liable to be attacked at any time. The next morning just at
daybreak our scouts came in, aroused the camp, and notified us that
Mexican troops were approaching. Within five minutes the Mexicans began
firing on us. We took to the ditches made by the stream, and had the
women and children busy digging these deeper. I gave strict orders to
waste no ammunition and keep under cover. We killed many Mexicans that
day and in turn lost heavily, for the fight lasted all day. Frequently
troops would charge at one point, be repulsed, then rally and charge at
another point.

About noon we began to hear them speaking my name with curses. In the
afternoon the general came on the field and the fighting became more
furious. I gave orders to my warriors to try to kill all the Mexican
officers. About three o'clock the general called all the officers
together at the right side of the field. The place where they assembled
was not very far from the main stream, and a little ditch ran out close
to where the officers stood. Cautiously I crawled out this ditch very
close to where the council was being held. The general was an old
warrior. The wind was blowing in my direction, so that I could hear all
he said, and I[23] understood most of it. This is about what he told
them: "Officers, yonder in those ditches is the red devil Geronimo and
his hated band. This must be his last day. Ride on him from both sides
of the ditches; kill men, women, and children; take no prisoners; dead
Indians are what we want. Do not spare your own men; exterminate this
band at any cost; I will post the wounded to shoot all deserters; go
back to your companies and advance."

Just as the command to go forward was given I took deliberate aim at the
general and he fell. In an instant the ground around me was riddled with
bullets, but I was untouched. The Apaches had seen. From all along the
ditches arose the fierce war-cry of my people. The columns wavered an
instant and then swept on; they did not retreat until our fire had
destroyed the front ranks.

[Illustration: LONE WOLF Chief of Kiowas

GERONIMO Apache War Chief]

After this their fighting was not so fierce, yet they continued to rally
and readvance until dark. They also continued to speak my name with
threats and curses. That night before the firing had ceased a dozen
Indians had crawled out of the ditches and set fire to the long prairie
grass behind the Mexican troops. During the confusion that followed we