Perhaps if he’d been born a few years earlier, Geronimo would have lived out his life as an Apache chief, adhering to tradition and ensuring the safety of his people. As it happened, one of the most famous Native Americans in history was born to a life of turmoil at the tail-end of America’s westward expansion. The life of Geronimo was fraught with heartache, true, but a life filled with pain didn’t stop the brilliant tactician and charismatic leader from making history.
Born in 1829 in what is now New Mexico, the man who would become the Apache’s most famous warrior was raised traditionally. His normal life came crashing down in 1858, however, when a horrible tragedy sent Geronimo on a thirty-year quest to right the wrongs assailing his people. Though he ended his life in 1909 as a prisoner of war, Geronimo’s legacy helped raise awareness for his people’s struggles in a way few others have ever done, before or since.
Legacy talk aside, this Apache warrior was someone you truly didn’t want to screw around with. In spite of the fact he spent his career outgunned and outmanned, the Native American hero was one of the most righteously feared and universally respected men ever to walk onto a battlefield.
It Was A Mexican Raid That Set Geronimo On War’s Path
Though his later legacy would be defined by his conflict with the United States cavalry, it was a raid led by Colonel Jose Maria Carrasco that spurred Geronimo and his Apaches forward.
In the summer of 1858, while Geronimo and a band of eighty warriors traded with the nearby town of Kas-Ki-Yeh, a band of Mexican soldiers rode through the Apache camp, killed the few warriors who had stayed behind to guard the civilians, burned the camp to the ground, confiscated the Apache's guns and horses, and then murdered the majority of the women and children.
The attack was in retaliation for the supposed raids Geronimo and his Apaches had led against nearby Mexican towns, a crime of which the Apaches were completely innocent. As a result of the attack, Geronimo’s entire family - his first wife, Alope, his three children, and his mother - were slaughtered.
It took nearly a year for the Apaches to round up tribes to help them retaliate; Geronimo himself went from tribe to tribe soliciting help with incredible success.
Geronimo Was Given His Chance To Lead Because Of His Pain
As the Apache tribes gathered to avenge the massacre at Kas-Ki-Yeh, the chiefs (including the famed chief Cochise) decided to anoint Geronimo as the battle’s leader. Though that honor typically went to a chief (which Geronimo was not), it was determined that Geronimo’s loss was the greatest among them.
In his own words, Geronimo says that he lead his Apache braves against the Mexican army in a bloody, two-hour battle that saw the murder of nearly every combatant on the field. Always at the fore of the battle, Geronimo reputedly killed dozens of men until he was left with nothing to rely on but his knife.
Still covered with the blood of my enemies, still holding my conquering weapon, still hot with the joy of battle, victory, and vengeance, I was surrounded by the Apache braves and made war chief of all the Apaches. Then I gave orders for scalping the slain.
Geronimo Once Single-Handedly Evaded Close Armed Pursuit For Two Days
After the revenge for Kas-Ki-Yeh, the Apaches resumed their daily lives and attempted to put the massacre behind them. Geronimo, however, was still bent on revenge. He convinced two other warriors to join him as he went on the war path to Mexico.
Almost immediately after picking out a small village, Geronimo’s little band came under fire from Mexican rifles. His two companions were killed and Geronimo was surrounded by armed soldiers. Rather than run and hide, Geronimo fought his way back to Arizona - on foot - while being closely pursued by the soldiers.
This raid, most likely caused by Geronimo’s incomparable grief, set back the Apache’s plans to get revenge on any Mexican who would dare to get close enough to him.
Geronimo Was Shot In The Face And Still Got Up To Do Battle
Though his first battle was a victory, Geronimo spent several years early in his career losing to the Mexican people. His first several raids in Sonora were beaten back soundly, his band of warriors returning empty-handed.
Geronimo himself spent a lot of his time injured. In one attack on a convoy, he rushed into the fray only to slip on some blood and get smashed in the skull with the butt of a Mexican soldier’s rifle. In another nearly successful raid, Geronimo’s Apaches were followed by soldiers and Geronimo was shot several times. In fact, the opening volley actually saw him shot in the face, after which the soldier got up and fought his way to safety.
Half Of Geronimo’s Tribe Was Betrayed And Killed After A Deal Proposed At Apache Tejo
In the hopes of finding some way to live peacefully with the white men encroaching on their territory, the chief of Geronimo’s tribe, Mangus-Colorado, traveled to a seemingly peaceful white settlement called Apache Tejo in order to secure a deal. Mangus-Colorado returned with great news: the settlers had not only agreed to receive the Apaches, they had promised a bevy of supplies on their arrival.
The tribe was split as to how to proceed, so Mangus-Colorado led half the tribe to Apache Tejo - where they were subsequently killed by US soldiers. Geronimo led the remaining tribe in a retreat that lasted several weeks as their entire group was constantly besieged by troops.
When the dust finally settled, the Apaches named Geronimo the Tribal Chief.
With Only Three Other Warriors, Geronimo Secured Enough Supplies To Last His Tribe A Year
In the summer of 1863, Geronimo led a raid on a small village about forty miles west of Casa Grande. At high noon, Geronimo and his small band of soldiers stole into the town and sent its residents scattering. According to Geronimo, no one in the town put up a fight or even gave chase. They simply saw the Native Americans coming, turned tail, and got out of town.
Once the town was empty - only one person had been killed - the Apaches drove several ponies into the town and loaded up as much loot as they could carry. Upon his victorious arrival, Geronimo feasted for a full 24 hours and handed out various gifts to everyone in the tribe... and there was still enough supplies left over for his people to use for the following year.
