Extract from the annual report (1886) of the Division of the Pacific, commanded by Major General O. O. Howard, U.S. Army.
Headquarters Division of the Pacific,
Presidio of San Francisco, Cal.September 17, 1886.
Adjutant General,
U.S. Army, Washington, D.C.:General: I have the honor to submit the following report upon military operations and the condition of the Division of the Pacific for the information of the Lieutenant General, and to make some suggestions for his consideration:
On the 17th of May, 1885, a party of about fifty of the Chiricahua prisoners, headed by Geronimo, Naiche, and other chiefs, escaped from the White Mountain Reserve, in Arizona, and entered upon a career of murder and robbery unparalleled in the history of Indian raids.
Since then, and up to the time of my assuming command of this division, they had been pursued by troops with varying success.
After the assassination of Captain Crawford, on January 11, by the Mexicans, the hostiles asked for a “talk,” and finally had a conference on March 25, 26, and 27, with General Crook, in the Canyon of Los Embudos, 25 miles south of San Bernardino, Mexico, on which latter date it was arranged that they should be conducted by Lieutenant Manus, with his battalion of scouts, to Fort Bowie, Ariz.
The march commenced on the morning of March 28 and proceeded until the night of the 29th, when, becoming excited with fears of possible punishment, Geronimo and Naiche, with twenty men, fourteen women, and two boys, stampeded to the hills. Lieutenant Manus immediately pursued, but without success.
Simultaneously with my taking command of the division Brigadier General Crook was relieved by Brigadier General Miles, who at once set out to complete the task commenced by his predecessor.
Geronimo and his band were committing depredations, now in the United States and now in Mexico, and, being separated into small parties, easily eluded the troops, and carried on their work of murder and outrage.
Early in May General Miles organized the hostile field of operations into districts, each with its command of troops, with specific instructions to guard the water holes, to cover the entire ground by scouting parties, and give the hostiles no rest.
An effective command, under Captain Lawton, Fourth Cavalry, was organized for a long pursuit.
On May 3 Captain Lebo, Tenth Cavalry, had a fight with Geronimo’s band twelve miles southwest of Santa Cruz, in Mexico, with a loss of one soldier killed and one wounded. After this fight the Indians retreated southward followed by three troops of cavalry.
On May 12 a serious fight of Mexican troops with the hostiles near Planchos, Mexico, resulted in a partial defeat of the Mexicans.
On May 15 Captain Hatfield’s command engaged Geronimo’s band in the Corrona Mountains, suffering a loss of two killed and three wounded, and the loss of several horses and mules, the Indians losing several killed.
On May 16 Lieutenant Brown, Fourth Cavalry, struck the hostiles near Buena Vista, Mexico, capturing several horses, rifles, and a quantity of ammunition.
The usual series of outrages, with fatiguing chase by troops, continued until June 21, when the Mexicans engaged the hostiles about forty miles southeast of Magdalena, Mexico, and after a stubborn fight repulsed them. …
About the middle of August Geronimo and his band were so reduced and harassed by the tireless pursuit of the soldiers that they made offer of surrender to the Mexicans, but without coming to terms.
Their locality thus being definitely known, disposition of the troops was rapidly made to act in conjunction with the Mexicans to intercept Geronimo and force his surrender.
On August 25 Geronimo, when near Fronteraz, Mexico, recognizing that he was pretty well surrounded, and being out of ammunition and food, made overtures of capitulation, through Lieutenant Gatewood, Sixth Cavalry, to Captain Lawton. He desired certain terms, but was informed that a surrender as prisoner of war was all that would be accepted.
The Indians then proceeded to the vicinity of Captain Lawton’s command, near Skeleton Canyon, and sent word that they wished to see General Miles.
On September 3 General Miles arrived at Lawton’s camp, and on September 4 Naiche, the son of Cochise, and the hereditary chief of the Apaches, with Geronimo surrendered all the hostiles, with the understanding, it seems, that they should be sent out of Arizona.
I am not informed of the exact nature of this surrender, at first deemed unconditional. …
Statement of W. T. Melton, Anadarko, Oklahoma.
From 1882 to 1887 I lived in southern Arizona, and was employed by the Sansimone Cattle Company.
In 1886 I was stationed in Skeleton Canyon, about 10 miles north of the boundary line between Arizona and Old Mexico, with J. D. Prewitt. It was our duty to ride the lines south of our range and keep the cattle of the Company from straying into Old Mexico.
One afternoon, when returning from our ride, we discovered an Indian trail leading toward our camp. We rode hurriedly out of the hills into a broad valley so that we could better discover any attacking parties of Apaches and if assailed have at least a fighting chance for our lives. We knew the Apaches under Geronimo were on the warpath, but they were far down in Old Mexico. However, our knowledge of the Indians led us to expect anything at any time—to always be ready for the worst.
When we reached the valley we struck a cavalry trail also headed for our camp. This was perplexing, for neither
