Geronimo With His Band in the Chiricahua Mountains by Charlie Dye.
In response to the post on The Brutality, Reece Crawford sent up a smoke signal on an InRange TV series on the Apache Wars. It’s been a while since we ventured into Apacheria, and it’s good to revisit that rugged stretch of Frontier Partisans heartland.
This is a ride I simply must make.
There’s some synchronicity here that would be eerie if I was not used to it by now. I woke up at 3 a.m. this morning (before I saw Reese’s comment) churning on an idea that’s been rolling around in my head for a while: A horror story based around a relic of the Apache wars — the Henry Rifle presented by the city fathers of pioneer Prescott, Arizona, to John B. Townsend for his Indian-hunting prowess.
Historian Dan L. Thrapp wrote that:
…Judging by his record, the killing of Indians became almost an obsession with him. He hunted them because he wanted to kill them more than he wanted to do anything else. When others would go along, a grand expedition could result; when they didn’t, he went alone.”
Townsend was regarded as “the Lewis Wetzel of the Arizona frontier.” The city fathers of Prescott were so enamored of Townsend and his exploits that they presented him with an engraved Henry Rifle (the AR-15 of its day) and 1,000 rounds of ammunition they figured he would put to good use. An engraved silver plate in the butt read:
Presented to
J.B. Townsend
By the Citizens of Prescott
June, 1871
HONOR TO THE BRAVE!
I have never been able to find out what became of that rifle after Apache raiders killed Townsend in 1873. Which leaves open some possibilities…
Matthew says
That sounds like a great horror story you should really write it. I had an idea of a horror story about the ghost Lewis Wetzel, but I don’t know if I’ll ever write it. Towsend might be better since he is lesser known. Writing about the horror of the Indian wars is probably hard. On one side you could tick of liberals who like to think that Indians were Noble Savages persecuted by Evil White People. On the other, there still are conservatives who still want to believe the triumphalist narrative.
JimC says
I got into a bit of a scrum with a guy who believes that Lewis Wetzel was an unambiguous hero and the greatest of frontiersmen. He dismissed my Natural Born Killers post on Wetzel as “crap.” When challenged to point out any inaccuracy and engage in an actual discussion, he disappeared.
From a storytelling perspective, I am interested in historical trauma and how a totem of dark events might transmit that trauma.
Matthew says
That is interesting. I guess he was so emotionally invested in his hero that he could not take the truth. Of course, their probably people who think Geronimo was an unambiguous hero of Indian Rights.
About historical trauma, I don’t think there is much fiction dealing with it, but there probably should be. The sins of the past tend to echo even until today.
JimC says
My current sidetrail into The Troubles in Northern Ireland is a case study in historical trauma.
Re: Geronimo — that’s a great example. Another Frontier Partisan whose prowess we might respect, but who had a number of ignoble characteristics, AS RECOUNTED BY HIS OWN PEOPLE. I had a commenter on here who insisted that Geronimo never drank, which is easily refuted by mounds of first-hand accounts. Again, confronted with argument from facts, he disappeared.
Matthew says
I remember that.
Quixotic Mainer says
I’ll bet your opponent was a rabid Zane Grey fan! I was nearly set upon by half my blood relations for stating Simon Girty might not have been a mustache twirling personification of evil.
JimC says
Bet you’re right. People v CZ lung to those narratives.
Paul McNamee says
I’ve had a few ideas pop up lately that seem to be pulling me back to horror writing – for a few stories, at least. I still want to write adventure fun tales, too, but doesn’t like the occasional chill down the spine when autumn comes around?
JimC says
Aye!
John M Roberts says
I think I may have remarked on that top painting here or on another thread. Just in case I haven’t noted it here, it’s taking place in June. The yucca and ocotillo are both blooming at the same time and that only happens in June. I just thought you should know.
JimC says
Details matter.
Stanley Wheeler says
Short story, or novel on the Townsend Henry?
Perhaps each shell casing of those thousand bullets has a story of its own; a ghost arises whenever a casing is found. Lots of possibilities. The rifle itself could open the door to terror itself.
JimC says
You’re in the black. Seems like a short story, but…
Reese Crawford says
Glad to hear I could be of help! If you’re looking for inspiring tunes for your brainstorm, Colter Wall has some songs that feature a Henry rifle. Bald Butte being my favorite
JimC says
I , too, love Bald Butte. They stole his horse and the rifle that shared his name…
Lynda A. Sanchez says
Good to return to Apacheria. Those fellows in the videos looked like they were having fun and they are very knowledgeable about weapons and some of the details of the Apache Campaigns. We need more folks like that to work with our schools to give information and lessons.
For those who would like more specifics about Apache warriors and their side of the story, I have finished an 11 K word article entitled Apache Warriors tell their Side to Eve Ball. About 40 images both contemporary and historic are included. This accompanies the Zoom talk I gave back in December to the Old Pueblo Archaeology Center.
Also for an accompanying video check youtube Apache Warriors tell their side to Eve Ball
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vi7iB8M8kd4
Old Pueblo Archaeology Center’s https://www.oldpueblo.org/about-us/publications/ webpage, for the article Scroll all the way down the list.
If that does not work, contact Al Dart at adart@oldpueblo.org or contact me.
You will find information about Ace Daklugie, nephew of Geronimo and son of Chief Juh and his thoughts about the white eyes; the Victorio Wars, the death of Massai as described by his daughter; Yanosha, the incredible sniper and long shot artist; Yanosha’s bullets; Jasper Kanseah as the youngest warrior before surrender; the Ingstad expedition, the many elders who shared their stories of trauma, violence and a new life after they were released as POWs with this remarkable woman.
Keep up the good work Jim and all who follow your blog. Lynda
Joe says
I visited Townsend Butte when I lived in Arizona. It’s not too far off of the highway between Phoenix and Flagstaff (southeast of Prescott). It’s a proper climb with steep slopes and unforgiving terrain, but those who brave the hike are rewarded with a fantastic view. I had no idea at the time who it was named after. Now I’m very curious about this engraved Henry rifle and if the stories about the Masonic Temple in Prescott displaying the firearm are true? (Looks like today it’s known as “Aztlan Lodge”.
Great post!
JimC says
Thx. If you run anything down, let me know.
John Bella says
Speaking of Louis Wetzel, he is regarded as a hero in West Virginia. A county is named after him (Wetzel County),a park and shooting range too……he (Wetzel) may have coined the saying: ”The only good Indian,is a dead Indian”.
tom says
jim, as a sideline to your article, in which you mention writer dan l thrapp, there is an interesting non fiction book that tells the story of thrapp and his disapearance here in the southwest. the arizona writer is scott thybony who describes how thrapp took some time off working for american museum of nat history to xplore for some supposedly unexplored cliff dwellings. all travel was horseback and thrapp became lost. he was gone for a long time and concerned people were looking for him. the same book also has stories of two other people, inclluding everett ruess, who also got lost in the sw usa. all of the disappearances took place in the 1930s. the title is “the disappearances, a story of xploration, murder, and mystery. a good read in my view…..
JimC says
Wow, that’s really interesting. I don’t think I knew that about Thrapp — if I did I’d forgotten it.
Lynda A. Sanchez says
Tom, Jim and all those who are interested in Dan Thrapp, a most unusual historian and writer!
You are right about him being lost and it had a profound effect on his life. I thought I could post a photo image of Dan on this comment but could not make it work. I am forwarding it via email to Jim. It is an image of Dan with two mules taken by a friend as they both crossed the Andes mountains from Argentina, down into Chile. From there they hopped a freighter to LA. The Japanese had just bombed Pearl Harbour and they were trying to get home to enlist. Dan was a reporter for the LA Times (he later became their Religion editor) and assigned to Buenos Aires. The men learned it would take less time to ride across the Andes than to try and go other ways at that particular time.
I love the image because it shows Dan Thrapp with a pistol in his belt holding on to two mules. Later during the war he was put in charge of mule packtrains in the Far East.
One would never know this because in later years he appeared to be so mellow and calm.
I hope Jim can post it, if not, at least you know another story from Apacheria. Lynda
JimC says
Wow. This is great stuff.
J.F. Bell says
Frontier horror is one of those things that doesn’t seem to come calling often, though it usually makes for a memorable visit.
I had one, once. A product of my misspent youth – the bones of which I rather liked – despite a somewhat lackluster execution and a wandering narrative. There was the wholesale relocation of the Fountain of Youth to the badlands between northern New Mexico and southern Colorado, some assorted (probably butchered) Anasazi lore, and the kind of attendant weirdness that comes along whenever one upends the desiccated remains of a legend and arranges the pieces into heretofore unknown abominations.
Maybe it’ll get a second visit one of these days.
JimC says
Good bones.
There’s very fertile ground for “Frontier Horror” or “Frontier Gothic” because there was so much that is genuinely horrific in the actual history. I have to constantly remind myself how post-apocalyptic the worlds of the Caribbean and New England were after contact, due to disease. The Mandan, the Blackfeet…
And we are uncomfortable with the frame these days, but for many settlers in the Ohio Valley or Comancheria, the Indians appeared as orcs — terrifying creatures that appeared out of a wilderness to destroy their lives. Of course the Pequot and the Cheyenne at Sand Creek must have seen their attackers as ravening orcs, too.
If you amp up the folkloric aspects, seems like the atmospherics are off the charts.
Matthew says
You’d think there were more “Frontier Horror” because of that. It seems that it would be naturally mined for it.
A character I had mind for stories for years was an immortal monster hunter. I think originally he was a Roman centurion but it changed to frontiersmen, than Old West gunslinger until eventually I decided he was one of Devil Jack Haye’s Rangers. Mostly, because Blood Meridian aside there isn’t much fiction about that period of Texas history. So far the one story I wrote about him hasn’t sold.
I think everyone sees their enemies as orcs.
Ugly Hombre says
http://blog.truewestmagazine.com/2017/02/mule-men-and-historians-who-rode-mules.html
“Pack Mule Specialist, Dan Thrapp”
A Colt .45 and a pair of mules- to cool!
” After Pearl Harbor, the young United Press reporter, Dan Thrapp, and another American wanted to head home from their Buenos Aires assignment to join the army. Strangely, the quickest way was by mule over the rugged Andes Mountains separating Chile and Argentina. Rough passage required pistolas and tough men. Once they got to the coast they caught a freighter back to the U.S. Thrapp was assigned to the Burma, China, India Theater of Operations. He became a pack mule specialist and served with special forces for more than two years until malaria took its toll and he returned home. As a result of his experience with mules, Dan became an ardent admirer of the animal and often commented that he would take a mule over a horse any day of the week, including Sunday! Perhaps this is one reason why he understood the value of the mule and the frustrations of the U.S. Cavalry during the closing days of the Apache wars. Without mules and the Apache Scouts, those wars would have continued long after 1886. Dan Thrapp authored 14 books including six on the Apache Wars. ”
“The above info was provided by Lynda A. Sánchez,”
Here is some info on Dan Thrapp very interesting- thanks for posting, never heard of him before, A man with hard bark. The Photo Ms. Sanchez referenced above is in in the link.
Lynda A. Sanchez says
Thanks for sending the link and I hope everyone has had an opportunity to review that great photo! I first saw it in Dan’s office when I visited him in Tucson. I blatantly asked if I could have a copy…it was such an unusual image from a bygone era. He sent me a copy which I now have framed in my study. He was the real thing, not an arm chair historian of which we have too many.
Lynda
JimC says
I’m gonna do a post.
Ugly Hombre says
Very welcome! thanks for posting about him- must have been quite something to know him-that photo is a treasure, people like that- are fading fast. I tried to find a Bio on him from Weki- etc. Nothing came up. Hope someone will do one on Mr. Thrapp. Or put up a good biography somewhere.
Great that Jim put up a seperate thread about the man.
The “Old Tarantula’s” need to be remembered and respected. I wonder if he took that Colt to Burma?
Probly, if you ask me.. lol