TRACKING THE ‘WHITE APACHE’
On April 15, 1877, Apache raiders struck Thomas Hughes’ Casa Blanca ranch in the Sonoita Valley of southeastern Arizona Territory, stealing seven horses and a mule belonging to Hughes and Francisco Martínez, his partner and brother-in-law. It was not the first such attack. The Hughes ranch was a favorite target of renegade Chiricahua Apaches holed up in the rugged mountains along the border between Arizona Territory and Sonora, Mexico.
Hughes, Martínez and ranch hands Jesús Robles, Martin Sánchez and Manuel Soto saddled up and went in pursuit, hoping to recover the livestock. A few miles south, while rounding a bend, they came under fire from some three dozen Apaches concealed in the roadside rocks. Sánchez, Robles and their horses were killed, while Hughes and Martínez managed to gallop off. Soto was unhorsed but found cover.
Over the next four days the Apaches attacked neighboring ranches, either stealing, running off or killing livestock. Two unarmed men—Addison P. Hardin and William Devers—were ambushed while working a field at Hardin’s ranch. Devers was shot in the shoulder and left leg, but both men reached the safety of the ranch house. On April 19 the Apaches returned to Hughes’ ranch, stole several more horses and slaughtered some cattle before disappearing to the east. Two 6th U.S. Cavalry detachments out of Camp Huachuca—40 troopers under Captain William A. Rafferty and a dozen under 2nd Lt. Louis A. Craig—had no luck tracking them. According to Lieutenant Craig, who questioned rancher Hughes:
While hiding from the Indians Soto counted thirty six (36) Indians, a few being mounted. He also saw a white man who seemed to direct the movements of the party and to command it. Hughes also saw this man and says he believes him to be
