Cochise facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Cochise
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Bronze bust of Cochise, Fort Bowie National Historic Site, Arizona
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| Born | 1805 Chiricahua country, under Spanish occupation |
| Died | June 8, 1874 Cochise Stronghold, Dragoon Mountains, Arizona, U.S. |
| Allegiance | Chiricahua Apache Indians |
| Years of service | 1861–1872 |
| Rank | Chief (or leader) of Chiricahua Apaches |
| Battles/wars | Apache Wars |
Cochise (born around 1805 – died June 8, 1874) was a powerful leader of the Chokonen band of the Chiricahua Apache people. He was a key war leader during the Apache Wars. Cochise led a major uprising against the U.S. government that started in 1861 and lasted until a peace treaty was signed in 1872. Cochise County, Arizona is named after him.
Contents
Who Was Cochise?
Cochise, also known as "Cheis," was one of the most famous Apache leaders. He, along with Geronimo and Mangas Coloradas, strongly resisted outsiders trying to take over their lands in the 1800s. People described Cochise as a tall and strong man for his time. He had a muscular build, classic features, and long black hair worn in the traditional Apache style. His name Cheis meant "having the quality or strength of oak" in his own language.
Where Did Cochise and His People Live?
Cochise and the Chokonen-Chiricahua lived in an area that is now parts of northern Sonora, Mexico, and the states of New Mexico and Arizona in the U.S. They had settled there long before European explorers and settlers arrived.
As Spain, and later Mexico, tried to control these lands, the Apache groups fought back more and more. This led to many wars, which the Apache often won.
How Did Peace Attempts Change?
The Spanish tried a different way to deal with the Apache. They tried to make them dependent by giving them old firearms and alcohol. This was called the "Galvez Peace Policy."
When Mexico became independent from Spain, they stopped this policy. The Chiricahua bands then started raiding again in the 1830s to get the goods they needed.
The Mexican government sent soldiers to stop the raids, but the Apache fought them to a standstill. Cochise's father was killed during this fighting. This made Cochise even more determined to seek revenge against the Mexicans. In 1848, Mexican forces captured Cochise during a raid, but he was later traded for several Mexican prisoners.
Why Did Fighting Increase?
After the Mexican–American War in 1850, the United States took control of much of the Apache territory. For a while, the Apache and the new settlers had peaceful relations. Cochise even helped by possibly supplying firewood to a stagecoach station in Apache Pass.
However, this peace did not last. More European-Americans moved into Apache lands, causing more problems.
What Was the Bascom Affair?
In 1861, an event called the Bascom affair sparked a major conflict. An Apache group had stolen cattle and kidnapped a 12-year-old boy. Cochise and his band were wrongly blamed for this incident.
A U.S. Army officer, Lt. George Bascom, invited Cochise to his camp, believing he was responsible. Cochise said he was innocent and offered to help find the real culprits. But the officer tried to arrest him. Cochise managed to escape by cutting his way out of the tent with a knife.
Bascom then captured some of Cochise's relatives. In response, Cochise took his own hostages to try and trade them for his family. However, more U.S. troops arrived, and the talks broke down. Cochise felt the situation was out of control.
This event led Cochise to start 11 years of intense warfare. He attacked many Mexican and American settlements in southern Arizona. This mistaken arrest is still remembered by the Chiricahua's descendants today as "Cut the Tent."
Who Did Cochise Fight With?
Cochise joined forces with his father-in-law, Mangas Coloradas, a powerful Chihenne-Chiricahua chief. Together, they launched many attacks on white settlements and ranches. The First Battle of Dragoon Springs was one of these fights.
During this time, the United States was busy with its own American Civil War. It pulled many soldiers out of the area, leaving fewer resources to fight the Apache. The Apache were also very skilled at fighting in the tough desert terrain. It took many years for the U.S. Army to learn how to effectively challenge the Apache warriors on their own lands.
Major Battles and Peace Efforts
What Happened at Apache Pass?
In 1862, at Apache Pass, Cochise and Mangas Coloradas led about 500 fighters. They faced a large group of California volunteers led by General James Henry Carleton. The Apache held their ground until the U.S. forces used howitzer cannons.
The cannon fire forced the Apache to retreat. The Battle of Apache Pass was one of the few times the Apache fought a direct, large-scale battle against the U.S. Army. Usually, they used guerrilla tactics, which involve surprise attacks and quick retreats. After this battle, the U.S. Army decided it was better to find other routes around Apache Pass.
How Was Mangas Coloradas Captured?
In January 1863, General Joseph R. West tricked Mangas Coloradas into a meeting under a flag of truce. During this peaceful discussion, the Americans captured Mangas Coloradas and later killed him.
Cochise believed this was a serious violation of the rules of war. This act made the Apache even more angry and determined to fight. Cochise and his people continued their raids against U.S. and Mexican settlements and military posts throughout the 1860s.
When Did Cochise Make Peace?
After many battles, Cochise and his men were slowly pushed into Arizona's Dragoon Mountains. They used these mountains as a hiding place and a base for their attacks. Cochise avoided capture and continued his raids until 1872.
In 1871, General Oliver Otis Howard was sent to find Cochise. In 1872, General Howard, along with his aide and Captain Samuel S. Sumner, came to Arizona to negotiate a peace treaty. Tom Jeffords, Cochise's only white friend, was also there. A peace treaty was successfully agreed upon on October 12, 1872.
After the treaty, Cochise moved to a new reservation, the Chiricahua Reservation, with his friend Jeffords as the agent.
Cochise's Later Life and Family
Cochise died of natural causes, likely abdominal cancer, in 1874. He was buried in the rocks above one of his favorite camps in Arizona's Dragoon Mountains, a place now called the Cochise Stronghold. Only his people and Tom Jeffords knew the exact spot of his burial, and they kept it a secret.
Many of Cochise's descendants now live on the Mescalero Apache Reservation in New Mexico and the Fort Sill Apache Tribe in Oklahoma.
Who Was Cochise's Family?
Cochise married a woman named Dos-teh-seh, whose name meant "Something-at-the-campfire-already-cooked." She was the daughter of Mangas Coloradas, the powerful leader of the Warm Springs and Mimbreño Apache groups. Cochise and Dos-teh-seh had two sons: Taza (1842–1876) and Naiche (1856–1919).
Cochise in Popular Culture
Cochise's story has been told in many books and movies.
- The 1947 novel Blood Brother by Elliott Arnold tells a fictional story about the friendship between Jeffords and Cochise.
- In 1950, this novel was made into the film Broken Arrow. It starred James Stewart as Jeffords and Jeff Chandler as Cochise. This film was important because it was one of the first to show Native Americans in a positive light.
- John Ford's 1948 film Fort Apache also showed Cochise positively.
- Jeff Chandler played Cochise again in The Battle at Apache Pass (1952) and Taza, Son of Cochise (1954), where Rock Hudson played his son, Taza.
- Conquest of Cochise (1953) also showed Cochise as a caring man who wanted peace.
- The TV series Broken Arrow (1956-1958) was a fictionalized account of Jeffords and Cochise's relationship.
- A small crater on the Moon was named after Cochise by the astronauts of Apollo 17.
See also
In Spanish: Cochise para niños
