MANGAS  COLORADAS.

BIRTH  1791 -Silver City, Grant County, New Mexico, USA

DEATH  18 Jan 1863 (aged 71–72) - Hurley, Grant County, New Mexico, USA

BURIAL -Mangas Cemetery Grant County, New Mexico

Native American Tribal Chief. Eastern Chiricahua or Mimbreno Apache War Chief of Southwest. His Spanish name means "Red-Sleeves", so named because he always wore a red shirt. 

Standing over 6 feet, he was unusually tall for an Apache Indian. He was considered courageous, wise, generous, and always sought peace. Some believe he was a legend in his own time. 

Mangas Coloradas was a peaceful man until 1837 when the Mexican Government offered a $100 bounty for each Apache Indian scalp. This resulted in a massacre of his band or tribe by greedy anglo-American fur trappers. 

Later, American gold miners of the Pinos Altos mining camp in New Mexico tied him to a tree and whipped him with bull-whips, further intensifying his hatred of the white race. In 1862 during a raid against white settlers in his homeland he suffered a gunshot wound to the chest; surviving, he once again sought peace. Although he signed many treaties none of them were honored by the United States Government. 

Also in 1862, he along with his son-in-law Cochise, defended Apache Pass against United States General James H. Carleton and his troops. Mangas Coloradas was a skilled strategist in guerrilla warfare. In 1863 General Joseph West imprisoned him during peace talks and he was killed at Fort Mclane in Southwestern New Mexico.by United States Army troops. After he was killed they cut off his head.

Bedford W. Sipes.