5 - The Mexicans - Part 3 & The White Men - Part 1 - Geronimo’s Story of His Life

View our full collection of podcasts at our website: https://www.solgoodmedia.com or YouTube channel: www.solgood.org/subscribe

Episode Transcript

(00:00):
Section five, Part three of theMexicans and part one of the White Men
the Mexicans, Part three, Chaptereleven, Heavy Fighting. About eighteen seventy
three, we were again attacked byMexican troops in our settlement, but we
defeated them. Then we decided tomake raids into Mexico. We moved our

(00:24):
whole camp, packing all our belongingson mules and horses, went into Mexico
and made camp in the mountains Narnakorie. In moving our camp in this way,
we wanted no one to spy onus, and if we passed a
Mexican's home, we usually killed theinmates. However, if they offered to

(00:44):
surrender and made no resistance or troublein any way, we would take them
prisoners. Frequently we would change ourplace of rendezvous. Then we would take
with us our prisoners if they werewilling to go, but if they were
unruly, they might be killed.I remember one Mexican in the Siaerta Madre
mountains who saw us moving and delayedus for some time. We took the

(01:07):
trouble to get him, thinking theplunder of his house would pay us for
the delay. But after we hadkilled him. We found nothing in his
house worth having. We ranged inthese mountains for over a year, raiding
the Mexican settlements for our supplies,but not having any general engagement with Mexican
troops. Then we returned to ourhomes in Arizona. After remaining in Arizona

(01:30):
about a year, we returned toMexico and went into hiding in the Siata
Madre Mountains. Our camp was nearNacori, and we had just organized bands
of warriors for raiding the country whenour scouts discovered Mexican troops coming toward our
camp to attack us. Battle ofWhite Hill. The chief of the net

(01:52):
nay Apache's ho was with me andcommanded one division. The warriors were all
marched toward the troops and met themat a place about five miles from our
camp. We showed ourselves to thesoldiers and they quickly rode to the top
of a hill and dismounted, placingtheir horses on the outside for breastworks.

(02:13):
It was a round hill, verysteep and rocky, and there was no
timber on its sides. There weretwo companies of Mexican cavalry and we had
about sixty warriors. We crept upthe hill behind the rocks, and they
kept up a constant fire. ButI had cautioned our warriors not to expose

(02:34):
themselves to the Mexicans. I knewthat the troopers would waste their ammunition soon
we had killed all their horses,but the soldiers would lie behind these and
shoot at us. While we hadkilled several Mexicans, we had not yet
lost a man. However, itwas impossible to get very close to them
in this way, and I deemedit best to lead a charge against them.

(02:59):
We had been fighting ever since aboutone o'clock, and about the middle
of the afternoon, seeing that wewere making no further progress, I gave
the sign for the advance. Thewar whoop sounded, and we leaped forward
from every stone over the Mexicans,dead horses, fighting hand to hand.
The attack was so sudden that theMexicans, running first this way and then

(03:23):
that, became so confused that ina few minutes we had killed them all.
Then we scalped the slain, carriedaway our dead, and secured all
the arms we needed. That night, we moved our camp eastward through the
Sierra Madre Mountains into Chihuahua. Notroops molested us here, and after about

(03:44):
a year we returned to Arizona.Almost every year we would live a part
of the time in Old Mexico.There were at this time many settlements in
Arizona. Game was not plentiful,and besides, we liked to go down
into Old Mexican. Besides the landsof the net Nai Apaches, our friends
and kinsmen extended far into Mexico.Their chief Whole was as a brother to

(04:10):
me, and we spent much ofour time in his territory. About eighteen
eighty we were in camp in themountains south of Casa Grande when a company
of Mexican troops attacked us. Therewere twenty four Mexican soldiers and about forty
Indians. The Mexicans surprised us incamp and fired on us, killing two

(04:30):
Indians the first valley. I donot know how they were able to find
our camp unless they had excellent scoutsand our guards were careless. But there
they were, shooting at us.Before we knew they were nearer. We
were in the timber and I gavethe order to go forward and fight at
close range. We kept behind rocksand trees until we came within ten yards

(04:53):
of their line. Then we stoodup and both sides shot until all the
Mexicans were killed. We lost twelvewarriors in this battle. This place was
called by the Indian Scolata. Whenwe had buried our dead and secured what
supplies the Mexicans had, we wentnortheast at a place near Nakari. Mexican

(05:14):
troops attacked us. At this place, called by the Indians Nacode, there
were about eighty warriors Badonkaje and atnay Apaches there were three companies of Mexican
troops. They attacked us in anopen field and we scattered, firing as
we ran. They followed us,but we dispersed and soon were free from

(05:34):
their pursuit. Then we reassembled inthe Siatta Madre mountains. Here a council
was held, and as Mexican troopswere coming from many quarters, we disbanded.
In about four months, we reassembledat Casa Grande to make a treaty
of peace. The chiefs of thetown of Casa Grande and all of the

(05:55):
men of Casa Grande made a treatywith us. We shook hands and promised
to be brothers. Then we beganto trade, and the Mexicans gave us
mescal Soon nearly all the Indians weredrunk. While they were drunk, two
companies of Mexican troops from another townattacked us, killed twenty Indians and captured

(06:17):
many more. We fled in alldirections, Chapter twelve, Geronimo's Mightiest Battle.
After the treachery and massacre of CasaGrande, we did not reassemble for
a long while, and when wedid we returned to Arizona. We remained
in Arizona for some time, livingin San Carlos Reservation at a place now

(06:43):
called Geronimo. In eighteen eighty threewe went into Mexico again. We remained
in the mountain ranges of Mexico forabout fourteen months, and during this time
we had many skirmishes with Mexican troops. In eighteen eighty four, we returned
to Arizona to get other apaches tocome with us into Mexico. The Mexicans
were gathering troops in the mountains wherewe had been ranging, and their numbers

(07:08):
were so much greater than ours thatwe could not hope to fight them successfully.
And we were tired of being chasedabout from place to place in Arizona,
we had troubled with the United Statessoldiers explained in next chapter, and
returned to Mexico. We had lostabout fifteen warriors in Arizona and had gained

(07:30):
no recruits. With our reduced number, we camped in the mountains north of
Arispey. Mexican troops were seen byour scouts in several directions. The United
States troops were coming down from thenorth. We were well armed with guns
and supplied with ammunition, but wedid not care to be surrounded by the
troops of two governments, so westarted to move our camp southward. One

(07:56):
night, we made camp some distancefrom the mountains by a stream. There
was not much water in the stream, but a deep channel was worn through
the prairie, and small trees werebeginning to grow here and there along the
bank of this stream. In thosedays, we never camped without placing scouts,
for we knew that we were liableto be attacked at any time.

(08:18):
The next morning, just at daybreak, our scouts came in, aroused the
camp and notified us that Mexican troopswere approaching. Within five minutes, the
Mexicans began firing on us. Wetook to the ditches made by the stream,
and had the women and children busydigging these deeper. I gave strict

(08:39):
orders to waste no ammunition and keepunder cover. We killed many Mexicans that
day, and in turn lost heavily. For The fight lasted all day.
Frequently troops would charge at one point, be repulsed, then rally and charge
at another point. About noon,we began to hear them speaking my name

(09:01):
with curses. In the afternoon,the General came on the field, and
the fighting became more furious. Igave orders to my warriors to try to
kill all the Mexican officers. Aboutthree o'clock, the General called all the
officers together at the right side ofthe field. The place where they assembled

(09:22):
was not very far from the mainstream, and a little ditch ran out
close to where the officers stood.Cautiously, I crawled out this ditch,
very close to where the council wasbeing held. The general was an old
warrior. The wind was blowing inmy direction so that I could hear all
he said, and I understood mostof it. This is about what he

(09:46):
told them officers. Yonder in thoseditches is the red devil Geronimo and his
hated band. This must be hislast day. Right on him from both
sides of the ditches. Kill men, women and children. Take no prisoners.
Dead Indians are what we want.Do not spare your own men.

(10:07):
Exterminate this band at any cost.I will post the wounded to shoot all
deserters. Go back to your companiesand advance. Just as the command to
go forward was given, I tookdeliberate aim at the general, and he
fell in an instant. The groundaround me was riddled with bullets, but

(10:28):
I was untouched. The apaches hadseen from all along the ditches arose the
fierce war cry of my people.The columns wavered an instant, and then
swept on. They did not retreatuntil our fire had destroyed the front ranks.
After this, their fighting was notso fierce. Yet they continued to

(10:50):
rally and readvance until dark. Theyalso continued to speak my name with threats
and curses. That night, beforethe fire had ceased, a dozen Indians
had crawled out of the ditches andset fire to the long prairie grass behind
the Mexican troops. During the confusionthat followed, we escaped to the mountains.

(11:13):
This was the last battle that Iever fought with Mexicans. United States
troops were trailing us continually from thistime until the treaty was made with General
Miles in Skeleton Canyon. During mymany wars with the Mexicans, I received
eight wounds as follows. Shot inthe right leg above the knee and still

(11:35):
carry the bullet. Shot through theleft forearm, wounded in the right leg
below the knee with a saber,wounded on top of the head with the
butt of a musket, shot justbelow the outer corner of the left eye,
shot in the left side, shotin the back. I have killed
many Mexicans. I do not knowhow many, For frequently I did not

(11:58):
count them. Some of them werenot worth counting. It has been a
long time since then, but stillI have no love for the Mexicans with
me. They were always treacherous andmalicious. I am old now and shall
never go on the war path again. But if I were young and followed

(12:18):
the war path, it would leadinto Old Mexico. Part three The White
Men, Chapter thirteen, Coming ofthe White Men. About the time of
the massacre of Kaskiya eighteen fifty eight, we heard that some white men were

(12:39):
measuring land to the south of us. In company with a number of other
warriors, I went to visit them. We could not understand them very well,
for we had no interpreter, butwe made a treaty with them by
shaking hands and promising to be brothers. Then we made our camp near their
camp, and they came to withus. We gave them buckskin, blankets,

(13:03):
and ponies in exchange for shirts andprovisions. We also bought them game,
for which they gave us some money. We did not know the value
of this money, but we keptit and later learned from the Navajo Indians
that it was very valuable. Everyday they measured land with curious instruments and
put down marks which we could notunderstand. They were good men, and

(13:26):
we were sorry when they had goneon into the west. They were not
soldiers. These were the first whitemen I ever saw. About ten years
later some more white men came.These were all warriors. They made their
camp on the Hila River south ofHot Springs. At first they were friendly

(13:46):
and we did not dislike them,but they were not as good as those
who came first. After about ayear, some trouble arose between them and
the Indians, and I took thewar path as a warrior, not as
a chief. I had not beenwronged, but some of my people had
been, and I fought with mytribe for the soldiers and not the Indians,

(14:09):
were at fault. Not long afterthis, some of the officers of
the United States troops invited our leadersto hold a conference at Apache Pass Fort
Boie. Just before noon. TheIndians were shown into a tent and told
that they would be given something toeat. When in the tent they were

(14:31):
attacked by soldiers. Our chief MangusColorado and several other warriors, by cutting
through the tent, escaped, butmost of the warriors were killed or captured.
Among the Badankaje apaches killed at thistime were Sanza Quade, Tache,
Nikokahe, and Gopi. After thistreachery, the Indians went back to the

(14:52):
mountains and left the fort entirely alone. I do not think that the agent
had anything to do with planning this, for he had always treated us well.
I believe it was entirely planned bythe soldiers From the very first.
The soldiers sent out to our westerncountry, and the officers in charge of

(15:13):
them did not hesitate to wrong theIndians. They never explained to the government
when an Indian was wronged, butalways reported the misdeeds of the Indians.
Much that was done by mean whitemen was reported at Washington as the deeds
of my people. The Indians alwaystried to live peaceably with the white soldiers

(15:35):
and settlers. One day, duringthe time that the soldiers were stationed at
Apache Pass, I made a treatywith the post. This was done by
shaking hands and promising to be brothers. Cochise and Mangus Colorado did likewise.
I do not know the name ofthe officer in command, but this was
the first regiment that ever came toApache Pass. This treaty was made about

(15:58):
a year before we were attacked ina tent as above related. In a
few days after the attack at ApachePass, we organized in the mountains and
returned to fight the soldiers. Therewere two tribes, the Badankage and the
chikonan Apaches, both commanded by Cochise. After a few days skirmishing, we

(16:21):
attacked a freight train that was comingin with supplies for the fort. We
killed some of the men and capturedthe others. These prisoners our chief offered
to trade for the Indians whom thesoldiers had captured at the massacre in the
tent. This the officers refused,so we killed our prisoners, disbanded,

(16:41):
and went into hiding in the mountains. Of those who took part in this
affair, I am the only onenow living. In a few days,
troops were sent out to search forus, but as we were disbanded,
it was, of course impossible forthem to locate any hostile camp. During
the time they were searching for us, many of our warriors, who were

(17:03):
thought by the soldiers to be peaceableIndians, talked to the officers and men,
advising them where they might find thecamp they sought, And while they
searched, we watched them from ourhiding places and laughed at their failures.
After this trouble, all of theIndians agreed not to be friendly with the

(17:23):
white men anymore. There was nogeneral engagement, but a long struggle followed.
Sometimes we attacked the white men,sometimes they attacked us. First a
few Indians would be killed, andthen a few soldiers. I think the
killing was about equal on each side. The number killed in these troubles did

(17:45):
not amount to much, but thistreachery on the part of the soldiers had
angered the Indians and revived memories ofother wrongs, so that we never again
trusted the United States troops and ofpart one of the white men