GERONIMO IN MEXICO: “His final battle, 1884”

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.  It is true that the greatest wrongs that were visited upon the Apaches were from the United States government.  But the history of Geronimo’s war parties started in Mexico…and we continue our adaptation of Geronimo’s own recollections.

After the Mexican treachery and massacre at Casa Grande the Apaches did not reassemble for a long while, and when they did they returned to Arizona. The Apaches remained in Arizona for some time, living on the San Carlos Reservation, at a place on the reservation now called Geronimo.

In 1883 Geronimo and his band left the reservation and went into Mexico again. The Apaches remained in the mountain ranges of Mexico for about fourteen months, and during this time Geronimo and his warriors suffered from many skirmishes with Mexican troops. The Indians were beginning to tire of being chased about from place to place. To make things even more difficult for Geronimo, the Mexicans began assembling troops in the mountains where the Indians had been ranging.  At this point the Mexican soldiers so outnumbered the Apache warriors that Geronimo could not hope to fight them successfully. 

In 1884 the Indians returned to Arizona to convince other Apaches to leave the reservation and to come with them into Mexico to assist in battling the Mexican Army.  This ploy did not work out well for Geronimo.  In Arizona, off the San Carlos Reservation, Geronimo ran into trouble with the United States army and lost about fifteen warriors in battle.  Geronimo’s attempt to convince warriors to leave the reservation had gained no recruits. Now under increasing pressure from United States troops, Geronimo fled once again to Mexico.

Geronimo and his reduced number of Apaches camped in the mountains north of Arispe.  Mexican troops were observed moving in several directions by Indian scouts. The United States troops were coming down into Mexico from the north.  Although the Apaches were well armed with guns and well supplied with ammunition, Geronimo did not care to be surrounded by the troops of two governments, so he started to move their camp southward, deeper into Mexico.

One night Geronimo made camp by a stream some distance from the mountains. There was not much water in the brook, but a deep channel was worn through the lowland and small trees were beginning to grow here and there along the bank of this watercourse.

In those days Geronimo never camped without placing scouts, because he knew from experience that the Indians were liable to be attacked at any time. The next morning, just at daybreak, Apache scouts came in, aroused the camp, and notified Geronimo that Mexican troops were approaching. Within five minutes the Mexicans began firing on the Indians. The warriors took to the ditches made by the stream, and had the women and children keep busy digging these ditches even deeper. Geronimo gave strict orders to waste no ammunition and keep under cover.

The fight lasted all day.  The Apaches killed many Mexicans that day and in turn the Mexicans took many Apache lives.  Repeatedly, Mexican troops would charge at one point, be repulsed, then rally and charge at another point.

At about noon the Apaches began to hear the Mexicans speaking Geronimo’s name with curses. In the afternoon a Mexican general came took to the field to encourage the soldatos and the fighting became more furious.  Geronimo gave orders to his warriors to try to kill all the Mexican officers.

About three o’clock in the afternoon the Mexican general called all of his officers together at the right side of the field. The place where the Mexican officers assembled was not very far from the main stream, and a little ditch ran out close to where the officers stood.  Cautiously, Geronimo crawled out along this ditch very close to where the Mexican council was being held. A breeze was blowing in the direction of the Indians and because of that Geronimo able to overhearall that the general said.  Geronimo, being somewhat fluent in Spanish, understood most of it.

Geronimo, in his memoirs, related what the general told his officers: “Officers, yonder in those ditches is the red devil Geronimo and his hated band. This must be his last day. Ride 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; exterminate this band at any cost; I will post the wounded to shoot all deserters; go back to your companies and advance.”

Just as the general’s command to go forward was given, Geronimo took deliberate aim at the general, fired, and the general fell. In an instant the ground around Geronimo was riddled with bullets, but he remained untouched. The Apaches had seen what had taken place and from all along the ditches there arose the fierce war-cry of Geronimo’s people. The Mexican columns wavered for an instant but the Mexicans swept on and did not retreat until the Apache’s fire had destroyed the front ranks.

After this barrage and the death of their commanding officer, the Mexican’s fighting was not so fierce, yet they continued to rally and continued to advance until dark. The Mexicans also continued to speak Geronimo’s name with threats and curses.

That night, before the firing had ceased, a dozen Indians crawled out of the ditches and set fire to the long prairie grass behind the Mexican troops. During the confusion that followed Geronimo and his war party escaped to the mountains.

This was the last battle that Geronimo ever fought with Mexicans. United States troops trailed the Apaches continually from this time until the treaty was made with General Miles in Skeleton Canyon.