s and arrows and he was never injured in a fight with any of them.In the summer of 1858, when he was near the age of 30 he accompanied his tribe to trade. They made camp a short distance from a town. When most of the men rode into town to barter with the citizens, they left only a small guard over their possessions, wives, and children. On their way back they encountered fugitive women from their tribe who told them Mexicans raided the camp. The Mexicans stole their ponies and valuables and killed most of the women and children. The tribe separated and approached the camp from different directions. The information was true. Geronimo found his wife, three children and mother killed.Geronimo recalls "...there were no lights in camp, so without being noticed I silently turned away and stood by the river. How long I stood there I do not know but when I saw the warriors arranging for council I took my place" (qtd.Leider, et al 122). This incident marked a turning point in his life-Geronimo learned to hate that day and vowed to fight to the death for his land and people. To the Apaches, Geronimo embodied the very essence of the Apache values; aggressiveness and courage in the face of difficulty. These qualities brought fear to the settlers of Arizona and New Mexico. The apaches were mostly migratory following the seasons, hunting and farming. When food was scarce, it was the custom to raid neighboring tribes. Raids and vengeance were an honorable way of life among the tribes of this region. Their prowess in battle became the stuff of legend. "An Apache warrior, it was said, could run 50 miles without stopping and travel more swiftly than a troop of mounted soldiers" (Davis et al 126). During the mid-1800's, one Apache raid caused as many as 4,000 colonists to lose their lives. In the late 1800's, one U.S. Army general who had fought them meant it as a grudging compliment when he described the Apache as "tigers of the human species" (qt...
