Geronimo – The Last Apache Holdout
The name Geronimo resonates through history, evoking images of a fierce warrior, a symbol of resistance, and the embodiment of the Apache struggle against the relentless encroachment of the United States and Mexico. Born Goyathlay – "One Who Yawns" – in June 1829, within the Bedonkohe Apache tribe near present-day Clifton, Arizona, Geronimo‘s life was a testament to resilience, shaped by tragedy and fueled by an unwavering determination to defend his people and their ancestral lands. His story is one of conflict, survival, and ultimately, the forced assimilation of a man who became a legend in his own time.
Goyathlay was born into a large family, the fourth of eight children. The Bedonkohe Apache were a nomadic people, skilled hunters and warriors who roamed the vast territories of what is now Arizona, New Mexico, and northern Mexico. His early life was steeped in Apache traditions, learning the skills necessary for survival in the harsh desert environment, mastering horsemanship, and absorbing the intricate social customs of his tribe. By the age of seventeen, Goyathlay demonstrated the courage and skill required to be admitted to the Council of Warriors, a significant milestone that allowed him to marry. Soon after, he married Alope, and together they started a family, bringing three children into the world.
The tranquility of Goyathlay’s early life was shattered in the mid-1850s. While the Apache enjoyed a period of relative peace with Mexican towns and neighboring tribes, they would often venture into Mexico to trade. During one such trading expedition, while camped outside a Mexican town called Kas-ki-yeh, tragedy struck. While most of the warriors were trading, Mexican troops attacked the camp, slaughtering the warriors left to guard it, stealing horses, supplies, and weapons. The returning Apache discovered a scene of unimaginable horror: women and children lay dead, victims of the unprovoked attack. Among the slain were Goyathlay’s wife, his mother, and his three children. This devastating loss ignited a burning hatred for Mexicans within him, transforming him from a peaceful family man into a relentless warrior.
Driven by grief and vengeance, Goyathlay joined a band of Chiricahua Apache warriors, a group renowned for their ferocity and skill in battle. It was during this period of intense conflict with the Mexicans that he earned the name "Geronimo." The exact origin of the name is debated, but it is widely believed to be the Spanish version of "Jerome," possibly invoked by Mexican soldiers in desperate prayer during battle. Geronimo quickly rose to prominence as a leader, participating in numerous raids against Mexican settlements and, increasingly, against the growing number of white settlers encroaching upon Apache lands in what is now New Mexico and Arizona.
The late 19th century witnessed a dramatic shift in the relationship between the Apache and the U.S. government. While Lieutenant Colonel George F. Crook initially succeeded in establishing a degree of peace in the Arizona Territory in the early 1870s, his successors proved less adept at maintaining stability. In 1876, the U.S. government implemented a policy of forced relocation, attempting to move the Chiricahua Apache from their traditional homelands to the San Carlos Reservation. This desolate and barren tract of land in east-central Arizona was derisively known as "Hell’s Forty Acres," a testament to its inhospitable conditions and the suffering it inflicted upon the Apache people.
Deprived of their traditional way of life, facing starvation due to inadequate rations, and overcome by homesickness, the Apache grew increasingly discontent. Spurred by Geronimo, hundreds of Apache people abandoned the reservation and fled south into Mexico, seeking refuge in the rugged Sierra Madre Mountains. From this sanctuary, they resumed their raids against white settlements, initiating a decade of intermittent warfare characterized by daring ambushes, lightning-fast raids, and a deep knowledge of the terrain. These attacks were interspersed with periods of relative peace when Geronimo and his followers would return to the San Carlos Reservation to farm and attempt to rebuild their lives.
In 1882, General George Crook was recalled to Arizona to quell the Apache uprising. Geronimo initially surrendered in January 1884. However, fueled by rumors of impending trials and executions, he once again fled the San Carlos Reservation on May 17, 1885, accompanied by a small band of warriors, women, and children. This marked the beginning of Geronimo‘s final campaign, a relentless pursuit that would cement his place in history as the last major Apache holdout.
The U.S. Army launched an extensive manhunt to capture Geronimo and his band. At various times, as many as 5,000 soldiers and 500 Indian auxiliaries were deployed in the effort. For five months, Geronimo and his followers evaded capture, covering over 1,645 miles across the harsh terrain of the southwestern United States and northern Mexico. Their intimate knowledge of the land, combined with their skill as warriors, allowed them to repeatedly outmaneuver the pursuing forces.
Finally, on March 27, 1886, exhausted and hopelessly outnumbered, Geronimo surrendered to General Crook at Cañon de los Embudos in Sonora, Mexico. His band consisted of only a handful of warriors, women, and children, a stark reminder of the toll that years of conflict had taken. Among those captured was a young white boy named Jimmy "Santiago" McKinn, who had been kidnapped by the Apache six months earlier. The boy had become so assimilated into the Apache way of life that he reportedly cried when forced to return to his parents.
The surrender was a significant event, documented by photographer C.S. Fly of Tombstone, Arizona, who captured iconic images of Geronimo and his band. The soldiers began the journey to Fort Bowie, Arizona, with the captured Apache. However, fearing betrayal and potential execution once they crossed into U.S. territory, Geronimo, along with Chief Naiche, 11 warriors, and a few women and boys, broke away and escaped back into the Sierra Madre Mountains.
This escape led to the replacement of General Crook by Brigadier General Nelson A. Miles as commander of the Department of Arizona on April 2, 1886. Miles employed a more aggressive strategy, relentlessly pursuing Geronimo and his band. Finally, at a conference held on September 3, 1886, in Skeleton Canyon, Arizona, General Miles induced Geronimo to surrender once again, promising that he and his followers would be allowed to return to Arizona after an indefinite exile in Florida.
This promise, however, was never fulfilled. Geronimo and his fellow prisoners were shipped by boxcar to Florida, where they were imprisoned and forced to perform hard labor. It was not until May 1887 that Geronimo was reunited with his family. In 1894, they were moved to Fort Sill in Oklahoma Territory, where Geronimo attempted to adapt to his new life. He took up farming and even joined the Dutch Reformed Church, although he was later expelled due to his inability to resist gambling.
As the years passed, the legend of Geronimo grew, fueled by stories of his warrior prowess and his unwavering resistance. He became a figure of fascination for both Native Americans and non-Native Americans alike. He capitalized on this fame, appearing at numerous fairs and expositions, selling souvenirs and photographs of himself. In 1905, he participated in President Theodore Roosevelt’s inaugural parade, becoming a national sensation. He also appeared in Wild West Shows, such as Buffalo Bill Cody’s and Pawnee Bill’s, drawing large crowds who were eager to see the legendary Apache warrior.
These appearances, along with his fierce reputation, made Geronimo one of the most photographed Native Americans of his time. He also dictated his memoirs, which were published in 1906 as "Geronimo’s Story of His Life," providing a firsthand account of his experiences and perspectives. Geronimo died of pneumonia at Fort Sill on February 17, 1909, still a prisoner of war. Though he never returned to his beloved Arizona, his legacy as a symbol of Apache resistance and a testament to the enduring spirit of Native Americans continues to resonate today.