Cochise was born in the area that is now known as New Mexico. He was a member of the Chiracahua Apache Indian tribe, in whose language his name meant “hardwood“. Very little is known of Cochise’s early life. In fact, the actual year of his birth is in dispute, but most scholars are in agreement that he was born sometime between 1812 and 1815.

The Chiracahua Apache Indians had disputes with Mexican troops, during which Cochise’s father was killed and Cochise himself was even taken captive by the Mexicans for a brief period. However, the tribe enjoyed fairly civil relations with white settlers for quite some time, even after Cochise became Chief in 1856. Cochise and other members of the tribe were even employed by the Apache Pass stagecoach station, mostly as woodcutters. But this peaceful coexistence all came to an end in 1861.

John Ward, a rancher in the Apache Pass area, fell victim to an Apache raid in 1861. During this raid, some of Ward’s cattle were driven away, and his 11 year old stepson was kidnapped. Believing Cochise to be among those responsible for the raid, Lieutenant George Bascom confronted Cochise about it. Cochise truthfully said that his people were not responsible, but that he knew the Coyotero Apaches were. Cochise even offered to act as a go-between in negotiations for the return of the child and cattle. Bascom did not believe Cochise and arrested him, along with several other chiefs. Cochise escaped, but the other prisoners, which included relatives of Cochise, were hanged. This incident, commonly known as the “Bascom Affair”, led to more than a decade of bloodshed and war between the whites and Apaches in New Mexico. Cochise and his warriors were so successful in their campaign due mainly to the fact that they had entrenched themselves firmly in the Dragoon Mountains of Arizona.

Cochise finally surrended in 1871. At that time, the Chiracahua Apaches were being moved to the newly-established Tularosa Reservation. Cochise did not want to live on the reservation, so he escaped for a brief time in 1872 before surrending again. After his second surrender, Cochise lived on the Chiricahua Reservation that was established in New Mexico in the summer of 1872. It was there that Cochise passed away on June 8, 1874, at the age of approximately 62 years. After Cochise’s death, Natchez, one of his 2 sons, became chief.

There are no pictures available of Cochise. The location of his grave is even a secret, as he did not want the white man to know where he rested. But he left his legacy in his actions and words instead. One of his most powerful quotes is “Nobody wants peace more than I do. Why shut me up on a reservation? We will make peace; we will keep it faithfully. But let us go around free as Americans do. Let us go wherever we please.”

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