Hey Mudhen, can you explain why THEY NEVER SURRENDERED is mostly fiction?? Just curious. Thanks.
The quick answer is that after reading it (along with the "autobiography" of Nino Chochise), I became very curious and did a lot of serious research, aided by the Arizona Historical Society and the kind efforts of some very serious historians. The events and dates don't hold up very well, and those that do sort of match cannot be verified.
I consulted a lot of original sources, contemporary accounts, diaries and some exhaustive newspaper research. You would be surprised at the number of periodicals that were publishing in those days and reporting any and all rumors along with the occasional first hand report. In addition, a lot of this has been revisited by other historians who have spent more time, energy and effort than I could afford to expend.
Both of the aforementioned books were written and published for the same reason that Charlie Siringo admitted to published his tales of trail driving and working as a detective for the Pinkerton Agency: "to make money". Charlie adhered quite a bit closer to the truth...