www.desertexposure.com/apacheria/I wrote a series of articles from 2005 until the last one in 2013. One was entitled "Faces and Names." I wanted to try and place the names of the 21 Apaches on the train tracks in texas, as Geronimo and his land band were being sent east. I think the photographer was A.J.McDonald or McDowell. I used the excellent "genealogical" report that Mr. Gillette Griswold, once curator of the Artillery Museum @ Ft. Sill, had compiled of many of the more famous Apache men and women who were located in many American history books of the Apache Wars, Apache personalities, etc. This report, about 120 pages, is available for copying at the New Mexico State Records and Archives and well worth the price. It lists the lineage of many, many Apaches, and often has their Apache names as well as the names most Americans and maybe Mexicans knew them ... Jolsanny, Jolsany, Josanie, Ulzana. In that report are various other listings. In that report, I believe, Jason Betzinez tried to name the men and women in the Nueces River photo. I used that and perhaps Edwin Sweeney's names as he had identified them. Sadly, when my editor ran the article, he didn't list them in the order of their photograph's stand: back row, standing; kneeling, left to right.
I have talked with Edwin Sweeney several times about his comments on Lozen, as well.
He suggested that another man, an anthropologist who had interviewed and written about the Chiricahua, and also knew Eve Ball, said that they never doubted the existence of a woman named Lozen. One writer of Apache history told me she could not speak Lozen's Apache name to me while we were on tour in Cañon de los Embudos, in 2008, I think.
Sweeney said that he felt the many stories about the prowess of Lozen were conflated from more than one woman warrior to one.
He essentially said that he could not in all honesty say she was in the photograph on the train tracks.
However, it is certain that military records show she died @ Mount Vernon Barracks, and he thought she was buried in a mass grave. As I recall, the notation was: "On .... such and such a date -- (can't recall now) ... the Apache woman Lozen died, today."
No mention of a specific grave.
I was unable to go to Mount Vernon Barracks. No money. The place had, at the time, been turned into a Mental Instituion. Some people went there from Alabama I was in contact with who tried to get onto the grounds, but one had to know a patient. They could only take photos of the gates.
I believe Mr. Sweeney to be about as thorough a historian as I've ever mer and talked with.
I had a website but the email on it is now changed.
I am @ hikinginapacheria@gmail.com
Jerry Eagan
Until I had serious health changes and my spouse as well, I hiked what I felt was, "Apacheria" in NM, AZ, and Cañon de los Embudos.
www.brianhuberman.com is the site of my friend and colleague who has filmed me hiking Apacheria 22-23 times over eight years. We've been to both Skeleton Cañon and Cañon de los Embudos. He has some footage of those places on his web site. Documentary film in progress.
His partner, Cynthia Wolf Huberman, has designed a series of these famous Apache on the train tracks in clay sculptures, roughly 3.5 to 5.5" high. I have one of Perico. One time, a man who identified himself as a great-great-great grandson of Perico called me. I regret to say even though we talked several times, I had things get in between and never talked with him or got his email.
Nonetheless, when asked which figure I wanted from Ms. Huberman, I asked for Perico.
I'd recommend that anyone who wants to correspond to me can then, in turn, get in touch with Ms. Wolf to discuss her intent to sell these figures. She has done much work and I think has two complete sets. Her plans are clearing about how to display them ... possibly here in Silver City, NM.
I've tried to be as fair as I can be on the Apache matters.
I know that as a Vietnam combat infantryman, our trip into Cañon de los Embudos left horrible PTSD nightmares because we went in 2010 and it was a harrowing experience. The cartelistas were alive, well, and into beheading people.
It "felt" like a Vietnam patrol, and, I'd guess, like scouting for Apaches who were more than ready to kill those searching for them.
I will for now not put out my email. There are reasons for this.
I might add that in the military records on microfilm from the period, one of perhaps 100 I read stood out:
In 1884, I believe, under instructions from Gen. Crook, Lt. Brittan Davis wrote a message to the Embassy of Chihuahua, asking for information on mostly Apache women and children disappeared into Chihuahua from perhaps, 1880, (Tres Castillo) and other encounters. The belief was held by Chatto, and perhaps other Apaches @ San Carlos, that these women and children were essentially, "slaves" in Chihuahua. Davis went the extra mile: he spelled out, phonetically, the Apache names of these women and children, and their commonly known or used names by Americans, and a pronunciation addendum so that (I guess he hoped), interested Chihuahuan emissaries could inquire.
I DO know for a fact that sometime later, an American rancher, traveling in Chihuahua, reported seeing a small group of obviously impoverished Apache women and children traveling north along a railroad towards the Arizona Border. I was told of a woman, her sister and brother, who may have been in that plight.
The woman's story I've never written about. It was a tremendously inspiring story. The woman who was related asked me to NOT write about it at the time.
It was inspiring.
At any rate, while people may not care for Mr. Sweeney, he taught me the necessity of trying to run down the original records. In over 100 cases, those were military records in National Archives.
They are incredibly revealing.
I have always believed that once I read all I could, I tried to go out into the bush and "hike Apacheria."
It is my belief that the Apache spirits led me places most have never visited. I felt very priviledged.
If people want to find me, they can write to the editor and he can give them my current email. I'd also suggest that folks visit Mr Huberman's site. There they can see some of these incredible sculptures made by Ms. Wolf-Huberman.
I ask for prayers that I can once again, "Hike Apacheria." The empitness, silence, and awesome beauty have not been in my repertoire for awhile and I miss the experience in the deepest regions of my heart.
If that relative of Perico is still alive (I think he lived in Kansas or Nebraska) I would love to hear from him.