Captured By The Apache: Hermann Tells Of Victorio's Exploits

Howdy folks and greetings from the Great Plains of North Texas! We're in a series about the Wild West and the story of an 11 year old German boy, Hermann, who was captured by an Apache war party from his family's farm in 1870 in Central Texas.

By this time in the story Hermann has been with the Apache for probably 6 months and has become, through great pain and training, a bonafide tribe member and warrior.

In the last post the Apache and Comanche chiefs agreed to make peace between them and focus on defeating the Palefaces together.

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This decision was largely because of the influence which Victorio brought to the council. Victorio was a famous warrior and chief who was known as a brilliant strategist and gifted fighter and leader. Hermann recounted some stories about Victorio.

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The first story may be a myth, I'm not sure, but the second story is an incident that Hermann witnessed himself so I have more confidence in that one.

Victorio is trapped by a dead buffalo

In the first story Victorio was out hunting and killed a buffalo. He dressed it and as night came so did bitter cold temperatures, so he used the buffalo hide to wrap himself up in.

The next morning everything was still frozen and the thick rawhide had frozen stiff like a cocoon with Victorio inside. The wet hide had frozen solid and he was trapped. For two days and nights he was trapped in the frozen hide but on the third day the sun shone and it warmed up enough that he was able to free himself.

I have no idea if that's possible but given how thick, heavy, and wet the raw buffalo hide was, I can see it as being possible.

Victorio's daring ride behind enemy lines

The next story takes place in Mexico. The Apache spent alot of time fighting Mexicans and this battle was with the Mexican army. One of Victorio's brothers was captured. Hermann was watching the battle from a hilltop.

Victorio rode through a canyon and into the midst of the soldiers where his brother was. His brother jumped up on the horse behind Victorio and they rode off. There was alot of smoke and confusion. Smoke from fires burning and confusion by what Victorio just did.

They rode back toward their men amid cross-fire and right when they were approaching the Indian line a rifle bullet entered Victorio's brother's back, went through him into Victorio's back and out Victorio's chest. His brother was killed instantly and fell off the horse.

Herbal medicine helped heal him

Victorio stopped, picked up his brother's body and put it on the horse and rode the rest of the way in. The Indians treated him by probing the wound and finding that it went clean through they cut off the bruised flesh and treated the wound with a solution made from some kind of weed and water mixture.

Hermann didn't know what kind of plant it was, unfortunately. Victorio eventually recovered, the bullet had passed through his right lung.

The Mexicans wanted him bad

The Mexican government had a bounty on his head of $1,500. That translates to $30,000 in today's money but it was a much larger sum than it sounds like because back then a good yearly wage was $1,200. So it was a fortune.

Here's a photo of him from when he was on the reservation for a short time before he escaped because the conditions were so terrible and his people were starving. I wonder if the Mexican government kept the bounty on him?

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A couple more stories

Hermann said that another time in Mexico he was staying under a bluff in the mountains and a brave had been captured and forced to tell Victorio's location. He killed everyone who tried to approach and then escaped during the night.

In the Black Hills of South Dakota one time a group of hunters was after him. He decoyed them and got them separated, then killed them all one by one during the night.

Hermann said he had four wives and some beautiful daughters. Hermann had stolen a fancy saddle and Victorio offered him a pretty girl for it but he turned him down.

I don't know if it was one of Victorio's daughters or not, I would hope not! But maybe he felt he had a surplus of women and thought a good saddle would be more practical.

In the next post Hermann goes on more raids and comes within a hair's breath of death.

Thanks for reading folks, God bless you all!

-jonboy
Texas