In the tradition of Empire of the Summer Moon, a stunningly vivid historical account of the manhunt for Geronimo and the 25-year Apache struggle for their homeland. They called him Mickey Free. His kidnapping started the longest war in American history, and both sides–the Apaches and the white invaders—blamed him for it. A mixed-blood warrior who moved uneasily between the worlds of the Apaches … the worlds of the Apaches and the American soldiers, he was never trusted by either but desperately needed by both. He was the only man Geronimo ever feared. He played a pivotal role in this long war for the desert Southwest from its beginning in 1861 until its end in 1890 with his pursuit of the renegade scout, Apache Kid.
In this sprawling, monumental work, Paul Hutton unfolds over two decades of the last war for the West through the eyes of the men and women who lived it. This is Mickey Free’s story, but also the story of his contemporaries: the great Apache leaders Mangas Coloradas, Cochise, and Victorio; the soldiers Kit Carson, O. O. Howard, George Crook, and Nelson Miles; the scouts and frontiersmen Al Sieber, Tom Horn, Tom Jeffords, and Texas John Slaughter; the great White Mountain scout Alchesay and the Apache female warrior Lozen; the fierce Apache warrior Geronimo; and the Apache Kid. These lives shaped the violent history of the deserts and mountains of the Southwestern borderlands–a bleak and unforgiving world where a people would make a final, bloody stand against an American war machine bent on their destruction.
more
This is a very readable account of the time in U.S. history when the Apaches and the Mexicans and the U.S. settlers were all at war. This account shows blame on all involved and the perspective of each side. It is very well researched.
well researched and written
An excellent book on the conflict in the Southwest during the second half of the 19th Century.
I thought this was an amazing, well written book and gave me a real insight as to the real dangers for early pioneers. It was a difficult read in the sense that it wasn’t always pleasant 0; the atrocities committed by the Apaches against both Whites and Mexicans were simply awful.
I’m very much in sympathy with the plight of Native Americans in their fight for freedom, but Geronimo, who had no problem torturing and killing babies and children, was no hero in my eyes. This book was an eye opener!
A great insight into the Apache wars, what each side was thinking, why they did what they did, what ACTUALLY happened. This dispels the romantic versions propogated by movies and television.
What would seem like dry reading caught and held my attention. Well written with lots of information. A great read for history buffs!
excellent book on the history of the Apache nations and the impact on Spanish and white settlers. not quite a page turner but very interesting and full of facts. Recommend it to anyone with an interest in native American, western, or military history.
Several contradiction. However, a good time line.
Hard to find real history of the West
Seemed a very complete history of the various leaders and branches of the Apache nation. They suffered much but also caused much suffering to others, who they felt were all attempting to destroy them and their way of life.
It was at times difficult to keep up with all the characters, especially the officers in the army. I appreciated the wrap up explaining what happened to each one. I sympathized with most of the families on both side, amazed by the tremendous amount of death and destruction there in Arizona.
The author has an exceptional writing style. It has fired me up to learn more about the Apaches and the Comanches.
The gov’t never held up it’s part of the bargain, the Indians were cheated all the way.
Great late 1800 history of the western expansion.
An excellent and moving history of the Apache.
Wonderfully written.
My grandfather was a missionary to the Apache Indians in the early 1900s. This gave me an outstanding idea of the environment he faced when he arrived at Fort Apache and then lived the following two years among the indians.
Good book but not easy to follow at times. Learned a lot, tragedy on both sides
Interesting Indian relations even from the beginning! Tragic mistakes year after year…short-sightedness, political intrigue etc.
A little too much detail for me to keep up with and skips around, repeats a lot.
A historical thriller. This is history that reads like fiction. These are the true accounts of the Apache Indians. Yet another Native American tribe misunderstood and treated unfairly. Their story is told so well in this book, you’ll forget your reading history.
Great amount of research done by author. Tremendous historical detail but written in a way to make it a page turner! Written in an unbiased manner pointing out the deception, betrayal and cruelty on both sides!