NANA’S RAID 1881

Nana, or Kas-tziden, a Mimbres/Warm Springs Apache, was an enigma among the leaders of that tribe during the last years of United States’ war against the Indians of the Southwest in the final quarter of the 19th century. Nana was never a chief or even a sub-chief; nor was he a medicine man. By the time he came to the attention of the U.S. Army in any meaningful way, he was more than 80 years old. Age alone would be a deterrent to the rigors of leadership, but Nana also suffered from failing eyesight, arthritis, and he was crippled.

One of his Apache names translated as “Broken Ankle.” In spite of it all, he managed to vex a large number of citizens in July and August 1881, killing many Americans and Mexicans, civilians and soldiers alike, and stealing large numbers of horses and mules. While Nana was not a leader in an official way, he was closely related to important Apaches, a tactical advisor to Victorio and the brother-in-law to Geronimo. He had been with Victorio’s band in the time leading up to the massacre, which wiped them out, although he was not present that day. Much later, Nana joined forces with Geronimo. It was during the time in between that he made his mark. Victorio’s band was wiped out in October 1880 when set upon by Mexican soldiers under the command of Lt. Col. (some sources report his rank as general) Joaquin Terrazas at Tres Castillos, Chihuahua. (Note that many of the Apaches, including Victorio, committed suicide rather than face capture by the Mexican army.) Nana was away, raiding for horses in the United States at the time. Legend holds that after his return to Mexico, while under the influence of hallucinogens, a vision of Victorio appeared to him and bade him seek revenge for the chief’s death. For several months, Nana raided in northern Mexico and exacted revenge on numerous Mexicans living in remote areas. In the summer of 1881, Nana sent the women and children to live with a related band in the mountains to the west, and he and about 15 warriors crossed into the United States with the singular aim of killing Americans. Among his raiders was the noted female warrior, Lozen. She was Victorio’s sister, and thus amply vengeful toward Apache enemies. She was also a medicine woman, and it was said that she had virtual super-natural powers, which told her where those enemies were. Valuable intelligence, indeed. Nana and his small party first visited the Mescalero Apache Reservation in south central New Mexico where he hoped to recruit more warriors. Some historians believe that one of Nana’s wives was a Mescalero and that he had spent considerable time with that people. He is known to have spent time there in the late 1870s, along with Victorio. About 25 young warriors joined Nana’s band, and the 40 of them continued the raid. From the Mescalero reservation, the raiders traveled west and north, killing freighters and travelers where they found them, and attacking farms, ranches and small towns. Soon enough, the U. S. Army was in pursuit, augmented by ad hoc posses of cowboys and miners. All of them were unsuccessful. A significant number of the soldiers were members of the 9th Cavalry, better known as Buffalo Soldiers. Among them was Sgt. Moses Williams, who is a featured character in the two books mentioned above. Four of the soldiers won Congressional Medals of Honor, but they didn’t stop Nana and his band. The raids continued as far north as the village of Seboyeta in what is now eastern Cibola County. There, after killing a couple of citizens, they abruptly turned south and retreated toward Mexico. They engaged in several pitched battles along the way, but managed to escape safely into the Sierra Madre of Sonora.

(Don Bullis can be contacted at donbullis@msn.com)