This documentary imbalance shapes what is possible to know and what questions can be answered.

The military history of the Apache Wars — the specific engagements, the specific tactics, the outcomes of specific campaigns — is relatively well-documented from the Army side.

The specific decisions made by Apache leaders, the discussions within bands about whether to fight or negotiate, the experiences of specific individuals during specific events — these are accessible only through the oral tradition that Eve Ball and other historians worked to preserve.

The consequences of this gap are visible in how the Apache Wars have been understood and taught.