Book summary “Geronimo's story of his life”: summary

Introduction

Geronimo recounts his life as a Bedonkohe Apache warrior, detailing tribal customs, fierce guerrilla warfare against Mexico and the United States, and his final decades as a prisoner of war.

You might wonder how a hunted military enemy managed to publish his life story. In 1905, Superintendent S.M. Barrett secured permission from President Theodore Roosevelt to record these memoirs despite fierce military opposition. You will discover the inner motivations of a legendary warrior who dictated his history in his native language.

The book moves from traditional Apache origins and spiritual practices into decades of bloody border conflicts. You will then trace the broken treaties and final surrenders that led to life as a prisoner of war.

• How did an Apache war chief perceive the frontier conflicts?
• What caused repeated treaty violations by the United States government?
• How did the unwritten laws of Apache society govern tribal life?

1. Apache Origins, Customs, and Early Life

Geronimo's early life in Arizona involved a traditional upbringing centered around agriculture, hunting, tribal customs, and deep-rooted spiritual practices.

Apache creation mythology describes an initial epoch of eternal darkness ruled by hideous monsters and beasts. The feathered tribe under the eagle fought and defeated the beasts to admit light. Later, a mother hid her son of the rainstorm from the evil dragon in a deep cave. The boy grew up, hunted with his uncle, and eventually challenged the dragon to a duel involving alternate shots with bow and arrow, ultimately slaying the monster.

The eagle flew high in the air and dropped a round, white stone on a nameless monster's head to kill it, establishing a sacred symbol used in the tribal game of Kah. The Apache nation is divided into six sub-tribes: the Bedonkohe, Chihenne, White Mountain Apaches, Chieahen, Chokonen, and Nedni. These groups maintained alliances, held councils together, and shared resources, though they never held councils with the Navajo. They believed Usen created specific homelands for each tribe, and removal from these lands caused them to sicken and die. Victoria, chief of the Chihenne Apaches, was a lifelong friend to Geronimo's tribe and frequently provided military help.

Creation Mythology and Sub-Tribes

Born in June 1829 in Nodoyohn Cañón, Geronimo grew up learning legends, praying to Usen, farming approximately two-acre unfenced fields, and hunting large game. The tribe practiced herbal medicine combined with prayer, smoked wild tobacco, fermented corn into tis-win, and exiled criminals instead of using prisons. The number four is interwoven through tribal traditions, folklore, and personal life experiences. It governs ritual actions, game mechanics, and historical counts.

Geronimo noted numerous examples of the number four: the dragon had four coats of scales, took meat four times, and rolled down four precipices. Geronimo was the fourth of eight children, had four full-blood Bedonkohe wives, and had four children killed by Mexicans while four were held in bondage. Mangus-Colorado became chief of the Bedonkohe Apaches after Geronimo's father died, because Geronimo's father had married into the Bedonkohe tribe from the Nedni and lost his hereditary right to rule.

Tribal Amusements and Family Structure

Festivities lasted about four days, featuring daytime feasting and nighttime dancing accompanied by singing and buckskin-on-a-hoop drums. The game of Kah was played at night using four moccasins, a camp fire, and a bone symbol representing the eagle's white rock. Opposing teams sang creation legends and guessed which moccasin hid the bone. The players representing birds hid the bone under blankets and sang creation legends while an opposing player armed with a war club tried to strike the correct moccasin.

• Place four moccasins about four feet apart in holes in the ground in two parallel rows
• Start a camp fire between the rows of moccasins at night
• Hang up blankets between the moccasins and the fire to hide the team's movements
• Sing the legends of creation while hiding the bone in one of the moccasins
• Strike the chosen moccasin with a war club to guess the location of the bone

Upon the death of a warrior, relatives closed his eyes, painted his face, dressed him in fine clothes, placed his arms beside him in a mountain cave, and killed his horses while giving away all his property to prevent greed. Widows returned to their families and could remarry, though mothers often chose to live with their sons. At seventeen, Geronimo was admitted to the warrior council and married Alope after paying the bride price in ponies. An Apache woman named Chokole was attacked by a grizzly bear while searching for lost berries. She fought the bear off with her knife while her small dog distracted it, and she survived after being treated by tribal medicine men.

• Break the ground with wooden hoes when crops are to be planted
• Plant corn in straight rows with beans among them, and melons and pumpkins in irregular order
• Gather pumpkins and beans in autumn and tie corn ears together by the husks to store in caves for winter

2. Vengeance, Leadership, and Guerrilla Warfare

Following the treacherous massacre of his family by Mexican troops at Kaskiyeh, Geronimo launched a relentless campaign of vengeance that earned him the position of war chief.

The Kaskiyeh Massacre and Rise to Leadership

In the summer of 1858, Mexican troops attacked the peaceful trading camp at Kaskiyeh while most warriors were in town. They killed the guard, destroyed supplies, and murdered many women and children, including Geronimo's aged mother, his wife Alope, and his three small children. Returning survivors retreated to Arizona with 80 warriors, and Geronimo burned all personal belongings of the slain.

Geronimo stood silently by the river after discovering the bodies of his family, formed a vow of vengeance against Mexican troops, and later destroyed all of Alope's decorations, tepees, and children's playthings.

Geronimo solicited the aid of Cochise of the Chokonen and Whoa of the Nedni Apaches. In the summer of 1859, the combined forces marched into Sonora, drew out Mexican cavalry and infantry near Arispe, and engaged in a fierce battle. Because he had suffered the greatest loss, Geronimo was chosen to direct the battle, fought with extreme fury, and was proclaimed war chief after defeating the enemy.

The Mexican government offered a reward in gold of 100 dollars for an Apache warrior's scalp, 50 dollars for a squaw's scalp, and 25 dollars for a child's scalp. In the final moments of the battle, Geronimo and three other warriors fought hand-to-hand with knives and captured sabers after their arrows and spears broke, leaving all opposing soldiers dead on the field.

Tactics, Discipline, and Personal Combat

Apache war parties maintained operational security by scattering families before raids, traveling exclusively at night, and establishing distant mountain rendezvous points. You can understand their defensive posture through their strict preparatory measures:

• Scatter the families and reassemble them at a distant camp before starting a raid to prevent enemies from finding them
• Use scouts with spyglasses on surrounding peaks to watch for pursuing troops
• Travel strictly at night and camp in steep canyons or mountains where cavalry cannot easily follow

Before a raid in 1864, Geronimo's tribe scattered and reassembled 40 miles away to confuse potential trailers and protect their families. The journey back to rendezvous points often took 3 days of rigorous night travel.

Alcohol consumption among warriors during raids created critical security risks that required strict disciplinary intervention by leaders. When men captured supplies laden with mescal, leaders had to enforce order to avoid total vulnerability:

• Pour out intoxicating liquor immediately if men become drunk on a raid
• Extinguish all camp fires to prevent visibility by enemy forces
• Move pack mules and supplies to a safe distance from an undisciplined camp
• Keep solitary guard through the night when all others are incapacitated

During an 1864 raid, after capturing mescal at a distance of one day's journey from Arispe to Pontoco, Geronimo's men got drunk and fought each other. Geronimo poured out the liquor, put out the fires, and guarded the camp alone until morning.

Geronimo sustained numerous severe wounds in close-quarters combat against Mexican and US forces throughout his decades of warfare, totaling 8 distinct injuries. During an engagement in the Sierra de Sahuaripa Mountains, Geronimo fell in a pool of blood while attacking a trooper, was struck over the head with a musket butt, and was saved only when a follower killed the soldier with a spear.

In his final major battle against Mexican forces near Arispe, Geronimo overheard enemy orders to exterminate his band and successfully eliminated the opposing general. At 3 o'clock in the afternoon when the Mexican general called his officers together for final instructions, Geronimo crept close from a deep prairie stream ditch and shot him, throwing the opposing troops into confusion.

The lawless frontier environment along the Mexican and Arizona border served as a constant school of violence for both white settlers, Mexicans, and Apaches. In 1882, five white men ambushed six Mexican traders in Skeleton Cañon and killed all but one for their money without facing any arrests or prosecution, leaving 72 Mexican dollars found in a leather bag two years later.

3. Broken Treaties and the Final Wars

Deceitful actions by military officers, the assassination of Chief Mangus-Colorado, and repeated treaty violations drove Geronimo and his band back to the warpath.

Betrayal by United States Forces

Deceitful actions by military officers during supposed peace conferences permanently destroyed trust between the Apaches and United States troops. Chief Cochise and other leaders were brought into a military camp at Bowie under a peace promise in 1862, only to be handcuffed inside a tent, prompting Cochise to cut his way out and surround the camp. Within 6 hours time, Cochise surrounded the camp with hundreds of warriors after the betrayal.

The assassination of Chief Mangus-Colorado under a flag of truce at Apache Tejo was viewed by the Apaches as one of the greatest wrongs committed against them. General West ordered Mangus-Colorado put into a guardhouse in 1863, where he was struck with a stone in the night and shot by guards, ending the life of a chief who constantly sought peace.

General O. O. Howard successfully established a durable peace and reliable ration system that earned the permanent respect of the Apache leaders. When General Howard was sent to make peace with the Apaches in 1872, he negotiated a treaty and appointed an honest agent who regularly issued promised clothing, beef, and supplies without deceit. When beef was issued under General Howard's administration, 12 steers were issued to Geronimo's tribe during ration distributions, establishing a period of contentment.

To build and maintain trust under comparable circumstances, you should follow these rules:

• Honor treaty agreements and keep word to build lasting trust with indigenous leaders.
• Issue regular monthly rations of clothing, provisions, and beef directly through a designated post agent.

Imprisonment, Escape, and the Skeleton Canyon Treaty

Unjust imprisonment and rumors of betrayal drove Geronimo and his band to leave the reservation and return to the warpath. In 1883, fearing betrayal after hearing rumors that officers planned to imprison them, 250 Indians left the reservation and fought United States troops near Apache Pass, where 3 soldiers were killed in the battle west of Apache Pass. While 2000 soldiers were estimated to be ranging the mountains of Mexico seeking to capture them, the band fought through both United States and Mexican forces.

Geronimo surrendered to General Miles at Skeleton Canyon under specific terms of amnesty and family reunion, which were subsequently violated. At Skeleton Canyon, General Miles drew a line representing the ocean and placed stones representing different bands to assure Geronimo that the President intended to unite all the Apaches together under protection, while 150.25 dollars in Mexican money was found hidden in a rat's nest near the camp.

Following their surrender, Geronimo and his warriors suffered harsh penal labor and exile in Florida and Alabama in violation of their treaty. Geronimo and his fellow Apache warriors were kept at hard labor at Fort Pickens in Florida and did not see their families until May 1887, after being held for 40 days in San Antonio before being taken to Florida to saw large logs for nearly two years, eventually spending 5 years in Vermont, Alabama.

4. Unwritten Laws, World's Fair, and Religion

Apache society maintained strict internal laws, rigorous warrior training protocols, and traditional ceremonies, while Geronimo later adapted to the modern world and Christianity.

Apache Laws and Warrior Training

Internal grievances required formal intervention. When an Apache was wronged, you could bring a complaint to the chief.

• Make a complaint to the Chieftain or have an informant notify the chief if personal settlement or direct complaint is not pursued.
• Allow both the accused and accuser to present witnesses who speak without interruption or being placed under oath.
• Have the chief and two or three leaders sit in judgment for serious offenses to determine guilt.
• Let the injured party fix the penalty if the accused is found guilty, subject to confirmation by the chief and associates.

Becoming a warrior demanded rigorous discipline. A youth aspiring to be a warrior had to follow strict protocols.

• Accompany the warriors of the tribe four separate times on the warpath.
• Eat only inferior and permitted food without murmuring or selecting food independently on the first and subsequent trips.
• Act as a servant on each expedition: care for horses, cook food, and perform duties without being told.
• Refrain from speaking to any warrior except in answer to questions or when told to speak.
• Learn the sacred names of everything used in war, as common names were forbidden on the warpath.
• Wait for a vote of the council admitting the youth as a warrior once all warriors are satisfied with his industry, discretion, and courage.

Chiefs and medicine men presided over dances as sacred ceremonies. They celebrated thanksgiving, war, and courtship through specific rituals.

• Gather yucca fruit in the summer, grind and pulverize it, mold it into cakes, and feast while singing and giving praises to Usen.
• Lead singing with the esadadene and perform violent dances with yells and war whoops for war preparation.
• Exhibit scalps on poles or spears around campfires during scalp dances, then throw them away afterward as defiling.
• Conduct coming-of-age début ceremonies where young women dance around the campfire in increasing circles accompanied by medicine men and clown dancers.
• Participate in the lovers' dance where warriors stand in the center, ladies select partners, and warriors propose marriage during the dance.

In September 1905, Geronimo held a grand dance by Medicine Creek for his daughter Eva's coming-of-age début, attended by Apaches, Comanches, and Kiowas. The festivities continued 2 days and nights. The first phase of the lovers' dance lasted 2 to 3 hours, with presents valued at 2 or 3 dollars for a married lady and a minimum of 5 dollars for a maiden.

World's Fair Experience and Religious Views

Geronimo spent 6 months at the St. Louis World's Fair under guard, selling photographs and autographs to visitors. At the St. Louis World's Fair, Geronimo rode in a Ferris wheel—which he described as a little house with four windows that went high in the air—and viewed the grounds through a field glass. He earned 2 dollars a day by selling photographs for 25 cents while keeping 10 cents, and charging 10, 15, or 25 cents to write his name while keeping all the money.

Traditional Apache primitive worship focused exclusively on relations with Usen and fellow tribe members, without specific teachings regarding the afterlife or the nature of the human spirit. An Indian man at San Carlos Reservation told Geronimo about passing a mulberry tree, descending into a cavern, and safely navigating past aggressive animals and clashing walls by showing no fear.

During his imprisonment, Geronimo adopted the Christian religion, believing it improves character and helps individuals live right. Geronimo joined the Dutch Reformed church and was baptized in the summer of 1903, attending services regularly at the Apache Mission on the Ft. Sill Military Reservation.

For twenty years, the Apaches have been held as prisoners of war under a treaty made with General Miles that has not always been properly observed. Geronimo negotiated a treaty with General Miles on behalf of the Apaches, agreeing to move outside of Arizona. Geronimo passionately appeals to the President and authorities to allow the remaining Apaches to return to their native land in Arizona.

10 Key Ideas

1. Apache creation mythology describes an initial epoch of eternal darkness ruled by hideous monsters and beasts before the feathered tribe under the eagle fought and defeated them to admit light.
2. In the summer of 1858, Mexican troops attacked the peaceful trading camp at Kaskiyeh and murdered many women and children, prompting Geronimo to form a vow of vengeance and earn the position of war chief.
3. Apache war parties maintained operational security by scattering families before raids, traveling exclusively at night, and establishing distant mountain rendezvous points.
4. Deceitful actions by military officers during supposed peace conferences permanently destroyed trust between the Apaches and United States troops, notably exemplified by the assassination of Chief Mangus-Colorado under a flag of truce.
5. Following a period of intense conflict, Geronimo surrendered to General Miles at Skeleton Canyon under specific terms of amnesty and family reunion, which were subsequently violated.
6. A youth aspiring to be an Apache warrior had to accompany the warriors on the warpath four separate times, act as a servant, eat inferior food, and learn the sacred names of everything used in war.
7. Chiefs and medicine men presided over sacred ceremonies such as thanksgiving feasts, violent war preparations, scalp dances, and coming-of-age début ceremonies.
8. Geronimo spent six months at the St. Louis World's Fair under guard, riding in a Ferris wheel and earning money by selling photographs and autographs to visitors.
9. During his imprisonment as a prisoner of war, Geronimo adopted the Christian religion, joined the Dutch Reformed church, and was baptized in the summer of 1903.
10. Geronimo passionately appeals to the President and authorities to allow the remaining Apaches to return to their native land in Arizona after decades of suffering as prisoners of war.