Blood Brother by Elliott Arnold
**Overview of *Blood Brother* by Elliott Arnold**
*Blood Brother* is a historical fiction novel set in the American Southwest, spanning from the 1856 Gadsden Purchase to the conclusion of the Indian Wars around 1870. The narrative centers around Cochise, the prominent chief of the Chiricahua Apache, who is depicted as a formidable leader and tactician amid the tensions between Native Americans and settlers. The story unfolds against the backdrop of raids and the complex relationship between Cochise's tribe and the encroaching settlers, particularly through the experiences of Tom Jeffords, a pony express rider who forms a deep connection with both the Apache people and Cochise himself.
As the plot progresses, it portrays significant events such as the betrayal of Cochise by Lieutenant Bascom, leading to conflict and the harsh realities faced by the Apache. The novel also explores themes of love, loss, and cultural understanding, notably through Jeffords' relationships with both Cochise and his wife, Sonseeahray. While the book provides a sympathetic perspective on Native American struggles and customs, it also highlights the broader historical context of the settlers' expansion and the resulting consequences for Indigenous populations. *Blood Brother* serves as both an engaging story and an educational tool, illustrating the richness of Native American heritage and the complexities of cross-cultural interactions in a turbulent historical period.
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Subject Terms
Blood Brother by Elliott Arnold
First published: 1947
Type of work: Historical fiction
Themes: Friendship, race and ethnicity, and war
Time of work: 1856-1870
Recommended Ages: 15-18
Locale: The American Southwest
Principal Characters:
Cochise , the American Indian chief who led the Chiricahua band of Apaches; his name means “firewood” in ApacheTom Jeffords , prospector, Indian guide, friend to the peacemaker, pony express agent, blood brother of Cochise, and Indian agentTerry Weaver , a fifteen-year-old orphan girl whom Jeffords escorted to Tucson after her parents were killed in an Indian raidCesalbestinay , adviser, confidante, and first wife of CochiseSilas St. John , pony express agent, friend and confidant of JeffordsSonseeahray , an Indian maiden who became the wife of JeffordsGeneral Oliver O. Howard , a former Civil War general who finally made peace and persuaded the Chiricahua to move to the reservation
The Story
Blood Brother is a thrilling historical fiction of the Southwest from the time of the Gadsden Purchase in 1856 until the end of the Indian wars in about 1870. The reader is immediately plunged into the preparations for the victory celebration at the East Stronghold of the Chiricahua in the Dragoon Mountains to honor the soon-to-return raiding party. Raids near the Mexican border supplemented the hunting that constituted the livelihood of this nomadic tribe. Cochise, large in stature (especially for an Indian) and approximately thirty-five to forty years of age, leads the return.
An uneasy peace existed between the settlers and Cochise’s tribe during the 1850’s. The peace ended in 1861, when Cochise was invited to meet with Lieutenant Bascom, who then captured Cochise and several of his warriors. Bascom accused the Chiricahuas of kidnapping a rancher’s son. Cochise denied the accusation and later escaped. Cochise then captured several white hostages and offered to exchange them for the captured Apaches. The Army refused. Cochise executed his hostages and the bloodbath began. All battles are told from the Apache point of view and are described in vivid detail. Cochise is seen as a shrewd tactician and a great leader.
As Tom Jeffords, then riding for the pony express, returns to Tucson, he rescues fifteen-year-old Terry Weaver, whose parents were just killed by a band of Indians. Jeffords takes her to Tucson and finds accommodations and a job for her at the local boarding house. Weaver falls in love with him, and many years later he returns her love.
For the West to be settled, the pony express needed to function peacefully. Jeffords, a former rider and friend of Cochise, visits Cochise, and the chief agrees to allow the pony express riders to travel unharmed. Many times the riders are passed by a wagon train under attack by the Indians but are left unmolested.
During Jeffords’ many visits to the Apache village, he learns the language and customs of the Indians and falls in love with Sonseeahray, a maiden. Jeffords marries her according to tradition. The marriage is valid only according to Apache law. Because of prejudice, she remains with the tribe, and their marriage is known only by the tribe and Jeffords’ friend, Silas St. John. Jeffords visits his wife as often as possible but is kept busy with his job as a pony express agent. His wife and unborn child are killed when the Army storms the area where the tribe is camped. Jeffords mourns their death for some time, going back to prospecting and to being alone. He later returns to Tucson and rekindles his friendship with Terry Weaver and ultimately falls in love with her.
In 1870, General Oliver O. Howard, a former Civil War general, meets Jeffords and persuades him to guide him to Cochise for peace talks. Jeffords, determining this Christian, Bible-reading man to be honorable, agrees to do so. Howard makes peace with Cochise, and the chief agrees to settle his tribe on a reservation near the Mexican border, with the stipulation that Jeffords be the Indian agent. Most of the Chiricahuas follow Cochise to the reservation—a few join other Apache bands. The peace is kept as long as the government keeps its promises. It is only when an attempt is made in 1876 to move the Chiricahua to San Carlos that problems develop.
By this time, virtually all Indians are at peace. Areas such as Tucson, where many make money because of the Indian problems, are set up by the peace. Howard returns to Tucson several years after the peace treaty is signed, only to learn that he is no longer a hero, and he is devastated. Businessmen with huge Army contracts also are outraged.
Cochise lives to about seventy years of age and dies from what appears to be acute alcoholism or cancer. His place of burial is known only to his tribe and to Jeffords. Cochise, Jeffords, and Howard do not live to see a county in Arizona named for the Indian chief, nor do they see a bronze statue of him proudly displayed in a prominent tourist area.
Context
Blood Brother is valuable as a historical record because it covers an individual, Cochise, who would otherwise be unlikely to receive adequate attention, since Western historians traditionally have not accepted oral history as a valid means of historical record. Records and documents regarding the life of Cochise are unreliable, if they exist at all. Therefore, most of this biography is based on legend and on the author’s conclusions.
Despite its dubious historical merit, Blood Brother does manage to paint a vivid portrait of the relationships between the Native Americans and the settlers and of the customs of the Native Americans. The battles and ceremonies are well documented as are the betrayals by the settlers. This work does not mask the fact that the Indians were overrun by the settlers. It is sympathetic toward the Native Americans and intent on making the reader aware that the Native Americans understood what was happening to their way of life and that they fought back in the traditional Native American fashion.
This work is appropriate for the young reader because it reveals the culture of the Native American in a way that is informative as well as exciting. It is because of this that Blood Brother has remained popular as a teaching tool for young adults about the Native American heritage.