Geronimo: An American Legend Page #2

You seem to have provoked the hostiles.

And I don't think you want to get

into a contest with the Sixth Cavalry.

Let me tell you something.

Even the Sixth Cavalry is subject

to a Federal warrant.

Justice will be served...

...one way or the other.

Toothy.

Get the Apaches going, Mr. Davis.

Now.

Sir.

We moved north with all possible speed...

...but our pack mules prevented us

from making good progress.

Around 4:
00 in the afternoon,

we caught sight of the Tombstone Posse.

Faced with the potential enemy

that possessed superior numbers...

...Lieutenant Gatewood hit upon

an unusual tactic.

He divided his forces.

He sent me ahead with the others,

while he and Geronimo remained behind.

The lieutenant had two objectives.

First, to attempt

a rear-guard protective action.

Second, and most important,

never to lose sight of Geronimo.

Easy, steady!

What you seeing, Davy?

Looks like some of them split off.

Six or seven of them headed

to San Carlos...

...other two up yonder.

That's more of a lynch mob than a posse.

But if they serve those warrants,

I'm going to have to give you up.

You have a good long glass, Gatewood.

If I scare them off...

...we trade.

I can't let you kill any of those men.

That was a great shot.

Not so great, I aimed for his head.

We best catch up to Mr. Davis

and the others now.

This your name?

Gatewood?

Yes.

A gift from my troops.

They must think you're a fine chief.

No.

Not a chief, just a soldier.

Your glass much better than mine.

Blue stone is valuable to Apache.

Well, thank you.

The following afternoon,

we arrived at the military base...

...of operations at San Carlos.

This afforded me my first glimpse

of General Crook...

...who the Apache called Nantan Lupan,

Grey Wolf Chief.

Our arrival was laid out

with great military ceremony.

The surrender of Geronimo

was no small event.

General.

My compliments, Lieutenant.

Nantan Lupan.

It does my heart good

to see you, Geronimo.

I accept your surrender.

I accept the surrender of a great warrior.

Now, let's have a cup of coffee

and smoke a cigar.

Got a lot to talk about.

It's old Geronimo.

Good to see you, ain't it?

You know my friend, Al Sieber.

Yeah. I was always hoping

to catch up to you myself, but...

...I guess I'll never get that chance now.

-Mr. Sieber.

-Lieutenant.

I see you have your cigar and coffee.

Lieutenant Gatewood told me

of your trip up from the border.

Sounds like quite a story.

I'm glad to see that Geronimo's

a man of his word.

Washington's ordered me

to detain you here for a short period...

...and then send you and your band

of Chiricahua on to Turkey Creek.

We keep our rifles for hunting.

Yes, but only on the reservation.

I'll put one of my officers in charge there.

Gatewood.

No, I'm sorry, Lieutenant Gatewood

is a company officer.

He has his responsibilities here.

Then we take Davis.

I like Davis.

I'm sure Mr. Davis will be a fine officer...

...but I had somebody

more experienced in mind.

I like Davis.

-What do you think, Lieutenant?

-I'm sure it will be his privilege...

...as well as his duty.

Mr. Davis, it is.

To be accompanied

by a small detachment of soldiers.

The Apache will be under the protection

of the United States Army.

Mr. Davis is young.

Young Apache, young White-Eye,

the hope of the West.

Gatewood.

You come visit me.

I would like that.

I hope the wars are over, my friend.

Nantan Lupan wants the Chiricahua

to learn to be farmers.

It's their only chance.

They must change.

The old days are gone.

Nantan Lupan says there must be

no leaving this reservation...

...even for a few hours without permission.

There must be no drinking

of whiskey or Tizwin.

Any violations of these rules...

...will result in confinement in an Army

prison stockade.

He want to know why these rules.

Why they be punished?

What you care if Apache drink?

Soldier drink.

Nantan Lupan says

if Apache drink, Apache fight.

Apache get into trouble.

It's bad for everyone.

It's bad for the Apache,

it's bad for soldiers...

...bad for all the White-Eyes.

Say, why, if some Apache do bad things,

all are punished?

That will not happen.

All Apache should not be punished

for the mistakes of only a few.

We will determine who is responsible

and only those few will be punished.

Six weeks after I took up residence

at Turkey Creek, Lieutenant Gatewood...

...and AI Sieber came to visit.

Sieber, as Chief of Scouts, was in charge

of recruiting Apache for the Army.

Hello there, Mangas.

Just the fellow I want to see.

I want you to join the Army, all right?

Wolves with blue coats,

scouts to help us fight the renegades.

You'll be a sergeant, wear a blue coat,

stripes on your coat, with Army pay.

I don't know, Sieber.

Well, you are a warrior. You hunt men.

You'll make your woman,

make your children proud of you.

Mexicans, they took my wife, my little boy.

Maybe the Army could help get them back.

I think maybe I stay here.

If I was asking you out on a raiding party,

I expect you'd be a lot more willing.

Federal government had forced

over 500 Chiricahua...

...to take up residence

within Turkey Creek's narrow borders.

Corn was the main crop, but the land

was not fertile enough to be self-sufficient.

The Chiricahua became dependent on

government supplies for their well-being.

Gatewood. You come to visit me.

Makes my heart glad to see Geronimo.

How's the life of a farmer?

Some Apaches are good farmer.

Others miss the old way.

I'm not good farmer, Gatewood.

I have come here to visit my friend...

...but I have some questions

I need to ask you.

There are rumours that a medicine man

is speaking against the White-Eye.

That he is calling for a return

to the war trail.

It was told by a medicine man...

...many more Apache would die

fighting White-Eye.

And in the end...

...we will win because we will die

free of them.

Is the only way for an Apache to be free...

...to die?

Well, which medicine man is this?

I should talk to him.

Find out what he's saying.

There are many.

Some have the power.

Some just talk.

He's a warrior.

Every bit born in battle.

Fighting a lost cause.

I'm familiar with the type.

My two older brothers and my father

fought for the Army of Northern Virginia.

My oldest brother was killed.

My father was wounded, crippled.

After the war, he took me aside and said,

'You'll carry the new flag.'

Sent me off to the Academy.

First of my family

north of the Mason-Dixon line.

So, like our friend,

I know what it's like to hate the blue coat.

Before the White-Eye came

we had a good life.

Now we are forced to stay

on this tiny piece of land.

The White-Eye do not understand

the way of the Apache.

The medicine man at Cibecue

is called the Dreamer.

He says the dead chiefs will rise.

He says the Apache

are the true keepers of the land.

I will go to him.

I want to hear his words.

Today while Gatewood talked with me,

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