Geronimo (Goyahkla)
~1829–1909 · Chiricahua Apache (Arizona/New Mexico) · American Indian Wars, Late 19th Century
Known for: Apache resistance leader who fought Mexican and American forces for 30 years—the last Native American leader to surrender
Geronimo waged guerrilla war against Mexican and American forces for three decades with never more than a few dozen warriors. He was the last Native American leader to formally surrender (1886), and it took 5,000 US troops to catch 35 Apaches.
After surrender, he was imprisoned for decades, became a celebrity (appearing at the 1904 World's Fair and Roosevelt's inauguration), and died as a prisoner of war in 1909. His name became a battle cry—paratroopers shout it jumping from planes.
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