Manzanita Spring in Guadalupe Mountains National Park, Texas.

Here, on December 30, 1869 Lt. Howard B.

Cushing commanded his troop of the U.S.

3rd. Cavalry in a bloody raid on a large

"rancheria", an Apache Indian village. His

reputation was that of the most daring,

gallant, and reckless Indian fighter in the early

west. Although there had been other

expeditions launched against the Apache of

these mountains, none left such a vivid

account as Lt. Cushing's report of relentless

pursuit and complete destruction of a

rancheria's material culture. The Mescalero

Apache made the Guadalupe Mountains their

home for over 300 years, gathering mescal

(agave) for food and raiding settlements...a

cultural buisness for survival, not glory. When

military protection of the increasing number of

settlers threatened this way of life in the mid

1800's, these mountains became an essential

Apache sanctuary. This refuge was invaded,

when from behind the boulders on the lower

slopes before you, a fire of rifle shot sinaled

the start of Cushing's raid. "Abandoning

everything but their ponies, they rapidly

scaled the steep slopes in scattered parties,

driving their stock ahead of them." Dead

horses and mules rolled down the

mountainside. "Keeping some of my men

after the Indians, I put others to work to

destroy the rancheria." They burned immens

numbers of buffalo robes, tanned beef, deer

and antelope skins, 20,000 pounds of

prepared mescal, and 15,000 pounds of

jerked beef! Indian saddles were added to

the flames in such large numbers they were

not even counted. Twenty-five "wigwams",

clothing, bows and arrows, cooking utensils,

and liquor were either burned or carried off.

"By hard labor, a little after dark, the

destruction was complete", especially for the

Apache people depending on this winter

cache." --From a Park Service sign near

Manzanita spring.......