Beyond the Horizons – Week 3

This week we are waging war with the Apache, and witnessing the rise in hostilities. Soldiers who were trying to make names for themselves, and Indians who just wanted to be left alone on their own land, begin to retaliate against the white man coming in. The Indian Chief Cochise has succeeded in several successful raids against settlers in the area, but his nephew, Chactoke has determined through dreams to take things to the next level. After spending four days alone in the wilderness, he returns to his tribe a different man. He had decided to make his new religion, his new power known, and although it causes a break with his tribe, he is not deterred. Taking the 50 warriors and their families with him when he is banished from Cochise’s tribe, he embarks on a ruthless mission to drive the settlers off Indian land. He does not care whether they are women, children, soldiers or men. Each are just as guilty as the rest of them in his mind. The Snake Dancers are truly warriors to be feared.

With his blood lust in full swing, his small band encounters little resistance at first, but there are some men that are harder to kill than others.

This week we are reading chapters 18-25

Questions:

1. Chactoke has a vision in which a snake-like figure appears to him, and demands that he follow what is told to him. What do you make of these dreams? Are they what the person wants, or do you believe that they truly believed they were being shown a new way?

2. Women and children are sadly victims in this war between soldiers and Apache. How could this have been changed and avoided?

3. The Army seems to be struggling to find a way to keep the raiding parties down. With the Civil War in full swing, soldiers are stationed all over the country. Do you think that the Indian raids would have been stopped faster if there had not been another war raging through the states?