GERONIMO IN MEXICO “Mexican sugar, Arizona cheese and chasing the Mexican Cavalry: 1862”

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 1862 Geronimo took eight warriors and invaded Mexican territory once again. The Apaches went south on the west side of the Sierra Madre Mountains for five days and then, in the night, crossed over to the southern part of the Sierra de Sahuaripa range. Here the warriors again camped to watch for pack trains.

About ten o’clock next morning, four mounted Mexicans passed the Indians’ camp with a train of pack-mules.  As soon as the Mexicans saw the Indians they rode for their lives, leaving their booty. This was a long pack train, and it was loaded with blankets, calico, saddles, tinware, and loaf sugar. The Apaches hurried to the Homeland as fast as they could with these provisions for the tribe. 

While on their way home, while passing through a canyon in the Santa Catalina range of mountains in Arizona, the warriors met a white man driving a mule pack train. The white man had already seen the Apaches and, like the Mexicans, was riding at full tilt up the canyon, leaving his pack train behind. The Indians examined his pack train and found that his mules were all loaded with cheese. The Apaches put the cheese-laden mules in with the Mexican mules and resumed their journey.  They did not attempt to follow the driver’s trail and Geronimo was sure he did not try to follow them.

In two days the war party arrived at home. Mangas Coloradas, the chief, assembled the tribe and Geronimo hosted a feast.  They divided the spoils and the Indians danced all night.  Some of the pack mules were killed and eaten.

This time, after the raiding party’s return, the Apaches sent out scouts around the village so that the Indians would know if the Mexican troops had attempted to follow them.

On the third day the scouts came back into the Apache encampment and reported that the Mexican cavalry had dismounted and were approaching the settlement. All of the Apache warriors were in camp. Splitting their force into two, Mangas Coloradas took command of one division of warriors and Geronimo of the other. The plan was for the Indians to get possession of the Mexican horses and then surround the Mexican troops in the mountains, thereby destroying the whole Mexican company.

Unfortunately, the Apaches were unable to accomplish this as the Mexicans had also sent out scouts.  However, within four hours after the battle started, the Apaches had killed ten Mexican troopers with the loss of only one Apache warrior.  The Mexican cavalry was in full retreat and they were pursed by thirty armed Apaches warriors.  The Indians gave the Mexicans no rest until they were out of Arizona and far inside their own Mexican country.  No more Mexican troops came to Apacheria that winter.

For a long time the Indians had plenty of provisions, plenty of blankets, and plenty of clothing. They also had plenty of sugar and cheese!