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MAKING PEACE
1872
By the early 1870's most Apaches lived on reservations established by the U.S. Government. Cochise's people were a notable exception. Therefore, President Ulysses S. Grant ordered General O.O. Howard to travel to Arizona to make peace. General Howard enlisted the help of Thomas Jeffords, who was known as a friend of Cochise. Jeffords arranged a meeting between the two leaders. It took place on October 1st, 1872. The meeting was probably held near Dragoon Springs, at the northern end of the mountains.
A second meeting was held October 10th, this time including all of the Chokonen. Peace terms were agreed upon which included establishment of a reservation. The Executive Order was issued December 14th, 1872. It established a reservation with a boundary:
Beginning at Dragoon Springs near Dragon Pass, and running thence northeasterly along the north base of the Chiricahua Mountains to a point on the summit of the Peloncillo Mountains, or Stein's Peak Range; thence runing southeasterly along said range through Stein's Peak to the boundary of New Mexico; thence running south to the border of Mexico; thence running westerly along said border fifty five miles, thence running northerly following substantially the base of the Dragoons to the place of beginning.
Howard reported that Cochise, upon agreeing to the deal, said:
Hereafter the white man and the Indian are to drink the same water, eat the same bread, and be at peace.
Tom Jeffords was designated Indian Agent for the reservation. General Howard believed the man whom the Apaches called
Red Hairwas respected, and Cochise's people felt they would be well served by this white man.