John C. Cremony's first encounter with the Indians of the Southwest occurred in the early 1850s, when he accompanied John R. Bartlett s boundary commission surveying the United States-Mexican border. Some ten years later, as an officer of the California Volunteers, he renewed his acquaintance, particularly with the Apaches, whom he came to know as few white Americans before him had. Cremony's account of his experiences, published in 1868, quickly became, and remains today, a basic source on Apache beliefs, tribal life, and fighting tactics. Although its original purpose was to induce more...

Originally published over 100 years ago, LIFE AMONG THE APACHES is John Cremony's absorbing eyewitness description of pre-reservation Apache life and culture. Through his years in the military Cremony fought in the war with Mexico and participated in many Indian campaigns in the southwest deserts. In 1848 he served as Spanish interpreter for the U. S. ? Mexico Boundary Commission where he learned to speak Apache and subsequently wrote a glossary and grammar of the language. Although he wrote this book with the intent to encourage more effective military suppression of the intimidating...