Page:Geronimo's story of his life (IA geronimosstoryof00gero).pdf/192

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GERONIMO

States troops. Just before this fight we had been joined by a band of Chokonen Indians under Cochise, who took command of both divisions. We were repulsed, and decided to disband.

After we had disbanded our tribe the Bedonkohe Apaches reassembled near their old camp vainly waiting for the return of Mangus-Colorado and our kinsmen. No tidings came save that they had all been treacherously slain.[1] Then a council was held, and as it was believed that Mangus-Colorado was dead, I was elected Tribal Chief.

For a long time we had no trouble with anyone. It was more than a year after I had been made Tribal Chief that United States troops surprised and attacked our camp. They killed seven children, five women, and four warriors, captured all our

  1. Regarding the killing of Mangus-Colorado, L. C. Hughes of the Tucson, Ariz. Star, writes as follows: "It was early in the year '63, when General West and his troops were camped near Membras, that he sent Jack

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