Captured By The Apache: Tough Negotiations But Peace Reigns

Howdy folks and greetings from the Great Plains of North Texas! We're in a series about the Wild West and the story of an 11 year old German boy, Hermann, who was captured by an Apache war party from his family's farm in 1870 in Central Texas.

Recap

For Hermann it's been the Wild Wild West! The kid has been through an awful lot in a short period of time but has proven himself to be a tough little warrior even though he's been forced into it. In yesterday's post his tribe was badly defeated in battle, losing their horses and almost all their women were taken.

This resulted in calling for help from all the Apache tribes who came together from all over the country to go to war with the Comanche.

However, once they were gathered together, some of the chiefs, including Victorio, argued for the Indians of all nations to band together and fight the Palefaces, who were the more serious threat against all tribes.

Today's story

Well, of course there were great discussions about it for a few days and then it was decided that all Indians should unite in one great force to exterminate the whites. The treaty was agreed to with the Comanches and it included the return of the women and children.

Not so fast

Hermann's tribe along with the many other Apache who had joined up with them moved their camp to within 3 miles of the Comanche village since war had been avoided and they were supposedly on the same side now.

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The warrior with the Black Shield

One day a Camanche warrior appeared and rode around the Apache camp.

From the way Hermann described him he looked fierce, terrifying and magnificent all at the same time..galloping with his hair, feathers, and horse's main blowing in the wind as he rode, and a cloud of dust flying up from the horse's hooves. His face painted black.

To Hermann it was a fearsome sight, like Death Rides A Horse type of image. The whole camp dropped what they were doing and went to the edges to watch in silence.

His description was actually similar to this painting:

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The Comanche held up a black shield and circled the camp. Hermann was told that it was a challenge to fight. If the Apache wanted to fight(even though they had just signed a peace agreement) the Apache would send out a warrior with a red shield.

But the Apache had agreed not to fight so they raised a white flag. Then the Comanche used sign language to say that if the Apache would send out 6 warriors, that they would send 6 Comanche warriors and the 12 would meet half-way between camps and fight to the death.

I don't know about those Comanche boys, they didn't sound like they wanted peace very badly did they? The Apaches got 6 of their warriors together and they were ready to fight, Hermann said they were foaming at the mouth to fight!

Tough negotiators!

Not so fast though. The Comanche sent word that if the camp would send out the men who cut holes in that warrior's arms and strung him up in that tree, then everyone could have peace. Well, Hermann's so-called dad was one of them along with a couple others.

So they did what any good negotiator would do.. they lied! They told the Comanches that the men who had done that had been killed in that battle which the Comanche had so nobly won.

Lying for a good cause

The Comanche then honored the word of the Apache, believed them, said everything was cool then, and agreed to return the women and children.

Think of the bloodshed those guys prevented by lying like a dog! lol. So the women and children were finally returned EXCEPT the Apache made it clear that old no-nose should stay with them, the Comanche, Hermann's tribe didn't want her. The Comanche agreed and they adopted her.

In case you didn't see yesterday's post, a squaw who had committed adultery had been punished by having her nose cut off. She had rescued a captured Comanche and ran off with him to their tribe so she was considered a betrayer.

Also, the Comanche kept some of the young maidens because they wanted them for wives so the maidens stayed with them. (I wonder if any of those maidens WANTED to stay?)This also helped to strengthen their treaty by intermarrying between the two nations.