Geronimo's Vanishing Act

In 1884, trouble erupted among the peaceful White Mountain, Apache tired of being hungry and living like captives.  Geronimo slipped into Mexico along with 74 warriors to avoid arrest.  At this same time General Crook, named "Grey Wolf" by the Apache was reassigned to Arizona where the Apache trusted him.  He decided it was time to get tough with the corrupt Indian Agents but along with that he punished Apache for domestic abuse and drunkenness.

General Crook and his Apache Scouts

Crook was prepared to deal with the war leaders in the Sierra Madre by recruiting companies of tough, wild Apache scouts to track the warriors down.  Along with 193 Apache scouts and the cooperation of Mexico, Crook went into the Sierra Madre destroying Apache camps.  When the Apache began to surrender, Geronimo appeared among them.   That didn't last long as he led 42 warriors and 92 women and children back into Mexico.  The same scenario happened again the next year.  Geronimo talked peace with Crook in March of 1886, but the very next day he vanished again with 20 warriors and their families.

The next year, Crook was replaced by General Miles, who sent 5000 troops against the warring raiders.  Miles made two important decisions - one was harsh and unjust, one offered peace.  First Miles rounded up all the reservation Apache and Apache scouts who aided Crook and sent them to Florida so they could not aid Geronimo again.  Second, he met with Geronimo in September 1886 to talk peace.  Geronimo's acceptance was the end of the Apache wars along with his reign in the Apache tribe.

The Indian Rights Association along with General Crook protested the living conditions in Florida and the separation from their Apache families.  Eventually the men were reunited with their wives and children in 1887.  In 1894 they were sent to Fort Sill, Oklahoma where Geronimo died in 1902, still hoping to get back to his beloved Southwest.

Next time...the Dwindling Reservations
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Today in Pioneer History:  "On March 5, 1815, Franz Anton Mesmer, a German physician who pioneered the medical field of hypnotic therapy, dies in obscurity in Meersburg, Swabia (now Germany)

Dignity Not Included

It was America's 100 year anniversary but the nation was in a sober mood.  The defeat and death of Custer at Little Bighorn put a damper on the celebrations.  To the public, Custer had been the dashing Indian-fighting hero of the West.  The victorious Indians found their victory celebrations brief as well as nearly 1000 northern Cheyenne on their way to join Sioux chief Crazy Horse, were beaten back in July 1876 by Col. Wesley Merritt and the 5th Cavalry at a place called War Bonner Creek.  The defeated Cheyenne turned back to the Red Cloud Agency and ended their campaign.

The Army was too large now and cumbersome to chase the scattered tribes so they took measures to control the Indians instead.  On October 23, Red Cloud and his warriors were forced to disarm their camp at the Red Cloud Agency.  To add to their humiliation, General Crook told Red Cloud the United States no longer recognized him as a Sioux chief.  The army seized all the Indians arms and their ponies as well.  The ponies were later sold to buy cows for the Indians instead.

Congress decided to force the Sioux to give up the Black Hills and if they refused, they would no longer get any food.  Surprisingly, a few chiefs signed the treaty, despite the terms, including giving up all hunting rights outside the new reservation area.  Many Indians remained defiant.  Crook planned a winter campaign to "finish off the Indians."  In late October 1876 Col. Nelson Miles succeeded in tracking down Sitting Bull and his Sioux warriors at Cedar Creek in Montana.  Two day later, 2000 Sioux surrendered, but Sitting Bull escaped into Canada. 



Next time...Another great warrior's end
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Today in Pioneer History:  "On January 29, 1861, Kansas, deeply divided over the issue of slavery, was granted statehood as a free state in a gesture of support for Kansas’ militant anti-slavery forces, which had been in armed conflict with pro-slavery groups since Kansas became a territory in 1854.

In the End They Lost it All...

By this time it isn't hard to figure out that the Sioux Nation wasn't too happy.  Leaders like Red Cloud, Spotted Tail and Little Big Man were legendary in their attempts to negotiate with the US Government to the stop the destruction of their sacred lands.

They were unsuccessful and headed to the West River country to gather for council warfare against Custer and the Calvary.

Scouts for Custer were considered enemies of the Sioux, Shoshone and Crow, some 300 in all.  General Crook (great name for this :) who was to guard the French Creek diggings from prospectors, was treated to a war dance by the Shoshone.

The Sioux Confederacy collapsed  and Crazy Horse, the greatest of the Sioux warriors, surrenders to Crook (you have to appreciate the irony) in May 1877. Crazy Horse was killed shortly thereafter in a riot at Fort Robinson due to a "misunderstanding".  His grave is said to represent the lowest of the Sioux history.

Next time...did it really make a difference?