07 - Dread Apache- That Early-Day Scourge of the Southwest by Merrill Pingree Freeman

Dive into the fierce frontier drama of the early-day Southwest, where the relentless Apache was the central antagonist. This podcast, based on a collection of historic photographs, brings to life the chilling experiences of the pioneers who contended with this tireless foe. Experience the Apaches cunning and treachery, their ambush tactics, and the fearsome reputation of the squaw - possibly even more formidable than the man. Listen as we unravel numerous captivating biographies and historic headlines that paint a vivid picture of this tumultuous era. This gripping narrative is brought to life by Laurie Banza.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Section seven of the Dread apache That Early Day Scourge
of the Southwest by Doctor Merle Pingree Freeman. This LibriVox
recording is in the public domain. Sword presented to General
Miles through What would You Do? Sword presented to General Miles.

(00:23):
The people of Arizona having been finally and it was
felt permanently relieved of this black incubus that had been
hanging over them for the many years dating back to
their early coming to the territory, and General Miles, having
contributed so largely to the result, decided to do something

(00:44):
marking their appreciation of the services rendered them, and this
found expression in the presentation of a sword. Through a
popular subscription, a magnificent sword costing one thousand dollars was
procured through Tiffany and Company of New York, the blade
being of the finest steel, beautifully etched, and the hilt

(01:07):
of solid gold. The presentation took place on November eighth,
eighteen eighty seven, at Leven's Park at the foot of
Pennington Street. It was originally intended that the ceremony should
take place on September fourth, the anniversary of the surrender
of Geronimo, but that day falling on a Sunday, it

(01:28):
was fixed for Monday. The fifth General Miles, however, having
been injured by the overturning of the carriage in which
he was out riding at Santa Monica, California, on August eighth,
the presentation was delayed until the date named Many notables
in our country. Also the governors of neighboring Mexican states

(01:50):
were invited to be present. A distinguishing feature in the
very long procession leading to the park was three hundred
mounted Papagoes under their chief Assussione Russ in all their
barbaric splendor of feathers and paint. The Papagoes had always
been the consistent friends of the whites and the inveterate

(02:13):
foes of the Apaches, so they were more than glad
to participate in this event. In addition to the conventional
combination usually found in parades, there were the fourth U. S.
Cavalry Band and a platoon of United States Artillery. William Zeckendorff,
one of the very early pioneers, acting as Grand Marshal.

(02:37):
One of the photographs suggesting this article is of this procession,
evidently taken from the roof of one of the buildings
on the west side of Main Street looking up Pennington Street,
and shows the parade the full length of the street,
the head not having quite reached Main Street. The presentation
was made on a platform erected for the purpose in

(02:59):
the park. Royal A. Johnson was President of the day,
I having the honor of acting as secretary, and Judge W. H.
Barnes making the presentation address. One of my duties as
secretary was to read the letters of regret from those
who had been invited but were unable to be present.
Among these I now recall letters from Secretary of War

(03:23):
William C. Endecott, General Sherman, and R. G. Ingersoll. Among
those present were Major Chaffee, subsequently Lieutenant General, and Lieutenant Wood,
now major General. The other of the two photographs is
of General Miles and those on the platform with him,

(03:44):
taken as the General was delivering his address accepting the sword.
In the evening following the presentation, there was a reception
and ball at the San Xavier Hotel, since burned down
near the station. This hotel, all at the time, was
kept by Wheeler and Perry. Johnny Greenleaf mistakes scouts for

(04:07):
kid as illustrating the trying experiences that one might be
subject to during these troublous times, when the fear of
the kid was in the very air. I may relate
one of a friend of mine, Johnny Greenleaf. Johnny was
sinking a well on his ranch some distance from the house,
and had just ridden to where his two men were

(04:30):
at work, one in the well and the other on top.
Suddenly a number of Indians came in sight approaching the well.
Recognizing them as apaches, he naturally assumed them to be
the Kid and some of his followers, and, obeying the
instinct of human nature, that of self preservation, cried out,

(04:50):
here comes the Kidd quickly mounted his horse and started
to escape. He had gone but a short distance, however,
till that chivalrous spirit which makes one sacrifice his own
life rather than cowardly desert his comrade, asserted itself, and
he immediately turned and rode back to his men, both

(05:10):
of whom were now on pop realizing at the same
time that there was absolutely nothing he could do, neither
he nor his men having a shooting iron of any kind,
all of their weapons having been left at the house.
The Indians now approaching the well, Johnny asked them in
English what they were hunting and where they were going.

(05:31):
One of them, speaking English very poorly, in trying to
make himself understood, mention the kid in such a way
that Johnny understood him to say that he was the
Apache kid. This simply confirmed what Johnny had thought, but
it so startled him that for a while he could
barely speak, for if this were the kid, there was

(05:53):
little chance for their lives of either Johnny or his men.
Finally recovering his nerve and asking something else, the Indian
succeeded in making it understood that they were scouts from
San Carlos and were seeking the kid. You can well
imagine the relief of the three men when they realized
that they were in no danger. What would you do?

(06:19):
I think? I hear one of my readers saying that
Johnny's attempt to escape was a cowardly thing to do. Yes,
what would you have done? And what would I under
the same circumstances, unless idiotic or too frightened to mount
the horse, we would have done just what Johnny did.
Assuming that this had been the kid, as Johnny firmly believed,

(06:43):
his escape meant the loss of but two lives instead
of the loss of the same two and the sacrifice
of a third his own if he remained. But no
man knows just exactly what he would do under a
certain trying condition until he has been subjected to the
test of that buried condition. He may think he does,

(07:04):
but he doesn't. But having gone less than one hundred yards,
Johnny's mind has had time to react, and the chivalrous
spirit asserts itself, and he turns and rides back to
what to his death he has every reason to believe.
But having gotten the one hundred yards away, would you

(07:25):
or I have turned and ridden back to our own
certain death? Is there not a possibility that, were the
world wide enough and the horse strong enough, we might
still be going in your imagination. Don't place the standard
too high for the nerve you think you possess if
at the time you are absolutely in no danger. End

(07:48):
of Section seven.