The story begins

I am in the midst of writing a biography of Cochise, who I consider to be my spiritual grandfather. I will share more about my personal journey and my connection to Cochise as this blog unfolds. I have started this blog in an effort to engage others in conversation about Cochise, to gain deeper insight about him and his times, and to share the materials that I uncover along the way. I invite you to join me in this venture and to share your knowledge and experiences about Cochise, his times, and the Chiricahuas, his band of Apaches.

Here are some of my research questions, which I will explore through this blog.

1. What accounts for Cochise’s enduring mythology?
2. Who was Cochise's father? Somewhat unclear.
3. Birth dates of Cochise also unclear.
4. What was the nature of Cochise’s relationship with Magnas Coloradas?
5. How did the 1854 Gadsden Purchase from Mexico impact Cochise’s relationship with Mexicans and Americans?
6. What was Cochise’s initial strategy and response to growing American presence in Apacheria?
7. What was his relations to Butterfield Stage Line?
8. What were the immediate and long term consequences of the Bascom affair in 1861 known by Apaches as “Cut the Tent” affair?
9. How did the Battle of Apache Pass in 1862 along with the Civil War change Apache military strategies/tactics?
10. How did the Apache Cochise War change from 1865-72?
11. Who is the “Mysterious” Tom Jeffords and how was he able to gain Cochise’s trust thereby bridging Two Worlds? Has he left any writen documents of his relationship?
12. What historical factors brought General Howard, Cochise, and Jeffords to peace in 1872?
13. Why was the premature death of Cochise in 1874 tragic for the Chiricahuas and how did it lead to the Geronimo Wars, 1875-85?
14. Why the continued Cochise Mythos!