Geronimo’s Story of His Life · Chapter
Removals explained
Geronimo recounts moving his people to join Chief Victoria's band at Hot Springs after a period of hardship and scarcity.
What happens
Geronimo recounts moving his people to join Chief Victoria's band at Hot Springs after a period of hardship and scarcity. They enjoy a peaceful year with Victoria, culminating in a four-day feast. Geronimo then makes a treaty with General Howard at Apache Pass, praising Howard's honesty and fair treatment. After Howard's departure, internal conflicts and an incident involving outlawed Indians lead to the band's separation, with Geronimo returning to Victoria's band.
Themes in this chapter
Family and Community
Geronimo's band finds refuge and kinship with Victoria's band, sharing provisions and celebrating together, highlighting the importance of inter-tribal alliances.
Betrayal and Broken Treaties
Despite General Howard's honorable treaty, subsequent events—outlawed Indians, internal feuds, and poor rations as prisoners—show the fragility of peace and trust.
Displacement and Homeland
Geronimo's band moves from their range to Hot Springs, then to Apache Pass, and finally separates, illustrating the constant displacement and loss of homeland.
Characters to notice
- Geronimo
Narrator and tribal chief who leads his people to Hot Springs and later makes a treaty with General Howard.
- Victoria
Chief of the Chihenne Apaches who provides provisions and hospitality to Geronimo's band for about a year.
- General O. O. Howard
U.S. officer who made a treaty with Geronimo at Apache Pass and is praised for his honesty and fair treatment.
- Cochise
Received twelve steers during the beef issue at Apache Pass under General Howard's arrangement.
Key passages
“We had heard that Chief Victoria of the Chihenne (Oje Caliente) Apaches was holding a council with the white men near Hot Springs in New Mexico, and that he had plenty of provisions.”
Geronimo learned that Chief Victoria was meeting with whites near Hot Springs and had ample food supplies.
Geronimo's decision to seek aid from Victoria was based on news of Victoria's council and provisions.
“We never had so good a friend among the United States officers as General Howard. We could have lived forever at peace with him.”
General Howard was the best friend Geronimo ever had among U.S. officers, and lasting peace seemed possible with him.
Geronimo expresses deep respect and trust for General Howard, contrasting with later betrayals.
“Now, as prisoners of war in this Reservation, we do not get such good rations.”
Currently, as prisoners on the reservation, the rations are much worse than before.
Geronimo contrasts the fair treatment under Howard with the harsher conditions of his present imprisonment.