Geronimo

Geronimo {jur-ahn'-i-moh}, or Goyathlay ("one who yawns"), was born in 1829 in what is today western New Mexico, but was then still Mexican territory. He was a Bedonkohe Apache (grandson of Mahko) by birth and a Net'na during his youth and early manhood. His wife, Juh, Geronimo's cousin Ishton, and Asa Daklugie were members of the Nednhi band of the Chiricahua Apache. He was reportedly given the name Geronimo by Mexican soldiers, although few agree as to why. As leader of the Apaches at Arispe in Sonora, he performed such daring feats that the Mexicans singled him out with the sobriquet Geronimo (Spanish for "Jerome"). Some attributed his numerous raiding successes to powers conferred by supernatural beings, including a reputed invulnerability to bullets. Geronimo's war career was linked with that of his brother-in-law, Juh, a Chiricahua chief. Although he was not a hereditary leader, Geronimo appeared so to outsiders because he often acted as spokesman for Juh, who had a speech impediment. Geronimo was the leader of the last American Indian fighting force formally to capitulate to the United States. Because he fought against such daunting odds and held out the longest, he became the most famous Apache of all. To the Apaches, Geronimo embodied the very essence of the Apache values, aggressiveness, courage in the face of difficulty.

In early Spring of 1882 when General George Crook arrived in Arizona, he began in his systematic way to study the situation. First, he held conferences with the reservation Indians. As he reported it, "The simple story of their wrongs, as told by various representatives of their bands, under circumstances which convinced me they were speaking the truth, satisfied me that the Apaches had not only the best of reasons for complaining, but had displayed remarkable forbearance in remaining at peace." 

Crook camped near Tesorababi, a former ranch abandoned because of Apache raids, and on May 8 turned southeast into the heart of the hostiles' mountain sanctuary. Here was a complete picture of their life-way. The whole area was an extensive complex of criss-crossings trails beaten by the feet of hundreds of stolen animals, and recently occupied camps on the mountains and along the streams.
Geronimo and his warriors took their positions among the rocks a thousand feet above General Crook's camp. The women called up to them "and told them not to shoot... that they did not want any fighting" but only to make friends. At daybreak (May 20) Geronimo sent down two messengers (two old men, said Betzinez; two old women, said Bourke) to find out the general's intentions. If they should fail to return, he planned to attack. There were some other communications back and forth. Geronimo's "sister" went up to the raiders, and they sent her back to request some of the scouts to meet with them. The scouts sent relatives if the raiding party--a brother-in-law of Chatto and a relative of Geronimo's father-in-law Dji-li-kine. But Geronimo and the other leaders still stayed out. Crook decided to contact them by the most supremly corageous act of his adventurous career. (He suppressed this story and so did the other officers; it was not until reminiscences were published in 1936.) He took his gun and left the camp ostensibly to shoot birds. The hostile leaders confronted him, "grabbed his gun away and took the birds he had shot." Then Mickey Free and Severiano came to interpret. "They all sat on the ground and talked. After about two hours" the general and his former enemies came into the camp together.

S&W Model No. 3 First model Single Action Revolver (most commonly known as First Model American). 44 S&W American AND (rare) 44 rim fire Henry calibers.  U.S. Army Order of 1,000 revolvers: U.S. marked (top of barrel), and with OWA inspector stamp on left grip. A and p letter stamping also present: serial number range 125 - 2199.Premium for nickel plated specimens(200 made); blued finish was standard. Serial numbers can be verified in Jinks and Neal and in the Parsons S & W book. According to Carl Moon Geronimo allegedly took this pistol from Crook when he also took his "Trapdoor". Note leather wrapped & tacked grips.

Crook's "Trapdoor"and cartridge belt seized by Geronimo

Model 1881 U.S. "Trapdoor" shotgun,a.k.a. "Forager". Made circa 1881-1885 20 gauge center fire. Note four notches on upper stock which match four notches on the end of the bow also shown below. Also note on both sides of rear of gun stock there are Geronimo's symbols notched. These match the notches on the knife handle

Bow & Quiver set with steel tipped arrows.

Geronimo's bow showing the 4 notches that match those found on his "trapdoor"

Geronimo's symbols notched on rifle(above) and knife(below)

Geronimo's hand made knife with his symbol notched in handle, which are the same as those found on his "trapdoor".

Elk Antler Quint which Geronimo wrote his name by drilling holes with a knife tip.George Wratten,an army interpreter ,taught Geronimo to write his name in English.

Geronimo's leather moccasins. Written on the bottom in ink "Geronimo Ft. Sill OK 1894". Note wear and outline of toes. Although it can not be absolutely proven, these are probably the same pair worn by Geronimo in the famous photo with him kneeling and holding a rifle.