Why The US Army Was So Afraid Of The Apache
The relationship between the US and the indigenous people of North America has been infamously bloody, cruel, and usurious.
As depicted on Vox, in a single century, from 1784 to when the Dawes Act was signed in 1887, native lands were stolen, bit by bit, until only tiny fragments of modern-day reservations remained. Before that, in 1795, Spain and the US split native lands, per the Treaty of San Lorento. This set the stage for further bloodshed, such as the Mexican American War from 1846-1848, which ended in the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, per History. This treaty established the Rio Grande as the border between the US and Mexico, however, the dividing line was a bit sloppy. As the Chicago Tribune cites, the land south of Arizona's Gila River, very well-suited for railroads, was overlooked. This time, instead of murdering for it, the US opted for the money option, and bought it for $15 million in 1852.
By then, that land had come to be occupied by the Apache, whose roots in such a harsh, brutal climate area go back to the 12th century. The ancient, pueblo-dwelling Anasazi had vanished from the area, and the Apache sought refuge from the Comanche driving them out of the Rocky Mountains, per Encyclopedia. The Apache were relentless combatants whose name for themselves simply means, "the people." They raided by necessity, much like Vikings, but only enacted war out of vengeance. Suffice it to say, the U.S. Army gave such a reason.