Avenging Victorio

A rag-tag group of Apache warriors, led by an elderly man in his late seventies, took on the U.S. Army’s Ninth Cavalry in revenge for the death of the great Apache war chief Victorio. Using guerilla warfare, they led raids through New Mexico, slaughtering men, women, and children and evading the Cavalry and the Buffalo Soldiers. In the end, they won!

Interesting historical characters abound. Billy the Kid was killing people in the southern part of the territory. The New Mexico Territory was governed by Lew Wallace (author of Ben-Hur and territorial governor). Colonel Edward T. Hatch (the chile town of Hatch is named for him) was in charge of the U.S. Army’s Ninth Cavalry. And the great Apache war chief Victorio had been killed by the Mexican Army. After Victorio (a supposed treasure trove is named after him) was killed, the elder war chief Nana led the Apache to victory.

David DeWitt makes the transition from cookbook author to novelist with ease in Avenging Victorio. He demonstrates considerable flair for characterization and for action as he convincingly presents both sides of the conflict between white settlers and Apache natives in this well researched and fascinating historical novel.

New Mexican chile impresario David DeWitt’s new novel tells the story of the Apache Nana and his clan avenging Victorio’s defeat at the hands of General Edward Hatch, for whom the chile capital is named, in the southern mountains of New Mexico. It also tells the tale of the hidden Bridal Chamber cache of gold, silver and precious stones that still lures treasure seekers to Victorio’s Peak. A tasty historical novel of the territory in the 1880s.