Tso-ay, also known as Panayotishn or Pe-nel-tishn, today widely known by his nickname as "Peaches", (c. 1853 – December 16, 1933) was a

Chiricahua Chiricahua ( ) is a band of Apache Native Americans. Based in the Southern Plains and Southwestern United States, the Chiricahua historically shared a common area, language, customs, and intertwined family relations with their fellow Apaches. ...

Western Apache The Western Apache are an Indigenous people of North America, and a subgroup of the greater Apache identity, who live primarily in east central Arizona, in the United States and north of Mexico in the states of Sonora and Chihuahua. Most live ...

warrior, who also served as a

scout Scout may refer to: Youth movement *Scout (Scouting), a child, usually 10–18 years of age, participating in the worldwide Scouting movement ** Scouts (The Scout Association), section for 10-14 year olds in the United Kingdom ** Scouts BSA, sect ...

for General

George Crook George R. Crook (September 8, 1828 – March 21, 1890) was a career United States Army officer who served in the American Civil War and the Indian Wars. He is best known for commanding U.S. forces in the Geronimo Campaign, 1886 campaign that ...

during the

Apache Wars The Apache Wars were a series of armed conflicts between the United States Army and various Apache tribal confederations fought in the Southwestern United States, southwest between 1849 and 1886, though minor hostilities continued until as l ...

. Tso-ay was wounded while fighting alongside

Geronimo Gerónimo (, ; June 16, 1829 – February 17, 1909) was a military leader and medicine man from the Bedonkohe band of the Ndendahe Apache people. From 1850 to 1886, Geronimo joined with members of three other Central Apache bands the Tchihen ...

and Chihuahua against Mexican troops, who had ambushed them after the Apache had crossed the border while being pursued by American troops.

Early life

Before serving as a scout for the army, Tso-ay rode with Chatto in a raid. The raid consisted of twenty six men and they traveled 400 miles. They covered between seventy five and one hundred miles a day and killed twenty six settlers. During the raid, Tso-ay, deciding he had had enough of raiding, left the war party to return to the

San Carlos Apache Indian Reservation The San Carlos Apache Indian Reservation (Western Apache: Tsékʼáádn), in southeastern Arizona, United States, was established in 1872 as a reservation for the Chiricahua Apache tribe as well as surrounding Yavapai and Apache bands removed fro ...

. Following this Tso-ay was captured by Lieutenant Britton Davis who was accompanied by thirty scouts and some

Tonto Apache The Tonto Apache Tribe of Arizona or Tonto Apache () is a federally recognized tribe of Western Apache people located in northwestern Gila County, Arizona. The term "Tonto" is also used for their dialect, one of the three dialects of the Weste ...

. Davis sent a telegram to Crook notifying him of the capture of Tso-ay, and Crook requested that Davis enlist Tso-ay as a scout, if Tso-ay was willing. Tso-ay joined and was sent to meet with Crook at Willcox, where he was given the nickname "Peaches", because of his fair complexion and the smoothness of his skin. Tso-ay led Crook and his men into the upper Rio Bavispe and brought them to the camps of Chato and Benito. Tso-Ay was one of Crook's primary scouts and played a major role in leading the army into several of the strongholds the Apache had in Mexico. Although Tso-ay had served loyally he was exiled with Geronimo to Florida following the Apache wars. He retired in Cibecue and shortly before his death in 1933 he converted to Christianity.

Legacy

Tso-Ay has been mentioned in ''Valdez is Coming'', a western novel by

Elmore Leonard Elmore John Leonard Jr. (October 11, 1925August 20, 2013) was an American novelist, short story author and screenwriter. He was, according to British journalist Anthony Lane, "hailed as one of the best crime writers in the land". His earliest no ...

References

Bibliography

* * * * * * * * * {{refend Chiricahua people United States Army Indian Scouts 1933 deaths