Bullies of the Southwest

The Apache occupied most of south central New Mexico and Arizona and were the most dangerous in the SW as far as whites were concerned.  Their economy depended on robbery and they preyed on agricultural tribes like the Hopi, Pima, and Pagago.  They took supplies, women and children for slave markets, weapons, ammunition and particularly horses.  Unlike the plains Indians, they didn't keep large horse herds, nor did they value them as Indians in the north or east did - to the Apache a horse was disposable.  Even the Spanish and Mexicans couldn't deal with the Apache. 

In the first half of the 19th century (1850s), the American ranchers and settlers began arriving and the Apache turned on the settlers for profit - with the goal of ridding the area of all white men which they came very close to doing.  I
n 1861-1862, travel through the area was actually stopped and settlers fled to Tucson and Mesilla. 

Next Time...After the Gold Rush

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On This Day in History:  On January 8, 1877,  Crazy Horse and his warriors--outnumbered, low on ammunition and forced to use outdated weapons to defend themselves--fight their final losing battle against the U.S. Cavalry in Montana.