Conchise, a Chiricahua, was said to be the most resourceful, most brutal, and most feared Apache. He and his warriors raided in both Mexico and the United States and, when his brother was executed by Amerians in 1861, Conchise declared war and fought relentlessly for a decade against the United States, submitting ultimately to the reservation only in the face of overwhelming military superiority.

Reviews

The very name of Cochise, an extremely capable military leader of the Chiricahua Apache, evoked fear in the hearts of southwesterners and Mexicans during the 19th century. In this meticulously documented account, the author traces this noted Indian's rise to leadership of his Apache band, his daring and imaginative skirmishes with the military and others in both the United States and Mexico, and his successful negotiations for a reservation in the homeland of his peoples. The discussion centers around Cochise's career as a military leader and the impact of Chiricahua raids on settlers in New Mexico and Arizona. This is the first comprehensive treatment of Cochise's important role in southwestern history.-- Mary B. Davis, Huntington Free Lib., Bronx, New York

Without solid knowledge of Southwestern geography and history, readers will find themselves overwhelmed by the wealth of detail in this well-documented, exhaustive biography. For more than 40 years, Apache bands fought Mexican and American troops in the borderlands between New Mexico and Arizona, Chihuahua and Sonora. In his first book, Sweeney gives a brief introduction to the Apaches and their culture, focusing on Cochise's band, the central Chiricahuas. Cochise was born about 1810, a time of relative peace in northern Mexico when the government supplied rations to the Indians. After the Mexican Revolution (1821), funds were not available, assistance was cut and Apaches started raiding ranches for cattle and horses. By the time Cochise reached maturity, hostilities were widespread. A resourceful and feared warrior, he became the undisputed leader of the Chiricahuas. Trailing Cochise through nearly every skirmish and battle of his career, the narrative is a veritable catalogue of persecution, treachery and cruelty on both sides. In the early 1870s, Cochise accepted peace; he died in 1874. Photos. (June)