The American Southwest

This is the fourth episode in the series over the Apache Indians in the American Southwest. This episode covers the immediate consequences of the “cutting of the tent” and the murder of Mangas Coloradas by the US Army. Cochise, betrayed and angered by the death of his family, friends, & father-in-law goes on the warpath and punishes any and all White Eyes (and Mexicans) that he encounters. This obviously leads to far-reaching consequences for both the Americans and the Apaches of the American Southwest.

In the 1880s Apache Country, below the Mogollon Rim of Arizona a combination of events involving cattle rustlers, sheep herders, outlaws, cowboys, sharp shooters, Mormons, mountain lions, Confederates, half Indians, hooded vigilantes, lawmen, and Wild West legends culminated in the largest, most violent, and most unbelievable vendetta, feud, and range war in all of American history. This is the story of the Pleasant Valley War aka the Graham Tewksbury Feud aka the Tonto Basin War that would consume over 50 victims. It’s cinematic, heroic, tragic, and often times unbelievable. It’s filled with out of this world characters, important themes, and jaw dropping, melodramatic, heartbreaking Wild West anecdotes.