For those of you who might listen to today's interview with "Voices Of The West" host, Emil Franzi, this is Emil's book list. I think it's always important to remember that those of us who are writers or readers of historic works, have a line of departure that often depends on where we live, the local personalities or groups who lived where we live, and aspects of "specialization" that represents the particular subject matter we hold.
What I know of Emil is that he is also interested in "things Western." Emil is a specialist on Western movies and I don't hold a candle next to him. I really don't have the same interest in Western films he has, but like hearing about them. Emil is a true expert not only on films, but also, the Western sagas that are very important to Arizona history.
My friend, documentary film-maker, Brian Huberman, is an authority of western genre ... books but most importantly, films. On the other hand, he has a different slant, I guess, on western films. Yesterday, in speaking with Brian about what we plan on doing in May, to "Hike Apacheria," we latched onto the actual transcription of notes made by Captain Bourke, General Crook's ablest aide-de-camp. We discussed who was present at the famous "surrender" of Geronimo, @ Cañon de los Embudos.
Captain Bourke's notes detail who was present during the two day discussion of details of Geronimo's surrender. General Crook actually utilized three separate translators, for the Apache>>Spanish>>English, English>>Spanish>>Apache translations. Geronimo insisted that Mickey Free, who was present at these discussions, NOT be allowed to serve as a translator. Geronimo felt Mickey Free was an inveterate liar, and was concerned Free would translate false statements to General Crook.
General Crook was focused on the best translation possible, for posterity's sake.
Also, in addition to Mickey Free as someone who could translate Apache, was the infamous cowboy>>cattle "enforcer" or "regulator" -- Tom Horn. I believe at the time, Tom Horn was "Chief Packer" for General Crook. However, Tom Horn spoke Apache pretty well. He was NOT, though, on the list of translators for this conference. Brian and I discussed the film, "Tom Horn," which featured Steve McQueen. There is evidence that Tom Horn had a very psychopathic or sociopathic personality, which caught up with him around the end of the 19th Century, in Wyoming. Steve McQueen's portrayal of Tom Horn was far more sympathetic than what I've read about Horn. I would have to say, regardless of whether Horn spoke Apache or not, he was a sociopathic killer @ the time he assassinated a young "sodbuster" kid there in Wyoming.
There is also the interesting fact that Mickey Free was allegedly the child stolen by Cochise, as accused by Lt. George Bascom. It was @ the "Cut Tent Affair," @ the Butterfield Stage Station in Apache Pass (soon to be the location of Ft. Bowie I & II) that Bascom demanded Cochise surrender the young lad abducted from a man named "Ward's" ranch in 1861. The Ward ranch was nearer Tubac and Ft. Buchanan. Ultimately, it was learned that Coyotero Apaches may have abducted young Felix Ward (a.k.a., Mickey Free) from his parents ranch.
And so, we have the incredible irony of Felix Ward, i.e., "Mickey Free," who was involved with the true beginning of
almost "endless war" between Chiricahua of Arizona & New Mexico, and the Americans, also being present at the surrender talks of Geronimo, in 1885. Free did not leave Arizona when the Apaches left, however. I can't say what did happen to him, but he passed out of the picture finally, when the Apaches left for Florida.
It's worth noting that one other name that comes up in the latter years of the Apache struggle, is George Wratten.
George Wratten ALSO was raised around Apaches, and was another fluent speaker of Apache. Wratten was so
connected with the Apaches, that he voluntarily went into exile with them in Florida. He stayed with those Apaches
into their arrival @ Ft. Sill. I believe he became a school administrator for the Lawton, OK, school system. He died in Oklahoma.
The Arizona Historical Society has an excellent collection of Wratten's photos and some notes written by his children, I believe. The phrase: "the webs we weave" is pretty interesting as regards these personalities.
**Recently, a great-great-great grandson of the Apache warrior, Perico, wrote me and said he'd book marked my web page and my articles. I felt that as a great honor, and hope to communicate with him more in the future. What a wonderful thing to ask Perico's great-great-great grandson, to tell me about the Geronimo final year, as Perico was among the last to surrender @ Skeleton Cañon, in New Mexico, 4 September, 1886.
APACHE AND RELATED BOOKS
Titles in Bold Italics are books we both have read.
Aleshire, Peter COCHISE
Aleshire, Peter THE FOX AND THE WHIRLWIND
Ball, Eve IN THE DAYS OF GERONIMO
Barnes, Will C. APACHES & LONGHORNS
Benton-Cohen, Katherine BORDERLINE AMERICANS
Browning, Sinclair ENJU Novel (1983)
Colwell-Chanthaphon, Chip MASSACRE AT CAMP GRANT
Comfort, Will Levington APACHE
Debo, Angie GERONIMO
Delay, Brian WAR OF A THOUSAND DESERTS
Faulk, Odie THE GERONIMO CAMPAIGN
Goodwin, Neil LIKE A BROTHER
Hamalainen, Pekka THE COMANCHE EMPIRE
Jacoby, Karl SHADOWS AT DAWN
Lockwood, Frank C. THE APACHE INDIANS
McMurtry, Larry OH WHAT A SLAUGHTER
Michno, Greg A FATE WORSE THAN DEATH Indian Captivities 1830-1885
Michno, Greg & Susan FORGOTTEN FIGHTS 1823-1890
Momaday, N. Scott THE MAN MADE OF WORDS
Olson, James R, ULZANA Novel (1973)
Robson, Lucia St. Clair GHOST WARRIOR Novel (1982)
Simmons, Marc MASSACRE ON THE LORDSBURG ROAD
Sladen, Jos Ed Sweeney MAKING PEACE WITH COCHISE
Stockel, H. Henrietta THE BLOODY ROAD TO JESUS
Sweeney, Edwin COCHISE
Sweeney, Edwin MERIJILDO GRIJALVA
Tevis, Jas. Ed. Barr & Kelly ARIZONA IN THE ‘50’S
