GERONIMO IN MEXICO “The Apaches’ most successful raid into Mexico: 1863.”

Most of us know of the Apache leader Geronimo but most of what most of us know we learned at the movies.  Leader of the Chiricahua Apaches, Geronimo led the fight against the expansion into Apache tribal lands by the United States during the Apache Wars.  But you knew that much from the movies.  The greatest wrongs that were visited upon the Apaches were from the United States government.  But it all started in Mexico…and we continue with the story.

In the summer of 1863, Geronimo selected three warriors and went on a raid into Mexico. The war party went south into Sonora, camping in the Sierra de Sahuaripa Mountains. About forty miles west of Casa Grande is a small village in the mountains, called by the Indians “Crassanas.” Geronimo camped near this place and planned an attack. The Apaches had noticed that just at midday, when the sun was high, no one in the Mexican village seemed to be stirring.  Geronimo and the three warriors planned to make their attack at the noon hour.

The next day, at high noon, the Indians crept into the Mexican town. The Apaches had no guns, but they were well-armed with spears and bows and arrows. When Geronimo gave the  war-whoop to open the attack, the Mexican villagers fled in every direction.  Not one of the Mexicans made any attempt to fight.

The Apaches shot some arrows at the retreating Mexicans, but killed only one.  Soon all was silent in the town and no Mexicans could be seen.

When the Indians discovered that all the Mexicans were gone they looked through the Mexican’s houses and saw, to the Apaches, many curious things. It seems that the Mexicans kept many more belongings than the Apaches did. Many of the things they saw in the houses they could not understand.

In the Mexican stores, however, the war party saw much that they wanted.  The Apaches drove in a herd of horses and mules, and packed on them as much provisions and supplies as the animals could carry. Then, forming the horses and mules into a pack train, the four Apaches returned safely to Arizona. The Mexicans did not even attempt to follow them.

When the returning war party arrived in camp, Geronimo called the tribe together and they feasted all day. The warriors gave presents to everyone. That night the dance began, and it did not cease until noon the next day.

This was perhaps the most successful raid ever made by the Apaches into Mexican territory. The value of the booty was very great for the Apaches had supplies enough to last the whole tribe for a year or more.