Mangas Coloradas

Mangas Coloradas was born around 1791 in one of the communities of Chihenna. By 1814, he became one of the leaders of the Eastern Chiricahua, and in 1820, the leader. After his daughter married Kochis , his influence increased among the chokonen, central chirikauas.

His name in Chiricahua means Red Sleeves , the Spaniards converted him into Mangas Coloradas , the name by which he became known in history. Mangas Coloradas lived most of his youth in the historic territory of Chihenne, near the modern American city of Silver City . He grew up in the Chiricahua peace period. His family consisted of a maternal grandfather, parents, brothers and sisters, most of their names are unknown today.

After the deceitful attack of merchants in 1837, Juan Jose Compass, a warlord of mimbreño, one of the Chichene communities, died, Mangas Coloradas becomes the leader of all eastern Chiricahua and raids several Mexican settlements in Sonora .

When the US military arrived in the Southwest in the fall of 1846 , the relationship between Chiricahua and Mexico was hostile. The reason for their appearance there was the American-Mexican war that began on April 24, 1846 . After Chiricahua learned that US soldiers had started a war with Mexico, they promised the U.S. military safe passage through their lands. The leaders of the Indians, including Mangas Coloradas, considered the new arrivals as allies and expressed a desire to provide them with any help possible. In the same year, the leader of Chihenne signed the first contract with the American authorities.

In 1851, the Pinos Altos area, a group of miners working there attacked Chiricahua. Mangas Coloradas was captured. He was tied to a tree and brutally beaten. Immigrants continued to violate the terms of the contract between the US government and Chiricahua. In response, the Indians began to attack white people. In 1860, gold was discovered on the lands of Chiricahua. Hundreds of prospectors rushed to the territory of the Apaches. The conflict flared up with renewed vigor. After the outbreak of the Civil War, Mangas Coloradas and Kochis , the leader of the Chekonen, entered into an alliance to expel the Americans from their lands. ^[1] Under their leadership were about 250 soldiers. They fought both against the northerners and against the Confederates. In 1862, Union forces clashed with Mangas Coloradas, Kochis and their warriors. In the battle at Apache Pass, Mangas Coloradas was seriously wounded in the chest, but managed to survive. Chiricahua sent him to Mexico, where he recovered.

In the summer of 1862, after meeting with intermediaries , Mangas Coloradas decides to go on negotiations with the Americans. In January 1863, he arrived at Fort MacLane, which was located in southwestern New Mexico.

Mangas Coloradas arrived at the fort under the white flag. Joseph Rodman West , brigadier general of the US Army and California volunteers, deceived the leader of the Chihenne and did not negotiate with him. His soldiers grabbed Mangas Coloradas and tortured him all night - pricked him with bayonets, pre-heating them at the stake, and then killed the Apache leader. The next day, the US military chopped off the leader’s head, and left the mutilated remains in an abandoned camp.

The inglorious killing of Mangas Coloradas only intensified the feud between the Chiricahua Apaches and the USA.

• Sweeney, Edwin R. Mangas Coloradas: Chief of the Chiricahua Apaches. - University of Oklahoma Press, 1998. - ISBN 0-8061-3063-6 .
• Etulain, Richard W. New Mexican Lives: A Biographical History. - University of New Mexico Press, 2002. - ISBN 0-8263-2433-9 .
• Haley, James L. Apaches: A History and Culture Portrait. - University of Oklahoma Press, 1997. - ISBN 0-8061-2978-6 .

• Mangas Coloradas on Find a Grave
• Jay W. Sharp. The Night They Shot Mangas Colradas. Desert usa