Geronimo,
His own story, "Coming of the White Men "
About the time
of the massacre of "Kaskiyeh" (1858) we
heard that some white men were measuring land to the south of us. In company
with a number of other warriors I went to visit them. We could not understand
them very well, for we had no interpreter, but we made a treaty with them by
shaking hands and promising to be brothers. Then we made our camp near their
camp, and they came to trade with us. We gave them buckskin, blankets, and
ponies in exchange for shirts and provisions. We also brought them game, for
which they gave us some money. We did not know the value of this money, but we
kept it and later learned from the Navajo Indians that it was very valuable.
Every day they
measured land with curious instruments and put down marks which we could not
understand. They were good men, and we were sorry when they had gone on into
the west. They were not soldiers. These were the first white men I ever saw.
About ten years
later some more white men came. These were all warriors. They made their camp
on the Gila River south of Hot Springs. At first they were friendly and we did
not dislike them, but they were not as good as those who came first.
After about a
year some trouble arose between them and the Indians, and I took the warpath as
a warrior, not as a chief. I had not been wronged, but some of my people bad
been, and I fought with my tribe; for the soldiers and not the Indians were at
fault.
Not long after
this some of the officers of the United States troops invited our leaders to
hold a conference at Apache Pass (Fort Bowie). Just before noon the Indians
were shown into a tent and told that they would be given someting
to eat. When in the tent they were attacked by soldiers. our
chief, Mangus-Colorado, and several other warriors,
by cutting through the tent, escaped; but most of the warriors were killed or
captured. Among the Bedonkohe Apaches killed at this
time were Sanza, Kladetahe,
Niyokahe, and Gopi.After
this treachery the Indians went back to the mountains and left the fort
entirely alone. I do not think that the agent had anything to do with planning
this, for he had always treated us well. I believe it was entirely planned by
the soldiers.
From the very
first the soldiers sent out to our western country, and the officers in charge
of them, did not hesitate to wrong the Indians. They never explained to the
Government when an Indian was wronged, but always reported the misdeeds of the
Indians. Much that was done by mean white men was reported at Washington as the
deeds of my people.
The Indians
always tried to live peaceably with the white soldiers and settlers. One day
during the time that the soldiers were stationed at Apache Pass I made a treaty
with the post. This was done by shaking hands and promising to be brothers.
Cochise and Mangus-Colorado did likewise. I do not
know the name of the officer in command, but this was the first regiment that
ever came to Apache Pass. This treaty was made about a year before we were
attacked in a tent, as above related. In a few days after the attack at Apache
Pass we organized in the mountains and returned to fight the soldiers. There
were two tribes-the Bedonkohe and the Chokonen Apaches, both commanded by Cochise. After a few
days' skirmishing we attacked a freight train that was coming in with supplies
for the Fort. We killed some of the men and captured the others. These
prisoners our chief offered to trade for the Indians whom the soldiers had
captured at the massacre in the tent. This the officers refused, so we killed
our prisoners, disbanded, and went into hiding in the mountains. Of those who
took part in this affair I am the only one now living.
In a few days
troops were sent out to search for us, but as we were disbanded, it was, of
course, impossible for them to locate any hostile camp. During the time they
were searching for us many of our warriors (who were thought by the soldiers to
be peaceable Indians) talked to the officers and men, advising them where they
might find the camp they sought, and while they searched we watched them from
our hiding places and laughed at their failures.
After this
trouble all of the Indians agreed not to be friendly with the white men any
more. There was no general engagement, but a long struggle followed. Sometimes
we attacked the white men, sometimes they attacked us. First a few Indians
would be killed and then a few soldiers. I think the killing was about equal on
each side. The number killed in these troubles did not amount to much, but this
treachery on the part of the soldiers had angered the Indians and revived
memories of other wrongs, so that we never again trusted the United States
troops.