Geronimo a biography

"[A] sure-to-be-a-classic book. . . . Fast-paced and engrossing.”—Wild West

~Wild West Magazine

 “The most complete, scholarly study of Geronimo’s life from birth to death I have ever read.”—Howard Lamar, Yale University

~Howard Lamar

“Completely original and very well sourced. In this, Utley continues the high standard of his earlier books. . . . His careful weighing of evidence and ferreting out of story lines from far-flung and sometimes conflicting sources are impressive throughout.”—Walter Nugent, University of Notre Dame

~Walter Nugent

"An unflinching and engrossing chronicle of Geronimo’s life and times. Drawing upon his mastery of western military history and his ear for good stories, Robert Utley brings a remarkable and bloody era to life."—Brian DeLay, author of War of a Thousand Deserts
         

~Brian DeLay

"[Utley’s] long career as a Western American historian, his association with the National Park Service, a

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Geronimo

(1829-1909)

Who Was Geronimo?

Geronimo was an Apache leader who continued the tradition of the Apaches resisting white colonization of their homeland in the Southwest, participating in raids into Sonora and Chihuahua in Mexico. After years of war, Geronimo finally surrendered to U.S. troops in 1886. While he became a celebrity, he spent the last two decades of his life as a prisoner of war.

Early Years

A legend of the untamed American frontier, the Apache leader Geronimo was born in June 1829 in No-Doyohn Canyon, Mexico. He was a naturally gifted hunter, who, the story goes, as a boy swallowed the heart of his first kill to ensure a lifetime of success on the chase.

Being on the run certainly defined Geronimo's way of life. He belonged to the smallest band within the Chiricahua tribe, the Bedonkohe. Numbering a little more than 8,000, the Apaches were surrounded by enemies — not just Mexicans, but also other tribes, including the Navajo and Comanches.

Raiding their neighbors was also a part of the Apache life. In response, the Mexican government put a bounty on

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Geronimo

Leader of the Bedonkohe Apache (1829–1909)

For other uses, see Geronimo (disambiguation).

Gerónimo
Photograph by Frank Rinehart, 1898
Preceded by	Juh
Born	June 16, 1829 (1829-06-16) Arizpe, Sonora, Mexico[1]
Died	February 17, 1909(1909-02-17) (aged 79) Fort Sill, Oklahoma, U.S.
Resting place	Apache Indian Prisoner of War Cemetery, Fort Sill 34°41′49″N98°22′13″W / 34.696814°N 98.370387°W / 34.696814; -98.370387,
Spouse(s)	Alope, Ta-ayz-slath, Chee-hash-kish, Nana-tha-thtith, Zi-yeh, She-gha, Shtsha-she, Ih-tedda, and Azul
Children	Chappo, Dohn-say
Mother tongue	Apache, Spanish
Signature

Geronimo's chronology

Gerónimo (Mescalero-Chiricahua: Goyaałé, lit. 'the one who yawns', Athapascan pronunciation:[kòjàːɬɛ́]; June 16, 1829 – February 17, 1909) was a military leader and medicine man from the Bedonkohe band of the Ndendahe Apache people. From 1850 to 1886, Geronimo joined with members of three other Central Apache bands R