The Bascom Affair stands as a pivotal and tragic event, deeply etched in the annals of the American West. It is widely regarded as the catalyst that ignited the protracted and bloody Apache Wars, a series of conflicts that raged throughout the 1860s and beyond. These wars pitted the United States military against various Apache tribes across the vast and unforgiving landscapes of what are now Arizona and New Mexico. The incident, fraught with misunderstanding, mistrust, and ultimately, irreversible actions, unfolded in early 1861, leaving a legacy of bitterness and violence that would scar the region for decades to come.
To understand the significance of the Bascom Affair, it is crucial to delve into the historical context of the time. The American Southwest was a region in flux, undergoing rapid transformation as westward expansion brought increasing numbers of settlers into contact with indigenous populations who had called the land home for centuries. The relationship between these groups was often strained, characterized by competition for resources, cultural clashes, and a fundamental difference in worldview. Treaties were frequently broken, promises unfulfilled, and violence simmered just beneath the surface.
The spark that ignited the powder keg was a seemingly simple incident: a raid on the ranch of John Ward, a settler residing near Sonoita Creek. On January 27, 1861, a band of raiders, identified as non-Apache Indians, descended upon Ward’s property, making off with a significant number of livestock. More tragically, they also kidnapped Ward’s twelve-year-old stepson, Felix Ward, a boy whose fate would become inextricably linked to the unfolding drama.
Distraught and desperate, John Ward turned to the nearby military authority at Fort Buchanan, Arizona, seeking their assistance in recovering his stepson. Lieutenant Colonel Morrison, the fort’s commandant, recognized the gravity of the situation and tasked Lieutenant George Nicholas Bascom with leading an expedition to track down the kidnappers and retrieve the boy. Bascom, a young officer eager to prove himself, assembled a contingent of infantry and set out to locate the missing boy and the perpetrators of the raid.
However, Bascom’s initial efforts proved fruitless. Despite searching the surrounding territory, he and his men were unable to locate either Felix Ward or any trace of the raiding party. Frustrated and under pressure from Colonel Morrison, Bascom came to the conclusion that Apache Indians were responsible for the raid. This assumption, whether accurate or not, would have dire consequences.
Under orders from Morrison to use "whatever means necessary" to punish the kidnappers and recover Felix Ward, Bascom embarked on a course of action that would escalate the situation dramatically. He, along with Ward and a force of fifty-four soldiers, journeyed east towards Apache Pass, a strategically important mountain pass that served as a vital corridor through Apache territory. Upon arriving on February 3, 1861, they were joined by Sergeant Daniel Robinson, whose local knowledge and experience would prove valuable to the expedition.
Seeking to confront the alleged perpetrators, Bascom orchestrated a meeting with Cochise, a prominent and respected leader of the Chiricahua Apache. Cochise, renowned for his intelligence, charisma, and fierce defense of his people’s land and way of life, agreed to meet with the young lieutenant. However, wary of the intentions of the American soldiers, Cochise arrived at the meeting accompanied by a substantial entourage, including his brother Coyuntwa, two nephews, his wife, and his two children.
At the meeting, Cochise vehemently denied any knowledge of the raid on John Ward’s ranch or the kidnapping of Felix Ward. He maintained his innocence, insisting that his people were not involved. However, Bascom, already convinced of Cochise’s guilt, refused to believe him. Fueled by suspicion and a desire to assert his authority, Bascom made a fateful decision: he attempted to arrest Cochise and his family, intending to hold them hostage until Felix Ward was returned.
The attempt to imprison Cochise and his family was a catastrophic miscalculation. Cochise, a seasoned warrior with lightning-fast reflexes, reacted instantly. In the ensuing chaos, he managed to break free from the soldiers’ grasp, sustaining a leg wound in the process. However, his family remained trapped within the tent.
Cochise’s escape marked a turning point in the Bascom Affair. Realizing the gravity of the situation, he immediately began to organize a response. He rallied his warriors and launched a series of ambushes against the American soldiers, capturing four Americans whom he offered to exchange for the release of his family.
Bascom, however, remained resolute in his demands. On February 5, 1861, Cochise sent a desperate message to Bascom, pleading for the release of his family. Bascom responded with a cold and unwavering refusal, stating that Cochise’s family "would be set free just so soon as the boy was released."
The following day, Cochise and a large party of Apaches attacked another group of Americans, capturing three more hostages. He again offered to exchange these hostages for his family, but Bascom remained steadfast, insisting on the return of Felix Ward and the stolen cattle as the sole condition for their release.
On February 7, 1861, tensions reached a boiling point when Cochise and his men ambushed Bascom’s soldiers as they were fetching water. The skirmish resulted in casualties on both sides, further escalating the conflict and solidifying the animosity between the Apache and the American soldiers.
Adding a layer of complexity to the narrative, recent historical accounts suggest that Cochise was known for his truthfulness and integrity, casting doubt on Bascom’s accusations and raising questions about the justification for his actions. This revisionist perspective challenges the traditional narrative that portrays Cochise as the aggressor and Bascom as a well-intentioned officer simply trying to uphold the law.
Faced with Bascom’s intransigence and the escalating violence, Cochise made a difficult decision: he fled to Sonora, Mexico, seeking refuge and regrouping his forces. En route, in a fit of rage and despair, he killed the American prisoners he had taken and left their bodies to be discovered by Bascom.
Several days later, Bascom, upon discovering the mutilated remains of the American prisoners, responded with a brutal act of retribution. He hanged Cochise’s brother and nephews, sending a clear message of defiance and escalating the cycle of violence. Following this horrific act, Bascom and his soldiers began their journey back to Fort Buchanan.
The moment when Cochise discovered the bodies of his brother and nephews has been described as a pivotal moment in the history of the Apache Wars. It is believed that this event transformed the Apache’s resentment of the Spanish colonists into a burning hatred of the Americans. Cochise, driven by grief and a thirst for revenge, unleashed a series of raids and attacks against American settlements and military outposts, marking the beginning of the long and bloody Apache Wars, a conflict that would last for a quarter of a century.
The Bascom Affair, therefore, serves as a stark reminder of the devastating consequences of misunderstanding, mistrust, and the abuse of power. It highlights the complex and often tragic relationship between the American settlers and the indigenous populations of the West, a relationship marked by cultural clashes, broken promises, and a legacy of violence that continues to resonate today. The event is a testament to how a single incident, fueled by misjudgment and a lack of empathy, can have profound and lasting repercussions, shaping the course of history and leaving an indelible mark on the landscape and the collective memory of a nation. The Bascom Affair is a crucial event to understand in the history of the American West.
