Chief Cochise For Western Wednesday...!

I think that nearly everyone familiar with the old West remembers the name of Cochise. Not as well know as some of the other chiefs maybe, but a force non the less.

As this article from Listverse shows, though, not that much is known about his early days. Here's what we know.

Chief Cochise

Chief Cochise is one of the most well-known figures in the conflict between the Native American people and the European settlers who constantly pushed westward. For someone so prominent whose name is so well-known, he’s a figure shrouded in considerable mystery.

Almost nothing is known about his life before the middle of the 19th century when he was already established as the leader of the Chiricahua Apaches in the areas of northern Mexico and southern Arizona. Decades of raids and conflicts between the Apaches and the settlers in the area ultimately led to the creation of a reservation on the southeastern edge of their territory.

Cochise died in 1874, only two years after the establishment of the peace he’d rarely seen. The location of his traditional burial somewhere in the Dragoon Mountains was known only to a handful of his contemporaries who never divulged the coordinates. Several legends have grown up around the burial of the great leader. According to the story, Cochise’s dog and horse were both shot to be buried with him to keep the animals from being a public reminder of him and his death.

Sounds to me as though the Chief wanted to be secretive in both life and death. Maybe that's a good thing. Wasn't healthy to be his horse or dog, however!

Coffee out on the patio again this morning. I'll make a fire in the BBQ pit, OK?