Warm Springs Apache Leader Nana: The 80-Year-Old Warrior Turned the Tables

One or two more civilians were killed after Daly’s death, and several others were wounded, including newlywed miner George Gamble, of Lake Valley. His beautiful bride, Jesusita Pachedo de Parra, and her parents were told that George was dead, but he later showed up at their door, which was lined with black crepe. Among the soldiers, saddler Thomas Golding and Privates James Brown and Monroe Overstreet of Company B were killed. Two other “B” privates were wounded — William Hollins took a bullet through the lungs but would survive (and be discharged when his term expired five months later), and John William was shot in the thigh (and four months later his leg was amputated). Wesley Harris of Company H was shot in the right breast.

Indian casualties were not reported, but small pools of blood in the canyon battlefield indicated that at least a few of the warriors had been killed or wounded. Realizing that more 9th Cavalry soldiers were on their way, Nana fled late in the afternoon of the 19th with many of his pursuers’ horses, some of their supplies and about 1,000 rounds of ammunition. Indeed, Sergeant Richard Anderson of Company H came along with the balance of the late Lieutenant Smith’s command, and they were joined by Lieutenant Charles Taylor and Captain Byron Dawson. Daly was found shot four or five times and mutilated, with sticks stuck into his body. Smith was found lying on his face with his back and arms burnt. His face had been slashed, with his nose, ears and other body parts cut off. The lieutenant’s mustache was found hanging in a nearby bush. Both the civilians and soldiers on the scene heaped praise on Sergeant Woods, agreeing that the 30-year-old sergeant’s performance had prevented total disaster. Thirteen years later, Woods received the Medal of Honor for his actions in Gavilan Canyon.

Although it was late in the day, the reinforced military-civilian force continued its pursuit of Nana, while Sergeant George Turpin of Company H transported the dead and wounded to Fort Bayard. While Turpin’s escort detachment was stopped at John Brockman’s Mill, on the bank of the Mimbres River, one of the wounded men died.

Late on the 19th, near Lake Valley, Apaches mortally wounded a Mexican sheepherder while his companion made his way to the village of El Colorado. Other parting shots before Nana returned to Mexico were fired between Cooke’s Canyon and Mule Springs, when the Apaches reportedly attacked a group of woodcutters, killing at least four of them. The raiders captured 12-year-old Manuel Chacon and 14-year-old Juan Chacon. In Las Cruces, Apaches attacked a wagon, killing six Mexicans and severely wounding the lone survivor.

In two months, old but relentless Nana and his followers had ridden about 3,000 miles and fought a number of battles and skirmishes while suffering minimal casualties. Much of the stock that had been taken at Gavilan Canyon was eventually traded to Juh’s band when the two Apache groups met in the mountains of Mexico a few months later. Nana would surrender to Brig. Gen. George Crook in March 1883, bolt the reservation with Geronimo two years later, and surrender again to Crook in March 1886. After spending the last 10 years of his life as a prisoner, Nana would die at Fort Sill, Oklahoma Territory, in 1896.

This article was written by Lee A. Silva and originally appeared in the December 2006 issue of Wild West magazine. For more great articles be sure to subscribe to Wild West magazine today!

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