San Elizario, TX

“1857 Lipan-Warrior” by A. Schott (1857)

Detail of Statue of Po’Pay in National Statuary Hall by Cliff Fragua (2005)

Settler Colonialism

The Treaty Period

Leave.

“I asked [Po’Pay] how it was that he had gone crazy too-being an Indian who spoke our language, was so intelligent, and had lived all his life in the villa among the Spaniards, where I had placed such confidence in him-and was now coming as a leader of the Indian rebels. He replied to me that they had elected him as their captain, and that they were carrying two banners, one white and the other red, and that the white one signifies peace and the red one war. Thus if we wished to choose the white it must be upon our agreeing to leave the country, and if we chose the red, we must perish…”

Letter of Don Antonio de Otermin, Governor of Santa Fe de Nueva México (Sept. 8, 1680)

Portrait of Samuel Austin Kingman by Seldon James Woodman (1878)

Promises.

General John B. Sandborn “addressed the council in a conciliatory manner being extremely liberal in his promises which will probably never be realized.”

Diary of Samuel A. Kingman (October 16, 1865)

Photograph of John B. Sanborn, artist unknown (c. 1860)

Friendship.

“We are now ready to close the treaty…. There is no reason why you should not live in quiet and peace for all days to come. Our government , as a matter of course, will live up to this treaty and always treat it in good faith. We shall expect, and your interests require, that you shall do the same on your part. We are now at peace with all the people about you, whites and Indians in Texas, New Mexico, and Kansas…. We shall be glad to meet any of the chiefs of these tribes in the future and in peace and friendship. Our territory extends to the Rio Grande, and all people this side are our people and must be treated as our friends.”

John B. Sanborn, President of the Little Arkansas Treaty Commission, report to James Harlan, Secretary of the Interior (Oct. 24, 1865)

Photograph of Goyaałé (Geronimo) by Camillus Sydney Fly (1886)

Treachery.

“After this trouble all of the Indians agreed not to be friendly with the white men any more. There was no general engagement, but a long struggle followed. Sometimes we attacked the white men—sometimes they attacked us. First a few Indians would be killed and then a few soldiers. I think the killing was about equal on each side. The number killed in these troubles did not amount to much, but this treachery on the part of the soldiers had angered the Indians and revived memories of other wrongs, so that we never again trusted the United States troops.”

Geronimo’s Story of His Life, Goyaałé (Geronimo) and S.M. Barret (1906)

Photograph of Nelson A. Miles by Brands Studios, Chicago (1898)

Destroy.

"The chief object of the troops will be to capture or destroy any band of hostile Apache Indians found in this section of country, and to this end the most vigorous and persistent efforts will be required of all officers and soldiers until the object is accomplished.

Brigadier General Miles’ General Field Orders No. 7 (April 20, 1886)