The Significance of Tres Castillos

The battle of Tres Castillos on October 15, 1880, is one of the pivotal events in the history of the Apache resistance, and its relationship to Lozen’s story is central enough to deserve extended treatment.

Tres Castillos (“Three Castles”) refers to a group of rocky outcrops in the Chihuahuan Desert of northern Mexico, not far from the current location of Ciudad Juárez.

Victorio’s band had been operating in this region after extensive pursuit by both United States and Mexican forces had driven them south across the border.