting and gunfire, and saw Cochon a leader go down and signaled to his people to leave immediately for the rendezvous. It ended badly for Chokonens who according to Edwin R. Sweeney “lost 26 men, 10 women and 3 chiefs.” Sweeney, ­Cochise, pp 112-113.

Cochise returning to western Stronghold trembled with rage over Fronteras and his own blindness, seeking counsel with Coyuntura about a new strategy. They sat in silence for some time broken by howling of coyotes in distance. “The defeat will be avenged, for Apache blood cries out for justice!” “War with Mexicans means that we must seek an accommodation with the Americans and once we have worked something out with Pindah we then can create the impression that an American-Apache initiative is underway making our raids into Mexico safer and more strategic. Mexicans have always feared an Apache/American combination! Now the question is where to begin relations with Pindah who we really do not know as we know the Mexicans.”This incident later appeared in “San Diego Herald”, Sept.18, 1858;”Los Angeles Star”, Oct.2, 1858. The Mexican act of deceit triggered another Fronteras attack in September by Cochise/Mangas from Stein’s Peak which was poorly executed, and led both to return to their respective northern strongholds licking their wounds to work something out with the Americans. It was getting much too hot south of the Boarder!