The Apache Wars: The Hunt for Geronimo, the Apache Kid, and the Captive Boy Who Started the Longest War in American History

The Apache Wars:...reminds me of Empire of the Summer Moon, another great history of frontier life dealing with the Comanche nation and an expanding Texas. The Apache Wars takes place further west over the several decades leading up to the mid-1890s. Living it as a participant on either side was a harrowing and violent experience where death (and possibly a gruesome death) could come out of the cottonwoods at any moment and where policy attempted to deal with a people writ large who were in reality a score of sub-tribes and family groups often fighting each other as well as Americans and Mexicans. It is possible to draw parallels to the American Experience in Vietnam. A military leadership both far away and on the scene who (with a few exceptions) didn't understand or sympathize with the other side. Boneheaded military decisions that put any peaceful resolution farther away rather than nearer. Attempts to pacify by telling natives where and how to live. A native combatant force that was mobile, fierce and hard to find most of the time. I hope interested readers keep with this book. The reality of the Apaches and the far flung American army posts that described the area were on both-sides semi-autonomous groups under the direct authority of local leaders. The number and strangeness of Apache sub tribe names and the names of individuals will probably be off putting to readers who expect to be able to keep players straight. If one accepts this book as more thematic by way of the collection of individual events and stories that describe the conflict, this works very well. I found it thoroughly engaging and fascinating as a history of a conflict largely forgotten. The writing is well done and quickly and effectively describes for the reader the types of experiences, key players, attempts to make policy and conflicts that make up the story of the end of the Apache's as controllers of their own destiny. A very good read I recommend.

I read his previous book, The Undiscovered Country and thought this just might be a rehash of what I had read there. Thankfully I was wrong. Great read.

I read this book last year, but when I saw it offered at a reduced price on Amazon, I bought the Kindle version too. My other copy is hardback. This is really a well done history about the Apache Indians told in a manner that reads more like an exciting thriller. After reading it, I began a search for places where many famous events took place in the book, only to find that none but one or two are actually left to see. Seems our country has managed to not only subjugate and or destroy the Apache nation but also erase any historical geographical footprint. Sad that, because here is a history of a proud and fearsome people that initially were our allies, but because of greed and deception, they became an enemy and a force of much frustration and bloodshed. If you are American, you should read this, the untold truth. This book should be required reading in our schools. Kids, and everyone else, need to hear the truth of history. This is a good starting place. I’m happy I have it on Kindle so that I can reference it anytime without searching through stacks of books.

A wonderful and thorough book on all things Indian in Arizona. Its a fast read with good stories that are hard to put down.

As I read through The Apache Wars by Paul Andre Hutton, I was reminded of Thomas Hobbes' famous description of man's original state of nature. He described it as a state of "continual fear, and danger of violent death; and the life of man, solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short.” There is no better description of the southwestern United States during much of the nineteenth-century. Making up parts of modern-day California, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, and northern Mexico, this was the land known as Apacheria. It was a land ruled by tribes of Apache Indians - united in their language and similar culture but divided in many other ways - each vying for power as white settlers moved in from the east and south. Conflict was bound to arise; and it did. This book begins with the kidnapping of a young boy named Felix Ward by a group of Apaches. This abduction would set off a chain of events that led to, as the subtitle makes clear, the longest war in American history. In large measure, this is the story of Felix Ward - a half-Irish, half-Mexican adopted Apache who would be involved in the war between the white men and the Apaches until all of them were on reservations in Florida, Alabama, or Oklahoma. He was renamed Mickey Free and often acted as a mediator between his people - the white man on one side, the Apache on the other. He's one of the only characters that makes it all the way through the book. Nearly every other figure mentioned, American or Apache, ends up living a short, nasty, brutish life. Hutton does an admirable job at weaving the different threads of history together to craft an intelligible narrative. Unfortunately, since this is a history of a rather large piece of land over a lengthy period of time, it's easy to get lost in the sea of names. Some characters will be introduced as children and then, an hundred pages later re-enter the story as adolescents or men. This can leave the reader trying to remember how all of the characters fit into the story. Likewise, many of the Apaches are related to one another and all of the relationships can become confused - especially when several of the Apaches have the same, or very similar names. However, none of this is necessarily Hutton's fault. It's just the nature of writing this type of history book. Regardless, the writing is solid and the narrative keeps the reader interested from the first page until the last. There's enough murder, lying, backstabbing, and cheating to fill a day-time soap for years. And Hutton isn't afraid to let the blame fall on both sides - American and Apache. It's clear that neither side had clean hands. But that's history, isn't it? We like to look back and separate everyone into 'good guys' and 'bad guys' but too often, the reality is far more messy than that. The fact is, men are sinful. This book is a tragic reminder of that fact. It would be wise for us to read this kind of history - the kind that reveals not only America's triumphs but also her warts. It's an important reminder that America has always had her issues, just like every other nation in the world.

This is a good read about an important era in this country's history when the southwest was gripped by a long drawn out conflict that prevented its settlement. The Apache bands raided, murdered, and plundered for centuries because that is what they did. Plenty of other Indian tribes, Mexicans, and Americans were the target of this way of life that meant your security and life in the southwest happened to depend on whether you randomly or by design came in contact with them. This book goes into to great detail about many events that finally resulted in the Apaches giving up and settling on reservations that roughly overlaid their original homelands. The author sometimes seemed to form an opinion about a participant in the wars then that opinion later in the history becomes the exact opposite. This happens several times so their seems to be an inconsistency or the participant himself changed which the author failed to attribute to that participant. Would recommend this book to those who love American history.

THIS BOOK HAS LOTS OF INTERESTING DETAILS OF THE HISTORY OF THE ERA. IT IS WELL WRITTEN AND AN EASY READ.

Dr. Hutton is an excellent historian of the Old West and a born story-teller—this book is well-worth reading. But while the Apaches and Whites—according to his narrative—are equally capable of duplicity and savagery, only the latter receive his condescension and scorn.

Quand on aime cette période de l'histoire et sa région on a déjà, comme moi pas mal de livres sur le sujet, les classiques, Sweeney, Balls, Soennichen etc....Et ce dernier livre, bien écrit et documenté n'apporte rien de nouveau à ce que je sais de cette période, ce n'est qu'une compilation de ce que j'ai déjà lu....

If you like Western history, this is the book to get. The book gives you a full run down on the conflict between the Apaches and the Army, plus their hatred of Mexico. Well researched and written. A must

I loved it just as much as Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee. Very sad the broken promises of the government and army and murder of helpless women and children, and Apache children sold into slavery. Yes, the Apaches did terrible things in retaliation when their families and homelands were threatened. But there were some in the military and civilian life who tried very hard for the Indians to be treated fairly. Numerous people in authority who despised the Apaches grew to respect them and want to protect them when they had sustained contact with them.

One of the best historical books on the Apache reality in the 1800's. Outstandi9ng read! Thank you for making it availabale on Kindle.

I wish the maps at the front could be made available to read as the story unfolded - I had a Kindle edition. Otherwise a very informative read on what might have been a "dry" subject.