The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1897-02-03
A DARING EXPLOIT.
AN OFFICERS DANGEROUS CALL
UPON CHIEF GERONIMO.
His Life Hung In the Balance as He
Walked into the Indian Camp
to Ask Their Sur
render.

The man from Tucson was talking,
and when his discourse is of Indians
or frontier desperadoes the people
near him in the Hoffman House Office
gather to listen.
'It was in the last Apache war, ten
years ago, which had as it's outcome
the deportation of the hostile Apaches
from Arizona to forts on the Atlantic
coast, where they were corralled be-
yond the power of doing further mis-
chief. After the renegades had sur.
rendered in March, 1856, to General
Crook, thirty-fve of them, including
Geronimo, their war chief, and
Natchez, the son of the famous
Cochise, slipped away by night and
went again on the warpath. For five
months they were at large, raidine
and massacring over a region compris'
ing 10000 square miles of mountain.
Gus country, while 5000 soldiers on
our side of the line and as many Mexi-
can soldiers across the border were
trying to run down and intercept them.
The trouble was not in fighting them
half company OF our troops could
have whipped the whole band of rene
gades in fair fight in an open field
but to overtake and bring them to an
engagement. They knew the trails
and passes and water holes of the vast
mountain region in which they opera
ted, and, being swift and tireless run.
ners, with no baggage to impede them,
they kept up their game of hide and
seek with our troops for long time.
Everywhere that they went their
course was marked by cruel murder
and outrage, with every horror of In
disn warfare enacted in it's worst form.
Following the appointment of
General Miles to the command of the
Department of New Mexico and
Arizona the pursuit of the hostiles was
carried forward with fresh vigor.
Everywhere that they were likely to
go the mountains were thoroughly
secuted, guards were stationed at the
principal water holes, and the hello.
graphic service, then newly intro
duced, flashed orders to troops in the
field and information of the move
ments of the Apaches from one peak
to another over vast areas of country.
Captain Lawton, of the Fourth Cav
airy, led the direct pursuit of Gero-
nimo's band, and gave the Indians no
rest. Several times he captured their
camp with its provisions, stock and
munitions, but on every occasion the
Apaches got away among the noun
tains in time to save their skins. The
United States got too hot for them
and they crossed the border into Mex
leo. Captain Lawton followed them,
and the Indians, pursued by our
troops and the Mexican troops at the
same time, found themselves in tight
place.
"This was in the middle of August.
1t was learned through deserter a
lew days later that Geronimo's band
was encamped near the town of From
:eras, in the Sierra Madre, and that
hey were exhausted by the fatigues
ii their long fight, were short of
iood, and nearly out of ammunition.
The Apaohes were trying to make
:ern,s with the Mexicans on the basis
of peace with them. while they should
De left free to raid northward into
United States territory. With Captain
Lawton's command was Lieutenant G.
8. Gatewood, of the Sixth Cavalry, an
Indian fighter, who spoke
the Apache language and personally
knew Geronimo. He volunteered to
90 to the Apache camp and treat with
the Indians for their surrender. With
two Chiricahua scouts as companions
be set out on his errand in advance of
the column Of soldiers.
"The Indians were encamped in an
Did, abandoned Jesuit mission village,
built of adobe houses with an adobe
wall about it. On arriving near the
place Gatewood left his horse with the
two scouts outside, and walked alone
into the village. At sight of him the
Indians seized their guns; recognizing
Geronimo among them, he laid down
his carbine and beckoned to him. The
Chief came forward and the two sat
down on pile of stones to talk
while the warriors waited in
ominous silence for the orders of their
leader. Geronimo's first emotion
seemed to be of sstonishment that the
white man should put himself into his
power, and his first words were of
sinister import.
"'Are you aware of the danger you
run in coming into our camp? he
said. You are foolhardy. Do you
expect to leave this place alive?'
"Gatewcod, knowing that his life
was in the balance, answered him with
perfect composure.
Certainly you can kill me- he
said. But would that be the act of a
great chief toward one who has given
him his confidence? What have you
to gain by it? Our troops are coming
upon you from the north, and the
Mexican troops have surrounded you
from the south. Would you not bet
ter surrender to us than be killed or
trust to the mercy of the Mexicans?'
''Hhs conversation thus begun led
by degrees to the subject of capitula-
ton. Geronimo, ut first resentful and
suspicious toward all whites, gradu-
ally came around to the views of his
visitor, who, knowing the Indians
character, piled him with a judicious
mixture of fattery, intimidation and
appeals to his self-interest. Gatewood
was empowered to offer no terms but
unconditional surrender, with the
Increment that the prisoners should