Apache Blood


The Cheyenne episode "Apache Blood" (8 February 1960) is an unusually historical television western episode.

You may have heard about "the Bascom Affair" in 1861 when Cochise's Chiricahua Apaches were inaccurately accused of kidnapping a white boy, Felix Telles/Ward, and the discussion got a little bit heated, ending up in the army taking hostages, Cochise taking hostages, an army surgeon doing deeds he was eventually awarded the Medal of Honor for, fighting between the army and the Chiricahuas, and killings of hostages, leading to years of war with the Chiricahuas.

The Bascom Affair is depicted with Hollywood's usual degree of historical accuracy in the movie The Battle at Apache Pass (1952) and the Death Valley Days episode "The Hero of Apache Pass" (24 December 1966) and is mentioned in the High Chaparral episode "The Best Man For the Job" (24 September 1967) and probably in other movies & TV episodes.

I first learned about the Bascom Affair when I was a child, and I wondered what happened to the boy who was kidnapped, Felix Telles/Ward. And about a decade time later I learned what happened to him.

Mickey Free in "Apache Blood" was that boy in real life. Although when I saw "Apache Blood" recently there didn't seem to be any mention of him being kidnapped by Apaches or Cochise's Chiricahua Apaches being blamed for it. Instead he tagged along after Chotah's Apache band after the death of his parents the Wards - I missed the part of the episode where death of the parent's was explained.

Felix Telles/Ward, AKA Mickey Free, was born in 1847/48 and died in 1916. Scott Marlowe was born June 24, 1932 and died in 2001, making him 27 years, 7 months, & 15 days old when "Apache Blood" aired 8 February 1960. If Mickey Free was the same age as Scott Marlowe, "Apache Blood" would happen about 1874-76, but it could happen earlier if Mickey Free is supposed to be younger.

Clum, the Indian Agent at San Carlos, was portrayed by Kenneth MacDonald (September 8, 1901-1972) making him 58 years and 5 months old in "Apache Blood". Since John Philip Clum was born September 1, 1851 & died in 1932), that would make "Apache Blood" happen about February 1, 1910!

In real history Clum was the Indian agent at San Carlos from 1874 to 1877. In the movie universe Walk the Proud Land (1956) correctly says that Clum became agent in 1874 but incorrectly implies that he remained there for the rest of his life. Other movies and TV shows correctly depict Clum as a leading citizen of Tombstone Arizona in the early 1880s.

And certainly the way that Chotah's Apache band is surrendering and going to the reservation strongly suggests that the date should be about 1872-73 in real life, or at the latest during Clum's term as agent in 1874-77.

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