A HERO'S JOURNEY FROM WAR TO PEACE

THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT'S BETRAYAL OF ARMY SCOUT CHATO IS STILL A STAIN ON AMERICAN HISTORY.

- W. MICHAEL FARMER

In 1934 Chato, well into his 80s, a shiny silver medal pinned to his vest, enjoyed good White Eye whiskey with his friends parked in a dilapidated old car up a Mescalero canyon out of sight of the main road. Finishing the whiskey, they let the car roll chugging and grinding out of the canyon and down main road ruts running by a creek. Despite being drunk, it was easy enough to steer the car along in the ruts until it suddenly swerved off the road, rushed down the creek bank, and landed in cold, rushing water. A passerby helped get Chato out of the car and to a doctor's care.

Pneumonia soon took him. The wind carried rumors of retribution across the Mescalero Reservation saying, "Yep, they finally got him." There was no proof, only the knowledge that the old Apaches had very long memories and never let perceived wrongs go unavenged even if they had to wait years. The rumors soon died like the wind to light breezes of occasional whispers.

Chato outlived most of his friends and enemies, but the memories that seemed to make him a pariah at Mescalero were from his days as an Army scout and his bitter antagonism with Geronimo, once friend and ally. Their antagonism reflected the Chiricahua war and peace tribal factions that existed after the breakout of 25 percent of the Chiricahuas from Fort Apache on May 17, 1885.