Mescalero Apaches

San Juan Mescalero Apache

Photo: NPS Archives

Mescalero Apaches range extended from the area south of Anton Chico, New Mexico to the Bolson de Mapimi in Chihuahua Mexico (MX) and adjacent areas in Coahuila MX. The western limits being the Rio Grande River and the eastern limits being the Pecos River which they ventured across to hunt buffalo. The Mescaleros were forced into the Trans Pecos by expansion of the Comanches in the 18^th century.

The Spanish provided many names for the Apaches who lived in the areas of Perillos, Sierra Blanca, Siete Rios, Pharones and Natages. The Name Mescalero is the Spanish equivalent of the native term meaning mescal people. The name Natage was applied to all Apaches who lived in southern New Mexco. Derived from the Lipan name for the Mescaleros, Natahe meaning Mescal people.

By the early 19^th century all the Apaches in this area were called Mesacleros. The Mescaleros that lived in Texas were west of the Pecos River and into Chihuahua MX they adapted to a country of minimal resources. Mescal, prickly pear, mesquite pods, acorns and many other plants were important food sources. After the loss of access to the plains to hunt buffalo, they substituted cattle as a prime source of sustenance. Raiding Mexican ranches and towns and later American ranches to acquire cattle to support themselves. They knew they could not stay long in one place without exhausting the lands resources. They traveled light and moved quickly from moutian range to moutian range. They were the only people who learned to live in harmony with the raw forces of nature in the Trans Pecos.

With the discovery of gold in California, brought a stream of travelers making their way to the gold fields. This provided easy targets for Mescaleros who lived in the Davis, Chisos and Guadalupe Mountains. They took the animals, provisions and often the lives of these travelers. In response to these raids the Army established military posts in the area and began to campaign against the Mescaleros.

One of the most notable Mescalero victories against Fort Davis troops occurred in August 1861 when the post was manned by Confederate forces. Mescaleros under War Chief Nicolas raided the post’s livestock corral. A party of 14 Confederate Texans under Lt. Reuben Mays pursued the Mescaleros south into the Big Bend country. Nicolas surprised his pursuers in a box canyon and all the Confederates were killed except for one Mexican guide who escaped.

In 1871, the Mescaleros agreed to a tentative peace and many withdrew to a reservation in New Mexico, leaving the Texas frontier quiet for four years. The attacks quickened in 1875 as Mescaleros and Lipans joined Warm Springs Apaches and raided into west Texas and Mexico and sought sanctuary in the Davis Mountains. Fort Davis increased Military scouting parties and patrols in response to the heighten activity between 1878 and 1879.

January 1881 Texas Rangers surprised a camp of Mescaleros in the Sierra Diablos moutians. 8 members of the band were killed and the rest escaped. In 1882 Alsate’s and his band were the last free roaming band captured. The remaining Apaches joined the other Mescaleros on the reservation in New Mexico. By the mid 1880’s the Mescaleros had disappeared from the Trans Pecos.