NANA

Apache War Chief  Born c.1810 - Died May 19, 1896 

Fort Sill, Indian Territory

Known among the Mimbreno Apache as Kas-tziden, War Leader, Nana was born in 1800. He grew up to marry Geronimo’s sister and fought alongside Mangas Coloradas until Mangas was killed in 1863.

During the Apache Indian Wars, he raided areas of Texas and Mexico with Victorio. Though Nana had been with Chief Victorio when he was killed in the fall of 1880 at Tres Castillos, Mexico, he and several others were scouting for supplies and ammunition at the time, evading the ambush. After coming upon the dead warriors, Nana and his followers fled for the Sierra Madre Mountains of Mexico and soon devised a revenge campaign.

At his 80,formed his own war party with the Chihenne (Warm Springs Apache), enlisting loitering warriors in the reservations. His band joined by 15 Tsokanende, 12 Mescalero warriors and a couple of Navajo, plus women and children, began raiding Army supply trains and isolated settlers. In less than a month Nana fought seven or eight battles stretching over the course of 1,000 miles and killed 30-40 Americans, at least as many Mexicans, captured about 200 horses to replace 100 ridden to death and then fled back to Mexico.

Nana has a special reputation among Apache war chiefs. He was still an active warrior well into his eighties. He had tenacity, stamina, courage and an uncanny ability to improvise in a fight to minimize his losses. He showed no mercy in battle, yet could be considerate when dealing with civilians.

 When Nana was executing guerrilla tactics in the 1880s, he was half blind, crooked from arthritis, but once he sat in the saddle, he rode "like the devil