Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1891-04-10
A NEW MEXICO HERO.


career Of my brave old Spanish friend,
Colonel Manuel Chaves whose weary
remnant OF body was laid crest, two
years ago, under the shadow Of the
noblest mountain in western New
Mexico, the exploits of many heroes,
who were handler to the fame-maker,
seem a trifie tame. Known and loved
here, yet his name seldom reached
to the great outside world OF news
papers and historians, and to-day he
fills the grave Of an almost unrecorded
hero. Yet I suppose there was never
d more remarkable life. For over
fifty years he was almost constantly
warning against the Apaches, Co
manches, Navajos and Utes. Over
POO of his relatives were killed by In
dians. lie participated in more than
100 fights, and carried a scar for near
ly every one Of them. His body was
such network Of ghastly cicatrices
that scarcely could you lay your hand
upon him anywhere without touching
a scar. For the last fifteen years of
his life he suffered untold agonies-
the result Of his awful wounds and the
years of exposure and hardships, but
he met this more merciless foe as
calmly as he had met the Apache, and
when, at "A, the hickering soul went
out, it was calmly as a little child's.
Life on the New Mexican frontier in
his day was something which we can
i'll realize. There were no railroads
then to make travel easy for ogen the
timid and weak; nor mails to bring
far friends near; nor telegraphs to
flash warning or hope. The lonely
New Mexicans, shut off from contact.
and almost from the east bya vast
and fearful wilderness, were sur
rounded by savage nature and still
more savage man. 1t was one of the
bitterest lands on the earth, land of
vast distances and scant product, of
Infinite thirst and little wherewith to
quench it, land of hardship eternal
and Of daily danger, where boys were
soldiers and mothers had to fight for
their babes. 1t was almost as if there
had been no other world beyond those
awful plains. Whatever was con-
sumed was made at home, and found
no other market There were not
even firearms for defense against the
relentless sayages, save a scant supply
OF the clumsy old Spanish escopetas
ttlint-lock muskets) scarcely better
weapons than the bows and arrows,
whose use the settlers learned from
their foes. Manuel was in his youth
a wonderfully expert archer, aud won
countless ponies and blankets from
the Indians themselves in contests
during the short intervals OF peace.
Later he became the best rifle shot
New Mexico has ever produced.
The little town of Cebolleta, where
Manuel PASSED his boyhood was never
at peace the first half century of its
exitence. 1t was out and alone from
the other Spanish settlements, and
in the very heart of the Navajo coun-
try; and it was fearful sufferer at the
hands Of the Indians.
1t was from Cebolleta that young
Manuel started, when he was l8 years
Did, on his first expedition-through |
ne had already seen enough of war at
lome, and was accounted among the |
oravest of brave. With his eldest
brother Jose, and fourteen other
7oung men he started for the Canyon
le Chusco, 100 miles to the westward
n the stronghold Indians on a trading
expedition. What a comentary on the
lines in which they llyed-this seek
ng m market among sayages from
whose murderous assaults the traders
we're in constant peril even while at
lomel They were attacked at night
n the Canyon de ChuscO, and all were
killed save Manuel, who was left for
lead with seven arrows In his body
md his Indian servant Pahe, who was
llso fearfully wounded. Alone and on
cot they started on that fearful jour
ley homeward. Pahe died of his
Wounds in two days, and Manuel
ragged himself alone the rest of the
way, hiding by day from the sayages,
on by night, followed by
coyotes that never left his
bloody trail; tortured with thirst and
,ain, with no food save the cactus
ruit, until at last a faithful servant
ound him fainting on the last ridge
# San Mateo and carried him home
lpon his back.
When he recovered from these
Wounds he was engaged as guide to a
,arty Of traders from Mexico to- New
orleans, and thence went to St. Louis
With a young Cuban who finally
obbed him Of all he had in the world.
Then he returned to New Mexico
md settled in Santa Fe, but in 1916
lad to flee TO Utah on account Of
political complications.
The following year he was recalled
md put in command Of an expedition