Tonto Apache War

George Crook, C. 1870s

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Commencing the Tonto Apache War

The peace policy failed. It didn’t stop the fighting between American settlers and the Yavapai and Tonto Apache’s The U.S. Army under General George Crook initiated the Tonto War in November 1872. He chose mule pack trains over heavy wagon trains to move the army's baggage. These mules could travel fast on the tough trails in Tonto country. He recruited and hired Apache scouts to fight on his side. The army didn’t want to form Native allies. But Crook saw a chance to use old rivalries among the Apache bands. Crook's troops received help from native scouts. These scouts came from the White Mountain Apaches, Pima, Maricopa, and Yavapai. The troops pushed north into Tonto Basin. Their goal was the rancheria of Delshay, a key chief of the Tonto Apaches.

The Skeleton Cave Massacre
became known as a significant battle of the Tonto War. A commander took the troops to a rock shelter. It was on the north wall of the Salt River Canyon, above what is now Apache Lake. As many as a hundred Natives had fortified themselves in what became their deathtrap. Unwilling to surrender, they fell to ricocheting bullets from above and below. The final death count ranged from 50 to 75. This included warriors, women, children, and the elderly. An estimated 20 Natives survived. At the time, the army identified this as an attack on Tonto Apache’s. Fort McDowell Yavapai believe that the fallen were their people. The settlers left the Native dead unburied, which led to the name "Skeleton Cave." In the 1920s, they took the victims' remains. They buried them at Fort McDowell Reservation. In 1985, someone placed a memorial stone at the grave. "In memory of the brave Yavapai men, women, and children killed by the U.S. Army at Skeleton Cave in December 1872."

 

Captain John G. Bourke

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John Bourke and his glimpse of the Cliff Dwellings

In the winter of 1872, Captain John G. Bourke of the U.S. Army served under General George Crook. He showed a strong interest in the lives and cultures of the native people in the Tonto Basin. The group went on an expedition with Apache scouts. They went to the Superstition Mountains. These mountains are south of Sierra Ancha and close to Raccoon Creek. When they arrived, they saw a farm field. Old irrigation ditches surrounded it with great care. This plot had a good supply of baked mescal. It also grew other native crops like grass, sunflowers, and mesquite beans. Such findings indicated the sophisticated agricultural practices employed by the native inhabitants.

Next to this field was a prehistoric ruin. It had walls about three feet high, made of rubble stone. On the southern side of the Salt River, the group found a well-preserved cliff dwelling. They tucked it away in the Pinto Creek canyon. Captain Bourke talked about his digs at these sites. He found many artifacts. These sandals used "Palmilla" fiber. They also included dried mescal, corn husks, and preserved foods. They also found small pieces of fabric. There were stone axes, hammerstones, and arrows too. Archaeologists also recovered other debris from ancient settlements. These discoveries revealed key facts about the indigenous peoples of the Tonto Basin. They showed their skills and culture. Captain Bourke's work helped us learn about native communities. This was a time of big changes in the American Southwest.

 

The Outcome of the Tonto Apache War

The Last to Surrender

The campaign against the Yavapai and Apaches continued into the spring of 1873. The army used General Crook's careful plan. They took the fight into the mountains, relied on native scouts, and destroyed one rancheria at a time. One of the last surrenders was on April 6, when Cha-lipun, an Apache-Mohave/Yavapai Chief, came in. Chief Delshay surrendered on April 25, telling Crook that he was down to only 20 warriors.

Forced Relocation

After the war, officials moved about 1,500 Yavapai and Tonto Apaches to the Rio Verde reservation. This area stretches northwest from Fort Verde. Many Tonto Apaches were also sent to the San Carlos Reservation on the Gila River. Neither place was welcoming. The first years were tough for everyone at both reservations. There was not enough food, and people were not permitted to leave the reservations to hunt or gather. They suffered from malaria, smallpox, and other diseases. By the summer of 1873, many people had lost their lives. Chiefs like Delshay led breakouts. So, Cook launched a second war against the Tonto Apaches.

Concentration Policy

By 1874 conditions had improved on the Rio Verde. The army helped the Apaches. They built an irrigation system. Then, they began farming. Their best customers for hay and other farm products were the army itself at nearby Fort Verde. This improved situation was unacceptable to the so-called "Tucson Ring," businessmen who profited by contracting to supply the army. Local white settlers had their eyes on the Rio Verde Reservation as potential land for development. Business and bureaucratic interests prevailed and a "concentration policy" was implemented: all Apaches were to be concentrated on one reservation, the San Carlos on the Gila River.

The Exodus

In 1875, the Yavapai and Tonto Apache people endured a forced journey that became known among them as the Exodus. Instead of being allowed to travel on the longer but easier Crook Trail Wagon Road, they were directed onto a more direct route that cut through the rugged Tonto Basin. Although shorter, the trail was extremely difficult, stretching about 150 miles over harsh terrain.

The trek lasted roughly two weeks and took place during February and March, when winter conditions still affected the region. One of the most challenging moments was crossing the Salt River, likely near what is now the area of Tonto National Monument. Accounts describe the water as both high and cold, making the crossing dangerous for people already exhausted from travel.

About 1,450 Yavapai and Apache began the march. At least 100 people died along the way, showing the severe human cost of the route and the conditions. Today, the Yavapai Apache Nation commemorates Exodus Day each February to remember those who suffered and to honor the endurance of their communities.

Life in San Carlos

John Clum, a government agent, arrived at the San Carlos Reservation in 1874. He focused on infrastructure and food distribution. He also started native self-government. However, this fair treatment did not last. Policy disagreements led Clum to resign in 1877. The reservation returned to its usual state of misery and corruption.

The Chihuahua bands were also forced onto the San Carlos. They were unhappy and often escaped. This led to another decade of Apache warfare in the southwest. Geronimo led these fights.

Reservation life worsened when the federal government completed the Coolidge Dam in 1928. This project displaced San Carlos residents. They lost farmland along the Gila River. This was the third time the Yavapai and Tonto Apaches had their land taken away by government policy.

New Reservations on Ancestral Lands

The concentration policy was dismantled over the century following its start. The Fort McDowell Reservation was created under Executive Order in 1903. It remains home to the Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation. In 1934, Congress acknowledged the Yavapai Apache Nation. A new reservation was made in the Verde Valley. This reservation was smaller and less fertile than the original Rio Verde. Many Tonto Apaches belong to the Yavapai Apache Nation. This tribe acknowledges it comprises two distinct groups. Other Tonto Apaches began returning in small numbers around the turn of the last century. They returned to National Forest land near Payson. In 1972, 97 years after the Exodus, the Tonto Apache Reservation was established. It is only 85 acres. This makes it the smallest reservation in Arizona. It is located on Tonto National Forest land near Payson. There are 110 enrolled members.