The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1909-05-23
How Geronimo
Was Caught


so many different accounts have
been given Of the capture of Geronimo
that it is a pleasure 10 find an au-
thentic version Of it from the pen of
General o. Q. Howard, in a letter TO
the New York Tribune. He writes;
When General Miles was given COM
mand Of the campaign to capture
Geronimo, Lawton. who was then a
captain in the Fourth Cavalry, Went
ito him and asked TO be allowed TO
undertake the work, submitting 20
General Miles plans he had carefully
thought out and weighed. General
Miles approved the plans and gave
Captain Lawton command of the ex-
petition. promising TO keep him sup
piled with such things as the COM
mand would need. Captain Lawton
started on or about May ). 1856, from
Fort Huachuea, Ariz. Leonard Wood,
who had received an appointment as
doctor. arrived in time to accompany
the expedition. Captain Lawton and
DR. Wood We're the only men who en-
dured the whole five months of hard
work. The difficulties and hardships
encountered in a strange country-so
rough that shoes were worn out in
day or two; the feet blistered and cut
from the rocks and sore and swollen
from the cacti that covered the
ground: water 50 scarce that the suf-
fering was great and no shade or
| blade Of grass visible; then the rainy
! season, when not only the trail was
| washed. but the dry little river-beds
possible to cross without great danger
and loss Of time-it would fill pages
to tell.
Lieutenant Gatewood, Sixth Cayal-
ry was sent with two friendly Apaches
to communicate with the renegade. At
his own request, voluntarily putting
| himself under Captain Lawton's or
ders, he joined his command. After a
tireless. steady pursuit, never allow
ing the Indians time TO provide cloth-
ing or food for themselves, capturing
everything but their persons, they f.
nally came up with them in the Torres
Mountains, where Gatewood's Indians
went to talk with them, after which
Lieutenant Gatewood went. Geronimo
then agreed to talk with Captain Law
ton, who lost no time in meeting him.
Geronimo, after a short conference,
promised to accompany Captain Law
ton to a certain point, where he would
surrender to General Miles. They did
| this, with difficulty and annoyance, as
| Geronimo was very suspicious and as
Batchful as a hawk. They finally ar
| rived at Skeleton Canon, Ariz.. and
| the surrender was made uncondition-
| ally. and the territory freed from the
| marauding and unspeakable atrocities
| of the Indians. Meantime the supplies
did not reach the command, and Of
fcers were as scarce as shoes When
a company of infantry was left with
out any officer, DR.. Wood volunteered
| to take command, which he did in
very efficient manner. This was his
| first experience as a commander
When Geronimo was captured by
! Captain Lawton he fell down upon
4 his knees before the captain, and
h clasping him around the waist said he
wanted TO see the only white chieftain
that was able to capture him, and as
he marched through the villages the
women brought their children to see
the great soldier who had been able
to rid them of the cruel Indian. Law
ton wore out three companies of sol
diers in making the capture. and as
each company Of soldiers became ex-
hausted he ordered it back TO the bar
racks and got another one
| Henry Clews has been able to Oh
tain the above facts owing TO family
relationship with the late General
Lawton- The foregoing is true in
every particular. and I am glad to
concur fully in these statements. /
was commanding the military division
! at the time of this expedition.