Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1901-11-23
4 Heroic Act and Its ScnmeI.


appointment of Charles b. Gatewood as
the first made to West Point 10y presi-
dent Roosevelt reference was made to
il heroic adventure in 1885 of his father,
L. s. Cavalry, terminating IN he SIR
render Of Geronimo, the leader of the
Warm Spring band of Apache Indians.
The prelude to this daring act is quite
lengthy, but il must be said that Ger
OnimO, himself one of the bravoSt of the
brave, had been hunted and pursued for
months, one detachment following him
over / 400 miles in one stretch About
30 600 square miles were covered by
force of about 5000 L. =. soldiers, and
many Mexican troops on their side Of the
line. Gems Cook, Miles and Capt Law
ton (ater General, killed i'll the Phillip
pines were the officers i'll immediate
command.
Chased into Mexico at last, Geronimo
encampcd near the town of FronteraS, in
the Sierra Madrc mountains, worn out
and short of ammunition" Thence
Edward l.. Ellis History of Our Coun-
try continues:
Learning these facts, Lieut.. Charles b.
GatewOOd, of the Sixth Cavalry, volunteered
to go into the Apache camp and try to per,
suade Geronimo to surrender. Gatewood
spoke Apache, and was an old acquaintance
of the great war chief, but the task he offered
to perform was perIlOuS, ds, in the opinion
of his friends, to offer no hope and to invpl
the certain death of the daring officer. Gate
wood was an experienced Indian fighter, and
he knew these terOCiOuS mSCreants were in
the worst mood conceivable because of being
run down and the probability was that he
would be killed the instant he placed himself
within their reach. Nevertheless, he set out
without hesitation, accompanied by two CHR
ICdhua scouts.
The Apaches were encamped in an aban-
doned Jesuit mission village of old adobe
houses with an adobe wall aroundit it. When
near the place GatewOOd diSmounted. and,
leaving his horse in charge of the two scouts,
walked into the village. The moment the
Indians saw hIm they took up their guns.
Gatewood laid down his Carbine and recog-
nHing Geronimo beCkOned to him to APP.
proach The chief advanced and the two
sat beside each other on pile of stones for
ia k, while the sulen warriors, a short dis
lance away, gr.mly awaited the orders of
their leader.
Almost the first words of Geronimo were
demand of the visitor as to whether he knew
the risk he ran, and whether he expected to
leave the place alive. The lieutenants reply
was the only one that could save his life:
of course, you can kill me, but you are
great chief | nave known for years, and to
whom give my confidence. Could 70 gain
ANYTHING by it? The Mexican troops are
coming from the south, and weare only a few
miles to the north. You will soon be sur
rounded will YOU lot he wise, therefore in
surrenderIng To us and in trusting to our
honor?
Opening the conversation i'll this way, Gate
wood conducted it with exquisite tact.
knowing thoroughly the Indian character,
he fattered the terrible chief, lnlled his sus-
pciOn, aroused his selflnterest and increased
his fear Of the consequences of continuing his
raids and massacreS The officer saw that he
had succeeded in interesting Geronimo, who
finally promised on the assurance of Gate
wood that he shoIld be allowed to come and
90 in safety, to visit Captain LawtOn on the
morrow for the purpose OF having a talk with
him.
This ended Lieutenant GatewoOi's mission
and, bidding the chief goodby, he walked
out of the village ummOlested and returned to
camp On the following day Geronimo Wis
tied Captain Lawton, and soon after the two
set out for Fort Bowie to meet General Miles,
the Apache band and Captain LawtOn's com
mand marching on parallel lines, and often
emcamping within sight of each other.
Eleven days later they met General Miles at
Skeleton Canon, he being on his way from
Fort Bowie. AT tins place Geronimo and
Natchez, with their followers, surrendered
upon the single condition that their lives be
spared. Geronimo, NatChez, and two of their
warriors rode in an ambulance to Fort Bowie
| the nearest railway station, the others follow
ing on foot. Thence they were sent eastward
to Fort Pickens. Soon afterwards all of the
| Chircahua and Warm Spring Apaches re-
naming on the San Carlos reservation were
removed to Fort Marion in Florida.
Regarding the heroism dlslayed by Lieut..
| Gatewood Captain Charles Nordstrom says
when Lieutenant GatewOOd volunteered
to convey terms to Geronimo he knew that
his life depended on the simple caprice of one
Of the most blood-thirsty savages on the
| American cOntinent-that his chances of re-
turning to his wife and babe alive were less
than those of his scalp lock dangling from
| the end of a lodge pole would furnish the
| enemy as they danced around it the enthus-
assn necessary to continue the campaign.
| But If he thought of these things no one ever
| knew and he departed upon his hazardous
! journey with the same nOnchalance he would
! have prepared for his daily gallop. His mis-
sion proved suCCessful-GeronimO and his
people, excepting a small band under Mangus
who later surrendered to Cooper Of the
! Tenth Cavalry. This was the second time
GatewOod had bearded the lion in his den.
Geronimo had surrendered, The South
| West was wild with Joy. Men shook hands,
| Congratulating each other; women kissed and
wept IN each other 5 arms, for their little ones
were no LONGER in danger of having their
&e.y idv
lnho lnouId ThinL