Apache warrior Geronimo regretted surrendering till the day he died

GERONIMO, the Apache warrior, was a thorn in the US army’s side for years.

And even when he surrendered in Mexico, on March 27, 1886, to bring the main phase of the longrunning Apache Wars to a close, he continued to make trouble for them.

Warned by a cavalry trooper that he would likely be killed as soon as they crossed the border, Geronimo and his men slipped away and it took another six months, as well as 5000 soldiers, 600 Indian scouts and thousands of militia to finally capture the 25-strong band.

Geronimo – it means “the one who yawns” – then spent the rest of his life as a prisoner at Fort Sill, even though he became a celebrity by appearing at fairs across the country.

He died after being thrown from his horse in 1909.

He was almost 80 but his last words were: “I should never have surrendered.”

In 1986, an anonymous letter claimed members of a secret society of Yale University students, who were based at Fort Sill during the First World War stole Geronimo’s skull.

One of them, Prescott Bush, was the grandfather and great-grandfather of future presidents George and George W. Bush.