Geronimo Essay

Geronimo Essay

Spencer Royse
Honors US History
March 30, 2011

Geronimo, a Native American Leader

Geronimo, born into the Bedonkohe Apache tribe in Mexico, was a fierce warrior and leader who fought for his homeland. He was born in June of 1828 and was brought up by his parents in what is now present day New Mexico. They raised him in the traditional style of the Apache life. When he was seventeen years of age he married a woman from the same tribe as him and together they had three children.
In March of 1858, a group of 400 Mexican soldiers led by Colonel José María Carrasco attacked Geronimo’s camp. Geronimo’s wife, children, and mother were all brutally killed. In addition, the tribe’s supplies were taken and their guard warriors were killed. Due to this, Geronimo sought revenge on the Mexicans. He joined a fierce group of Apache called the Chiricahua and they led raids against the Mexicans and white settlers in Mexico and the surrounding areas. It was the Mexican people who gave him the nickname Geronimo. It is said that he was so fierce and cruel that when Mexicans encountered him they prayed to their saint, Saint Jerome. Thus, Geronimo became his nickname.
      Due to these raids, he became very active in the military groups of his tribe and was a leader to his people. Although he was a leader, he was never deemed a chief. As a leader, he constantly urged his men to go to war with white settlers and Mexicans who were trying to take their land. The battles they fought in were called the Apache Wars. Men would follow him because he seemed to have special powers that kept him alive through every battle. They believed he was protected by Usen, the Apache high-god. The whites were trying to force the Apache people to move onto reservations. They wanted to expand and were also forcing other Native American tribes to move to reservations as well. Eventually they succeeded and the Apache moved to the San Carlos Reservation.
      After some time, Geronimo escaped from...