Geronimo's Story of His Life Part 11

Then General Miles swept a spot of ground clear with his hand, and said: "Your past deeds shall be wiped out like this and you will start a new life."

FOOTNOTES:

[35] These are the exact words of Geronimo. The Editor is not responsible for this criticism of General Crook.

[36] Governor Torres of Sonora had agreed to cooperate with our troops in exterminating or capturing this tribe.

[37] Captain Lawton reports officially the same engagement, but makes no mention of the recapture (by the Apaches) of the horses.

[38] See note page 142.

[39] See page 136.

[40] For terms of treaty see page 154.

[41] The criticisms of General Miles in the foregoing chapter are from Geronimo, not from the Editor.

CHAPTER XVIII

SURRENDER OF GERONIMO

On February 11, 1887, the Senate pa.s.sed the following resolution:

"RESOLVED, That the Secretary of War be directed to communicate to the Senate all dispatches of General Miles referring to the surrender of Geronimo, and all instructions given to and correspondence with General Miles in reference to the same." These papers are published in the Senate Executive Doc.u.ments, Second Session, 49th Congress, 1886-7, Volume II, Nos. 111 to 125. For an exhaustive account of the conditions of Geronimo's surrender the reader is referred to that doc.u.ment, but this chapter is given to show briefly the terms of surrender, and corroborate, at least in part, the statements made by Geronimo.

Upon a.s.suming command of the Department of Arizona, General Nelson A.

Miles was directed by the War Department to use most vigorous operations for the destruction or capture of the hostile Apaches.

The following extracts are from instructions issued April 20th, 1886, for the information and guidance of troops serving in the southern portion of Arizona and New Mexico.

"The chief object of the troops will be to capture or destroy any band of hostile Apache Indians found in this section of country, and to this end the most vigorous and persistent efforts will be required of all officers and soldiers until the object is accomplished."

"A sufficient number of reliable Indians will be used as auxiliaries to discover any signs of hostile Indians, and as trailers."

"To avoid any advantage the Indians may have by a relay of horses, where a troop or squadron commander is near the hostile Indians he will be justified in dismounting one-half of his command and selecting the lightest and best riders to make pursuit by the most vigorous forced marches until the strength of all the animals of his command shall have been exhausted."

The following telegrams show the efforts of the United States troops and the cooperation of Mexican troops under Governor Torres:

"HEADQUARTERS DIVISION OF THE PACIFIC, PRESIDIO OF SAN FRANCISCO, CAL.

July 22, 1886.

"ADJUTANT GENERAL, Washington, D. C.:

"The following telegram just received from General Miles:

"'Captain Lawton reports, through Colonel Royall, commanding at Fort Huachuca, that his camp surprised Geronimo's camp on Yongi River, about 130 miles south and east of Campas, Sonora, or nearly 300 miles south of Mexican boundary, capturing all the Indian property, including hundreds of pounds of dried meat and nineteen riding animals. This is the fifth time within three months in which the Indians have been surprised by the troops. While the results have not been decisive, yet it has given encouragement to the troops, and has reduced the numbers and strength of the Indians, and given them a feeling of insecurity even in the remote and almost inaccessible mountains of Old Mexico.'

"In absence of division commander.

C. MCKEEVER, a.s.sistant Adjutant General."

"HEADQUARTERS DIVISION OF THE PACIFIC, PRESIDIO OF SAN FRANCISCO, CAL.

August 19, 1886.

"ADJUTANT GENERAL, Washington, D. C.:

"Following received from General Miles, dated 18th:

"'Dispatches to-day from Governor Torres, dated Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico, from Colonels Forsyth and Beaumont, commanding Huachuca and Bowie districts, confirms the following: Geronimo with forty Indians is endeavoring to make terms of peace with Mexican authorities of Fronteraz district. One of our scouts, in returning to Fort Huachuca from Lawton's command, met him, Naiche, and thirteen other Indians on their way to Fronteraz; had a long conversation with them; they said they wanted to make peace, and looked worn and hungry. Geronimo carried his right arm in a sling, bandaged. The splendid work of the troops is evidently having good effect. Should hostiles not surrender to the Mexican authorities, Lawton's command is south of them, and Wilder, with G and M troops, Fourth Cavalry, moved south to Fronteraz, and will be there by 20th. Lieutenant Lockett, with an effective command, will be in good position to-morrow, near Guadalupe Canon, in Cajon Bonito Mountains. On the 11th I had a very satisfactory interview with Governor Torres. The Mexican officials are acting in concert with ours.'

"O. O. HOWARD, Major General."

[Ill.u.s.tration: KAYTAH NAHTEEN Apache Scouts who were with Gen. Lawton]

General O. O. Howard telegraphed from Presidio, San Francisco, California, September 24, 1886, as follows:

" ... The 6th of September General Miles reports the hostile Apaches made overtures of surrender, through Lieutenant Gatewood, to Captain Lawton. They desired certain terms and sent two messengers to me (Miles). They were informed that they must surrender as prisoners of war to troops in the field. They promised to surrender to me in person, and for eleven days Captain Lawton's command moved north, Geronimo and Naiche moving parallel and frequently camping near it.... At Skeleton Canon they halted, saying that they desired to see me (Miles) before surrendering."

After Miles's arrival he reports as follows:

"Geronimo came from his mountain camp amid the rocks and said he was willing to surrender. He was told that they could surrender as prisoners of war; that it was not the way of officers of the Army to kill their enemies who laid down their arms."

" ... Naiche was wild and suspicious and evidently feared treachery. He knew that the once noted leader, Mangus-Colorado, had, years ago, been foully murdered after he had surrendered, and the last hereditary chief of the hostile Apaches hesitated to place himself in the hands of the palefaces...."

Continuing his report, General Howard says:

" ... I believed at first from official reports that the surrender was unconditional, except that the troops themselves would not kill the hostiles. Now, from General Miles's dispatches and from his annual report, forwarded on the 21st instant by mail, the conditions are plain: First, that the lives of all the Indians should be spared. Second, that they should be sent to Fort Marion, Florida, where their tribe, including their families, had already been ordered...."

D. S. Stanley, Brigadier General, telegraphs from San Antonio, Texas, October 22, 1886, as follows: