Apache warrior : 1860-86

Focusing on the Chiricahua Apache, led by such famous warriors as Cochise Mangas Coloradas, Victorio, Nana and Geronimo, this book strips away the myths behind the history of some of the feared opponents of the US Army in the southwest United States. It explains how their upbringing, training and culture equipped them uniquely for survival in the harsh environment of New Mexico and Arizona and enabled them to fight off their Mexican and American enemies for so long. For decades legendary Apaches like Victorio and Geronimo led resistance in the desert Southwest that defied the firepower of the post Civil War US Army. The Apache warrior evokes a number of images; endurance, elusive cunning, ferocity, and cruelty. These are images prevalent both during the Apache Wars of the 1860s to the 1880s and are, to some extent, still believed today. General George Crook described them as "Human Tigers." The idea of an Apache warrior still evokes a stereotyped response; that of an elusive, cunning, ferocious and cruel fighter. Focusing on the Chiricahua Apache, led by such famous warriors as Cochise Mangas Coloradas, Victorio, Nana and Geronimo, this book explains how their upbringing, training and culture equipped them uniquely for survival in the harsh environment of New Mexico and Arizona, and enabled them to fight off their Mexican and American enemies for so long. Specially commissioned, full-colour illustrations featuring'exploded'kit scenes and battle artwork complement meticulous research that seeks to strip away the myths behind the history of some of the most feared opponents of the US Army in the south-west United States.