Geronimo Essay, Research Paper

Geronimo

Geronimo’s grandfather, Maco, had been the chief of the Nedni Apaches.

He had been of great size and strength. When Maco had been chief his principle

wars had been against the Mexicans. They were seldom at great length of peace

with the Mexicans. When Maco’s son (Geronimo’s Dad) became a warrior, Maco died.

Geronimo’s father could not become the chief of the Nedni’s, because he married

a woman from the Bedonkohe Apaches. The two had 8 children- four boys and four

girls, including Geronimo. The possibility that one of the boys would become

chief of he Bedonkohe was very slim. His mother taught him the legends of his

people; taught him the sun and sky, the moon and stars, the clouds and storms.

She also taught him to kneel and pray to Usen fir strength, health, wisdom, and

protection. When the children were young they would play with each other and

sometimes with their mother and father. When they were grown up enough to do

real services they went to the field with their parents: not to play, but to

toil. They did not cultivate tobacco, but they found it in the wild. All of

Geronimo’s tribe smoked, both men and woman. No boy was allowed to smoke until

he could hunt alone and kill large game such as; wolves, bear, deer, etc.

Geronimo’s father died when Geronimo was at a young age. They wrapped his

father in his finest clothes, painted his face, wrapped a rich blanket around

him, saddled his favorite horse, bore his arms in front of him, and led his

horse behind, repeating in wailing tones his deeds of valor as they carried his

body to a cave in the mountain. They then slew his horses and gave way all his

property, as was customary in our tribe, after which his body was deposited in

the cave, his arms beside him. Geronimo’s mother never married again, which

was not a custom to the Bedonkohe Apache. In 1846, when Geronimo was 17 years

of age, he was admitted to the council of warriors. If a war had started

between tribes he could go on the warpath with his tribe. Geronimo had long

desired to fight with his warriors. What he was the happiest about was that he

could marry Alope, the daughter of No-po-so. The two had been with each other

along time before. So when he got the news that he was in the council of

warriors, Geronimo went straight to No-po-so concerning their marriage. No-po-

so asked for many ponies in exchange for Alope. Geronimo made no reply, but in

a few days Geronimo appeared at No-po-so’s wig-wam with the herd of ponies, and

took Alope with him. That was all the marriage ceremony needed in his tribe.

Geronimo built a teepee, not far from his mother’s, made of buffalo hides.

They followed the traditions and had three children. When Geronimo was

29,(1858) him and almost all the other warriors left to go trade with a Mexican

town, Kas-ki-yeh. When the warriors were heading back a few women and children

met and told the warriors killed the warriors that were guarding there camp,

destroyed their supplies, captured all of their ponies, and killed many of the

woman and children. They quickly separated, concealed themselves as best they

could until nightfall, they then assembled at their appointed place of

rendezvous- a thicket by the river. Silently they went in one by one: sentinels

were placed, and, when all were counted he found his old mother, young spouse,

and three children slain. Without being noticed, he silently turned and stood

by the river. When the warriors were arranging he took his place. With only 80

warriors left, without arms or supplies, and in the center of Mexican territory,

the chief, Magnus-Colarado gave the order to start at once to their homes in

Arizona. For 2 days and 3 nights they stopped only for meals. They then made a

camp near the Mexican border, where they rested for two days. Geronimo talked

to other warriors who had lost something in the massacre, but none had lost as

he had , for he had lost all. When they arrived in Arizona he burnt everything

Alope had made, the children’s toys, and the teepee.

The warriors of his tribe were all willing to wage war against the

Mexicans. Geronimo was appointed to solicit the aid of other tribes in the war.

When he went to the Cohkonen (Chiricahua) Apaches, Cochise, their chief, called

a council at early dawn. While the warriors sat on top a mountain dell, Cochise

signaled Geronimo he rose and said as follows:

“Kinsman, you have heard what the Mexicans have recently done without

cause. You are my relatives-uncles, cousins, brothers. We are men the same as

the Mexicans are-we can do to them what they have done to us. Let us go forward

and trail them-I will lead you to their city-we attack their homes. I will

fight in the front of the battle-I only ask you to follow me to avenge this

wrong done by these Mexicans-will you come? It is well-you will all come.

“Remember the rule in war-men may return or they may be killed. If any

of these young men are killed I want no blame from the kinsman, for they

themselves have chosen to go. If I am killed no one need mourn for me. My

people have been killed in that country, and I, too, will die if need be.”

Geronimo returned to his settlement and reported the success to his

chief. He then went south and made the same speech to the Nedni Apaches.

It was the summer of 1859, almost a year from the date of the massacre

at Kaskiyeh. The three Apache tribes lined up along the Mexican border with

their faces painted, the war bands fastened on their brows, their long scalp

locks (The scalps were rewarded if a Mexican got one. 100$ for a warrior scalp,

50$ for a squaw scalp, and 25$ for a child’s scalp, all the money was paid in

gold) ready for the knives the Indians would have to fight. They were separated

into three divisions: the Bedonkohe Apaches, Chokonen Apaches, and the Nedni

Apaches. Each warrior had 3 days rations, they usually marched for 14 hours

per day, making 3 stops for meals, averaging 40-45 miles a day. Geronimo acted

as a guide into Mexico. When they were almost at Arispe, they camped. 8 men

rode in from the city, the Indians captured, killed, and scalped them, to draw

troops from the city. At about ten o’clock the next morning, as they had

expected, the whole Mexican force came out. There were two companies of cavalry

and two of infantry. He recognized the cavalry that killed the people at

Kaskiyeh, he told the chieftains and they let him lead the army. He arranged

the army in a hollow circle, the Mexican army closed in up until the Apaches and

the Mexicans were 400 yards apart when the enemy opened fire. Geronimo ordered

the army to charge, but sent some braves to attack from the rear. Geronimo

fought with fury, the battle lasted about 2 hours. At the end of the battle

their was only four Indians left including Geronimo. Their arrows were all gone,

their spears were broken, stuck inside their dead enemies. They had only there

hands and knives with left to fight, but all that stood against them were dead.

Then two armed soldiers came upon them from another part of the field. They

shot down two of the Indians, and Geronimo and another Indian charged toward the

enemies. His companion was struck down by a saber. Geronimo picked up a spear

he found and turned. The one who pursued him missed his aim, and died by

Geronimo’s spear. With the dead man’s saber he met the Mexican who had killed

his companion, they grappled and fell. Geronimo killed him with his knife and

quickly rose over the corpse. The Apache braves surrounded Geronimo, and they

made him the war chief of all Apaches. Geronimo all of the slain enemies be

scalped, the Apaches avenged the massacre of Kas-ki-yeh.

At about 1873, they were attacked by Mexican troops once again in their

own settlement, but the Apache defeated them.

Geronimo and the Mexicans fought for years, bought once they were

settled down, the white man bickered the Apaches. Geronimo got the right to

write his book by the President in the early 1900’s. He lived in peace until he

died in February 1909.