Arizona citizen., 1875-05-22
LETTER FROM COa. HODGE. The Chfrtcahua Reservation.
APACHE PASS, May 10, l87!


 tication promised to write aaore particu- aarIE about this reservation and of the Indians thereon, their situation and char acter, etc. My attention has been called to the subject anew by the communities ton of my friend G. H. Howard, Esq., in l THE CINzEN Of Mays. wish to premise i by saying that I have no prejudices for either side in the controversy respecting tn" Indian question, between The Alta ana dsiE CITIZEN, and many other papers, ana snail only write facts SO far as be- i lieve them, obtained from many we'll in- formed persons. To thoroughly under stnnd the question, and the feelings of hate so long existing between the Cachise Indians and other bands in sympathy with them, and the Mexican authorities and people, it is necessary to go back to the'canses tha:led to forty years war be- | tween them. The following facts have received from good authority and believe ] to he true:
 Nearly fifty years since, when Arizona was an integral part of Sonora, the Apa- i'ehes'were numerous and warlike people.
 
 ! and far down into Mexico Most of the other tribes had been conquered by the spanish and Mexican forces and their peo- pie reduced 10 peonage or slavery, and compelled 10 do all manner of drudgery on the farm and in the mines for their masters, the military power and the cler. gy. The Apaches had never been con- Onprpd m cient hunting grounds and through the lofty mountains and wide plains compris- ing their ancient homes. When the after wards noted chief Cachise was but boy Of eight or ten years, his father was the chiefof his tribe, having five sons of whom 'Caohtse was the third son. At that time a difficulty existed between his tribe ana the Mexican people and a meeting was ar ranged to settle all difficulties. It was iheld tor near the point where I am now writing. The Mexicans came with a large body of men, protesting great friendship and desire for peace. The Indians met them Tn confidence, agreed to live in peace, received presents. etc., and then by the foulest treachery and by preconeerted action, the Mexican forces fell upon the unarmed Indians and murdered a large number In cold blood, including Cachise S father and his two older brothers. A few years afterwards in the same manner, with the same protestations of friendship, they entieed Cachlse's two remaining brothers and large body of the tribe to a peace conference in Sonora. and iR like manner treacherously murdered them. Many other instances Of the same charac- ter have been repeated to me, and one in- stance was told by Major T., who witness ed the scene, but few months in Janos, a town across the frontier, at which time the major appealed to the alcalde to stop the murder, but all in vain.
 After the murdeF Of Cachise's two last brothers, at the age of eighteen, Cachise became the chief of his tribe, and he then vowed eternal hostility to those who had treacherously murdered his father, all his brothers, and so many Of his tribe. This is Indian nature, and I take it, tt is the nature of most white men. for few in these latter days exemplify the doctrine Of Christ to turn the other cheek when smit- ten on the one.
 For over forty long years Cachise was true to his VOW of hate and hostility against the Mexicans attested by many a horrid butchery and wholesale pluuder of the Mexican people wherever found. I neither excuse nor palliate the horrors perpetrated. When about two and 6 half years since, Cachise was induced to make peace with General Howard, a peace which he and his whole band have most faithfully carried out, the effort was made to stop all raids and wars upon the people of Sonora, and Chihuahua At first Ca chise would listen to no proposal of the kind, declaring the MeXicans false and treacherous, the murderers of his family and people, but he was finally induced to promise to let them alone himself and to use all his power to keep his band from doing the Mexican people any harm, either in life or propery, From the date of this peace to the time of his death, June s, 1874, Cachise never left the reserva- ton and he at all times used all his power to restrain his young men and warriors from leaving it for any purpose whatever When the peace was made. Cachise had seventy-three warriors and about 300 in all, including men women and children who came upon the reservation. A portion of the band never came in and yet roam through the mountains of Sonora, and Chihuahua, living as of old by murder, plunder and continued warfare uDOn the