A Legendary Apache Chief’s Secret Mountain Fortress Is Hidden in This Arizona Forest

Dragoon Mountains, Southeast Arizona

Before tourists came for the views, Cochise came for cover.

The Chiricahua Apache leader used these rock formations as his base, launching raids and then vanishing into stone corridors that confused every cavalry unit sent after him.

Here’s the full story, plus how to explore this wild refuge today.

The Bascom Affair that Started a War

On January 27, 1861, Tonto Apaches stole cattle and took 12-year-old Felix Ward from his stepfather’s ranch.

John Ward wrongly blamed Cochise for the raid. Lieutenant George Bascom, a young officer with no experience with Apaches, invited Cochise to meet at Apache Pass.

During their talk, Bascom tried to take Cochise and his family hostage. Cochise cut through the tent with his knife and escaped, but soldiers captured his relatives.

After failed attempts to trade hostages, Bascom hanged Cochise’s brother and nephews. This act drove Cochise to the Dragoon Mountains and started 11 years of war.

The Natural Fortress in the Sky Islands

The Dragoon Mountains belong to “sky islands” – mountain ranges that rise suddenly from desert valleys. The land changes from desert plants at lower levels to oak and juniper forests higher up.

Over millions of years, wind and rain shaped the granite into strange domes and balanced rocks. Two big canyons cut through the mountains from opposite sides, nearly meeting in the middle.

Year-round springs provided precious water in the dry landscape. High rock points let Apache watchers see dust from cavalry groups up to 20 miles away.

Cochise’s Band in the Stronghold

Cochise led the Chokonen band of the Chiricahua Apache nation. Of his thousand followers, 250 served as warriors while others gathered food and made what the group needed.

Families moved with the seasons between mountains, hunting game and picking wild plants. Women collected acorns, berries, and agave hearts for food. They found plants for medicine and made baskets from yucca fibers.

Everyone knew the mountains’ hidden water sources, caves, and escape routes, and children learned survival skills from older tribe members.

Warfare and Raiding Tactics

Cochise mastered hit-and-run fighting that worked perfectly in the mountain terrain. Apache warriors traveled light to move quickly during raids. They posted lookouts on high spots who used smoke signals to warn of danger.

If soldiers came from the east, fighters would hide among rocks to slow them while families escaped west over the mountains. Captain Gerald Russell noted that Cochise often waited for troops instead of just running away.

Cochise placed men in hidden spots before battles, creating deadly traps. Warriors struck fast in small groups, then melted back into the landscape before soldiers could organize a response.

The First Battle of Dragoon Springs

On May 5, 1862, Cochise and war chief Francisco led 100 Apache warriors against Confederate soldiers at Dragoon Canyon. The soldiers were gathering cattle near an old stagecoach station when the Apaches attacked.

The battle killed Confederate Sergeant Samuel Ford, two other soldiers, and a Mexican herder named Ricardo. Apache warriors took 25 horses, 30 mules, and 16 cattle before heading back to the mountains.

Confederates marked graves with rough stones showing the names of the dead men. This fight was one of the westernmost battles involving Confederate soldiers during the Civil War.

The Second Battle of Dragoon Springs

Four days after the first battle, Confederate Captain Sherod Hunter refused to accept the loss. On May 9, 1862, he led 30 soldiers back to Dragoon Springs to recover their animals. His men followed Apache tracks into the mountains and surprised Cochise’s band.

The Confederates took back all their stolen livestock during the fight. Five Apache warriors died while the Confederate soldiers suffered no losses.

Hunter’s men then buried their fallen comrades from the earlier battle near the stagecoach station ruins.

Military Attempts to Capture the Stronghold

In April 1871, Captain Gerald Russell led 30 men from Fort Bowie into the western canyon. His soldiers suddenly found themselves surrounded by hidden Apache fighters.

Russell retreated and returned with 60 more men. They climbed a peak north of the Stronghold and spotted Apache campfires throughout the canyons.

During the night, Cochise moved his people to the Whetstone Mountains, slipping away unnoticed. By early May, Cochise returned to the Dragoons.

Many army officers tried to defeat Cochise in his mountain home, but none succeeded.

Thomas Jeffords Enters the Stronghold

Mail contractor Thomas Jeffords was tired of having his riders killed on routes through Apache land. In 1867, he bravely rode alone into the Dragoon Mountains to meet Cochise. Most white men entering Apache territory died quickly.

Jeffords, however, came openly and spoke honestly about wanting safe passage for mail carriers. Cochise respected Jeffords’ courage and agreed to his proposal.

The two men became unlikely friends despite years of bitter fighting between their peoples.

Their friendship was later shown in the 1950 film “Broken Arrow” starring Jimmy Stewart.

Peace Treaty and Final Years

By 1872, both sides were tired of fighting. Cochise was nearing 70 and his health was failing as battles continued without end.

General Oliver Howard came to make peace, bringing Thomas Jeffords as a go-between.

After weeks of talks, Howard agreed to create a reservation that included the Chiricahua and Dragoon Mountains. Cochise insisted on staying in his mountain home rather than moving to distant lands.

He told Howard: “I want to live in these mountains… I have drunk of the waters of the Dragoon Mountains and they have cooled me.”

Jeffords became Indian agent for the new reservation, helping ensure fair treatment for Cochise’s people.

Death and Burial in the Stronghold

In 1874, Cochise suffered from severe stomach pains that stopped him from eating. He was likely dying from stomach cancer.

Cochise called his son Taza and stressed the importance of keeping peace with Americans.

During his final days, he met with Thomas Jeffords and asked to be buried in his beloved mountains. After his death on June 8, warriors painted his body with yellow, black, and red colors following Apache tradition.

Under darkness, family members carried his body deep into the Dragoon Mountains.

They placed Cochise and his weapons in a hidden crevice among the rocks. Only close family and Jeffords knew the spot, which remains unknown today.

Exploring the Dragoon Mountains, Arizona

The Dragoon Mountains sit just off Middle March Road from Tombstone, inside Coronado National Forest. The dirt road gets pretty rough, so bring a truck or SUV if you’ve got one.

You can camp at Cochise Stronghold for twenty bucks a night, ten with a senior pass. Or just find a spot on the free public land scattered around.

People come here to hike, climb rocks, hunt for old Apache hideouts at Council Rocks, and maybe catch sight of javelinas or even a mountain lion if you’re lucky enough.

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