Making Peace With Cochise – The 1872 Journal of Captain Joseph Alton Sladen (The Civilisation of the American Indian Series, Vol. #268)

A tribute to the legendary chief and his people and a remembrance of two courageous officers“Cochise” was a name that struck terror in hearts across the Southwest. Yet in the autumn of 1872, Brigadier General Oliver O. Howard and his aid-de-camp, Lieutenant Joseph Alton Sladen, entered Arizona’s rocky Dragoon Mountains in search of the elusive Chiricahua Apache chief. Accompanied only by a guide and two Apache scouts, they sought to convince Cochise that the bloody fighting between his people and the Americans must stop. Cochise had already reached that conclusion, but he had found no American official he could trust.Slade, Howard’s devoted aide, maintained a journal during their two-month quest from Fort Tularosa, New Mexico, to Cochise’s stronghold. Joseph Sladen’s journal—enriched by Edwin R. Sweeney’s introduction, epilogue, and lively notes—is a unique source on Chiricahua lifeways and an engrossing tale of travel and adventure. "Cochise" was a name that struck terror into hearts across the Southwest. Yet in the autumn of 1872, Brigadier General Oliver Otis Howard and his aide-de-camp, Lieutenant Joseph Alton Sladen, entered Arizona's rocky Dragoon Mountains in search of the elusive Chiricahua Apache chief. Accompanied only by a guide and two Apache scouts, they sought to convince Cochise that the bloody fighting between his people and the Americans must stop. After twelve years of war, Cochise had already reached that conclusion, but he had found no American official he could trust.Known as the "Christian general" during the Civil War, General Howard was a man of courage, honesty, and compassion. When he went bravely to visit Cochise, who later recalled that "to do so might have caused his death", he won the Indian's sincere respect. Howard's devoted aide, Joseph Sladen, maintained a journal during their two-month quest from Fort Tularosa, New Mexico, to Cochise's stronghold. During the time he spent with Cochise and his Chokonen band, Sladen had the opportunity to observe the chief among his people. A student of medicine and human nature, Sladen found much to admire in Apache culture. His anecdotes about Cochise offer a perspective on the man that no other account provides. Joseph Sladen's journal is a unique source on Chiricahua lifeways and an engrossing tale of travel and adventure. Enriched by Edwin R. Sweeney's introduction, epilogue, and lively notes, Making Peace with Cochise is both a tribute to the legendary chief and his people and a remembrance of two courageous officers who helped change the course of Apache-American relations. Cochise Was A Name That Struck Terror In Hearts Across The Southwest. Yet In The Autumn Of 1872, Brigadier General Oliver O. Howard And His Aid-de-camp, Lieutenant Joseph Alton Sladen, Entered Arizona's Rocky Dragoon Mountains In Search Of The Elusive Chiricahua Apache Chief. Accompanied Only By A Guide And Two Apache Scouts, They Sought To Convince Cochise That The Bloody Fighting Between His People And The Americans Must Stop. Cochise Had Already Reached That Conclusion, But He Had Found No American Official He Could Trust. Slade, Howard's Devoted Aide, Maintained A Journal During Their Two-month Quest From Fort Tularosa, New Mexico, To Cochise's Stronghold. Joseph Sladen's Journal -- Enriched By Edwin R. Sweeney's Introduction, Epilogue, And Lively Notes -- Is A Unique Source On Chiricahua Lifeways And An Engrossing Tale Of Travel And Adventure. - Publisher. List Of Illustrations -- Foreword Frank J. Sladen, Jr. -- Preface And Acknowledgments -- Introduction -- The 1872 Journal Of Captain Joseph Alton Sladen: Aide-de-camp To General Oliver O. Howard -- Epilogue -- Appendix A: Council Of Mimbres Apaches -- Appendix B: Howard-sladen Expedition Chronology -- Notes -- Bibliography -- Index. Edited By Edwin R. Sweeney ; Foreword By Frank J. Sladen, Jr. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. In the summer of 1872 1 was at Fort Tularosa in New Mexico, a poor situation in the southwestern part of that territory near the confines of Arizona.