Once They Moved Like The Wind

Shortly before Cochise's death, General George Crook was sent to the Southwest to subdue the Apaches and settle them onto reservations. Crook's predecessors had had little luck against the Apaches, who seemed to be able to melt into their mountain homelands when pursued. But Crook began using as scouts Apaches who had agreed to surrender and move to reservations. Thanks to the tracking skills of these Apache scouts, Crook was able effectively to pursue the free Apaches now under the leadership of Geronimo and other warriors. Geronimo, upset about the loss of his freedom, accepted the reservation for months at a time, only to break out and resume his resistance. In September 1886, recognizing the hopelessness of endless flight, he surrendered for good, having successfully eluded one-fourth of the U.S. Army.