Original subtitles

The hostile Apache that Dutchy and I had been pursuing had gotten away.

Needless to say, at the time, I was humiliated.

But much later I decided the incident had come out for the best.

I'm quite content to go to my grave knowing that l've never killed an Apache.

You all right, Mr. Sieber?

Caught up with three bucks and some stolen ponies.

Gave one of them to Mr. Davis. Seems he got away.

Sergeant Mulrey, check the area for a dead hostile!

Sir!

Now, we crossing to Mexico tomorrow?

That's right.

We ought to send some of the scouts back.

I don't trust them south of the border.

Geronimo's got a few of them spooked. They're wondering...

...if they're on the wrong side.

I don't think so, Mr. Sieber.

Besides, we need every scout we have.

Yes, sir.

I guess you weren't there then, when Dead Shot and the others...

...turned on us at Cibecue.

If I had been at Cibecue, they wouldn't have turned.

Whole thing wouldn't have happened, Al.

I know you don't like me much and I don't really care.

I know l'm rough in some of my ways, I guess.

I ain't the gentleman type.

But, I think...

...compared to you, I am somewhat honest.

No offence intended, Lieutenant. Speaking off the record, sir.

I just figure you're a real sad case.

You don't love who you're fighting for...

...and you don't hate who you're fighting against.

Perhaps I could learn to hate with the proper vigour from you, Al.

Well, maybe you could, Lieutenant.

Though I never managed to become a close friend of AI Sieber...

...in the next few weeks of campaigning, I did learn to get along with him.

Only a fool would fail to profit from his vast experience.

In his own way, he was as taken by the Apache...

...as was Lieutenant Gatewood.

Well, sir...

...your Apache rides a horse to death and eats him and steals another.

I mean, the horse is just mobile food.

I've chased them when they made 50 miles a day on horse and foot.

Hell, they can live on cactus, go 48 hours without water.

I mean, one week of that would kill your average trooper.

I hear you can track as good as any Apache.

That's right, but there's only one of me and 1,000 square miles of Apache country.

General Crook figured that out, 'cause it takes an Apache to catch an Apache.

White-Eyes can't catch them alone, no sir.

If you ever fight an Apache and things go bad, save the last bullet for yourself.

You don't want to get taken alive, no sir.

They got lots of ways to kill you.

One of their favourites is to strip you, tie you upside down to a wagon wheel.

They pour pitch on you, light you on fire.

I know you are angry about this war.

The White-Eye...

...gave me no choice.

I ask your blessing.

You ask my blessing after this thing is done.

What I did is right.

Now we are fighting Mexicans and White-Eye.

The reservation is bad, but at least we can stay alive.

We have fought the Mexicans for years...

...and the White-Eye will never catch us.

Many Apache will die. I must send for Nantan Lupan.

We will talk with him. I ask that you do this.

General Crook and a small detachment of Apache scouts...

...came across the border into the Canyon de los Embudos.

Crook had agreed to negotiate terms, but he intended a hard bargain.

For the rest of his life, he never forgave Geronimo forjumping Turkey Creek.

Crook maintained his sympathy for the Apache...

...but between he and Geronimo all trust had vanished.

There is one God looking down on us all.

We are all children of one God.

I didn't come here to listen to religion.

You broke your word.

You left Turkey Creek.

You killed many White-Eye. You come back.

Washington wants you to go to Florida.

You do it or l'Il come back with my army and fight.

Nantan Lupan does not understand.

The White-Eye try to change Apache way.

The Apache were doing fine farming corn.

The problem was Geronimo.

I knew Cochise, he was a king.

He was a wise ruler of his people.

I knew Vittorio, he was a proud leader.

And I know Geronimo.

He doesn't want to lead or rule or be wise.

He just wants to fight.

I didn't start this trouble.

The Army killed the Dreamer.

He was calling for war.

If the medicine man had come in peaceably, he'd be alive.

There's no excuse for taking up arms against the United States Army.

The Army's the best friend the Chiricahua ever had.

You know it and I know it.

With all this land, why is there no room for the Apache?

Why does the White-Eye want all land?

How long in Florida?

Maybe two years, with your families.

I think I can get that.

That's not a bad deal.

A lot of White-Eyes want to see Geronimo hanged for murder.

Not murder.

War.

Many bad things happen in war.

How many White-Eye did you kill since you left Turkey Creek?

Maybe 50.

Maybe more. How many Apaches do you kill?

You killed women and children.

So did you.

We gain nothing by fighting.

We can live on the reservation.

I go there.

You, Nantan Lupan...

...are like a brother to me.

Many of my people want to surrender.

When I was young...

...the White-Eye came and wanted the land of my people.

When their soldiers burnt our villages, we moved to the mountains.

When they took our food...

...we ate thorns.

When they killed our children...

...we had more.

We killed all White-Eye that we could.

We starved and we killed...

...but in our hearts...

...we never surrendered.

C.S. Fly, a photographer from Tombstone...

...requested permission to accompany General Crook to Mexico...

...and record the negotiations.

Much to everyone's surprise, Crook agreed.

Even more surprising, Geronimo and the other Chiricahua also agreed.

In some mysterious way, they seemed to understand these pictures...

...would make them immortal.

They are the only known photos ever taken of the American lndian...

...as an enemy in the field.

Old Nana and his people...

will return to Turkey Creek.

Many of his people are too old to fight.

Nantan Lupan will make all of you a prisoner.

We have to trust him.

There is no other way.

I called him my brother.

Go if you must. I have made my decision.

I will not surrender to the White-Eye.

I will stay with you and fight.

But now we will be very few.

'Thereby I tender my resignation as commander of this department.

'I have served you well in the past, but my judgment has been called into question.

'Without doubt, I made an error in trusting the word of Geronimo...

'...that he would surrender.

'Perhaps others will be more correct or more fortunate.

'The real tragedy I know you do not understand:

'That is, to the Apache people.

'They have lost in me a true friend...

'...and they have few.

'George Crook, Brigadier General, United States Army.'

I was forced to send this to Washington a day ago.

They've accepted my resignation...

...with regrets.

General Nelson Miles will replace me.

There's nothing to be done, General?

Nothing.

Graceful retirement for a general who could not catch Geronimo.

Settlers, prospectors, land speculators, they won't admit it...

...but the truth is they'd all like to see the lndian dead.

They see the Army as their weapon.

The Army that fight the Apache is the only hope of keeping the Apache alive.

Only the Army can protect them.

Yes, sir.

I fought them a long time, General...

...and I figure if I was one of them, l'd be standing next to Geronimo...

...shooting at the blue coats.

But God made me who I am and between them or us...

...l figure it's us.

Well, damn it, Al. Is that the only way we could win?

Well, I can't answer that question. I'm just a hired hand.

I just want to say, I didn't always agree with you...

...but you had my respect.

And while you was in charge...

...the Army was a proper piece of work.

Sir.

So, l'm going to quit this damn fool job. I'm going to go on down to Tucson and...

...l'm going to get drunk.

Take it easy, Al.

Yes, sir.

Al.

General Miles brought with him an entirely new staff of line officers.

Lieutenant Gatewood, myself and many others...

...had to taste the humiliation of being dismissed from the field.

I'm honoured to be here with you men of the Sixth Cavalry.

Honoured to be here by the order of the President of the United States.

We are charged with bringing in the renegade Apache, Geronimo.

We will accomplish this task. We will succeed.

But we're abandoning certain practices of the past:

Over reliance on Apache scouts.

Men of divided loyalties.

I will keep troops in the field until the enemy is fully subjugated...

...fully pacified.

There will be no compromise with the honour of our nation.

There will be no compromise with the honour of the United States Army.

Captain.

As he had promised, General Miles sent troops forward...

...without the Apache scouts.

For the next five months, they relentlessly searched...

...but the results were predictable.

Geronimo and his tiny band of Chiricahua...

...had vanished deep into the mountains of Mexico.

It seemed they were chasing a spirit more than a man.

Lieutenant.

I doubt if you're enjoying your current assignment.

Nothing personal, I understand you're a fine officer.

Do you know why I called you here, Gatewood?

No, sir.

Tomorrow a new policy change will be announced.

As punishment for Geronimo's resistance.

All Chiricahua living on reservation land are to be rounded up and sent to Florida.

They will stay there until Geronimo is captured or killed.

That's a harsh penalty that he's drawn on his own people.

I hear you and Geronimo were friendly.

Any relationship l've had has never compromised my effectiveness in the field.

I need you to speak freely with me.

Can you find Geronimo, talk to him?

I thought so once.

There's no way to be sure now.

The signs are that he's starving, or close to it.

Living on cactus and rabbits.

I know this because l've got observation points...

...and 5,000 troops stretched from here to Sonora...

...searching for--

Thirty-five Apache, sir.

That's what I believe he'Il be down to in a month's time.

Thirty-five starving Apache.

Begging the General's pardon, sir, but why not leave him to the Mexicans?

He can't continue to keep raiding across the border.

He can't afford to lose any more warriors, can't replace them.

The present political situation demands results.

I want you to find Geronimo and make him this proposal.

I have the authority to hunt him all the way to South America if I have to...

...but I want this nonsense to end.

Now, l'm willing to give you all the scouts you need...

...hundred-man detail, regular cavalry, mule pack team.

A hundred men won't do.

How many do you want?

Three.

I'd like to pick them myself.

Whatever happens, Lieutenant...

...this conversation that you and I are having never took place.

Any negotiations with Geronimo are to be strictly confidential.

Is that understood?

Two years in Florida.

Two years in Florida, with their families.

And when they return to reservation land here in Arizona territory...

...every warrior gets 40 acres of land...

...two mules.

I don't think you or the government intend to keep this promise.

You just offer it. None of the rest is your concern.

Do you know your scripture, sir?

'What does it profit a man to gain the whole world...

'...and lose his soul?'

Lieutenant.

You have your orders.

Lieutenant Gatewood chose the Apache scout, Chato, to accompany him...

...as well as myself and AI Sieber, who became bored with his retirement.

After four weeks of tracking Geronimo through the mountains of Sonora...

...we came across a burning lndian village.

What we found there was unspeakable.

There's two dead women there.

Two little kids.

Scalped them all, all four of them.

Bounty hunters.

Government down here pays 200 pesos a head for the men.

100 for the women...

...and 50 for those kids.

Kill any lndian, then claim they're Apache.

I don't see how any man can sink that low.

Must be Texans, lowest form of white man there is.

Who are these people?

They are Yaqui, not Apache.

The dying Yaqui told me five White-Eye and a Comanche...

They attacked before dawn.

Most of the men got away.

They go up into the hills...

...and come back one day, maybe two.

And come back for their families.

And build big fire and burn the bodies.

And they go join up with other Yaqui tribe...

...maybe find new wives.

They go off that way into the hills.

After they hunt Yaqui men they go to Soyapos...

...get their money.

You and Sieber, I want you to track the bounty hunters that did this.

Geronimo is here.

You want me to ride? l'm ready--

You need more rest...

The women have gathered medicine.

Do we leave at dawn?

Don't worry.

We will not fight tomorrow.

Sleep.

I have just seen my power. An iron horse comes over the desert.

I have seen a vision. An iron horse for the Apache.

Been down here...

...almost 20 years.

I was in the war.

Confederate officer.

After the hostilities ended...

...l went to Texas.

Got into a little scrape with the law.

Come down here, got a new name.

New start.

Wife.

Family.

But in my heart...

...well, hell...

...l'm still a Tennessee man.

My wife and her sisters...

...they trade with Apache women.

They come down from the mountains.

They've done it for years.

Few days back, some Chiricahua showed up near here.

Where?

Straight up Montana Avarripe.

I didn't expect to see many Americans down here.

-Where you fellows from? -Texas.

I keep a house in Brewster county.

Awful far from home, ain't you?

Well, we just came down here to try to make ourselves a living.

And what about you, friend?

It seems like you've got a real curious nature.

-You the law? -Me? Hell, no.

I'm just hunting that son of a bitch Geronimo.

Thought you might've come across something to help me out.

I'm sorry, amigo.

We ain't seen nothing.

Apache!

Why don't you sit down there, while we have us a drink.

We'Il take real good care of you.

Cover my back.

Anything happens, fire.

And keep firing.

Sir.

That Apache is with us.

Don't look like it to me.

He's a Sergeant of Scouts...

...in the United States Army.

Who the hell are you?

Charles Gatewood.

Lieutenant, Sixth Cavalry.

You boys are out of uniform.

Maybe he ought to wear one.

Somebody down here take that scalp of his...

...make themselves a little money.

Ten days ago, we came across a Yaqui village.

All the lndians slaughtered.

We come across the same type of thing a while back.

I tell you, this is a crazy country.

$100...

...buys that scalp back.

Nice doing business with you, Mr. Gatewood.

But...

...l changed my mind.

You rotten son of a bitch.

Amigo.

Move it, Dixie boy.

Goddamn.

I never thought l'd get killed trying to help save an Apache.

We got them, Mr. Sieber.

We got them all.

I've been gun-shot, arrow-shot 17 times.

Twenty years chasing old Geronimo.

I'd love nothing better than being there to...

...finish.

You don't have to account yourself to me, Al.

You're a brave man.

I never did have no kind of luck.

Never did.

I'm going to catch me a little sleep here for...

...a minute or two.

Rotten sons of bitches.

Gatewood!

No more burro!

Can't go higher!

Chato and l...

...are going on here alone.

You stay with the supplies.

Sir.

Are you giving me a choice?

That's an order, Lieutenant.

I know it's hard to come this far then stop, and l'm sorry.

But somebody's got to go back and tell the truth.

Britton...

...you're a fine officer.

Stay noble.

We're trying to make a country here.

It's hard.

Why did you bring him?

He is an enemy to his people!

He thinks you are.

He is a brave man to come here. Enough Chiricahua are dead.

They are dead because the White-Eye killed them.

Have they taught you to lie, Gatewood?

I don't lie.

But the truth is, General Miles will hunt you for 50 years.

He's already sent your families to Florida, which is far, far away.

Look around.

See how few warriors you have left.

If I kill White-Eyes forever...

...l am still Geronimo, an Apache.

Who are you, Gatewood?

Just a man like you.

And I want to go home.

I want to see my family.

My God....

My God is a God of peace.

A God of life, not death.

What does your God say?

Yosin is not here with us on the mountain.

Tell me, what is in your heart?

The war is over.

I offer this...

...because it has power for me.

Our fight must end here.

When I was young, I took a wife.

We lived in these mountains.

We have our family.

The Mexican soldiers came and they killed her.

They killed her and my two little girls.

They killed them because we are Apache.

I remember when I found their bodies.

I stood until much time had passed, not knowing what to do.

I had no weapon...

...but I did not want to fight.

I did not pray.

I did not do anything.

I had no purpose left.

After a year had passed...

...my power showed me how to get revenge.

And always, since then, I get revenge.

But no matter how many I kill...

...l could not bring back my family.

Yosin...

...the Apache God, is a God of peace.

I gave you the blue stone.

You give me this.

It will be peace.

On September 4, 1886...

...Geronimo and 34 Chiricahua men, women and children...

...surrendered to General Nelson Miles.

As he handed over his weapons, Geronimo simply said:

'Once I moved about like the wind. Now I surrender and that is all. '

He refused any further conversation with the General.

After arranging Geronimo's final surrender...

...Lieutenant Gatewood was transferred to a remote garrison in Northern Wyoming.

His continued presence would have been an embarrassing reminder...

...that the United States Army had failed to defeat a band of 35 Apache.

Instead of being rewarded with a medal for his heroic efforts...

...Lieutenant Charles Gatewood was sentenced to obscurity.

Sir, formation is ready.

Attention!

-Prepare to mount! -Present arms!

Mount!

Detail, arms, halt!

'By order of the office of the President of the United States...

'...all Chiricahua scouts are under arrest...

'...and will be transported to Fort Marion Prison...

'...Saint Augustine, Florida...

'...with the outlaw Apaches, led by Goyakla, known as Geronimo!

'The Apache scouts from the White Mountain...

'...Coyotero and Mescalero tribes are to return at once...

'...to their reservations.

'They will remain within these boundaries unless given express permission to travel.

'Their duties for the United States Army are at an end.

'We thank them for their services.'

Detail!

Collect arms!

I'm a good Apache, it's not right.

I'm Sergeant Chato, a scout.

Later that afternoon, Geronimo, his band of renegades...

...and all the Chiricahua that had served the Army so faithfully...

...were loaded into wagons and transported to the railhead at Holbrook.

There, they were to begin theirjourney to Florida and imprisonment.

Halt!

Morning report, sir.

Mr. Glenville, l'd like to see the General.

On what business?

It's about Mr. Gatewood.

Sir.

I thought the US Army kept its word.

I thought maybe we were the only ones left who did.

What's going on out there is a disgrace.

Lieutenant.

You're more worried about keeping your word to a savage...

...than you are fulfilling your duties to the citizens of this country.

We won. That's what matters.

It's over, Lieutenant.

Geronimo, the Apache, the whole history of the West, except being a farmer.

Mr. Gatewood wouldn't want me to be a part of any of this.

I hate an idealist.

There's always something messy about them.

I'm ashamed.

And you have my resignation.

To the disappointment of family and friends...

...l had ended my military career.

Over the years, the events surrounding the Geronimo Campaign...

...have continued to haunt me.

I carry the memory of those days...

...days of bravery and cruelty...

...of heroism and deceit.

And I am still faced with an undeniable truth:

A way of life that endured a thousand years was gone.

This desert...

...this land that we look out on...

...would never be the same.

You were right to fight the White-Eye.

Everything they said to me was a lie.

You helped them...

I will hate you forever.

There are so few of us left...

We should not hate each other.

She has the coughing sickness.

She will die soon.

Maybe the baby, too.

No one knows why the One God let the White-Eye take our land.

Why did there have to be so many of them?

Why did they have so many guns, so many horses?

For many years, the One God made me a warrior.

No gun, no bullets, could ever kill me.

That was my power...

Now my time is over.

Now, maybe, the time of our people is over.

Geronimo lived for another 22 years...

...as a prisoner of war.

Despite its promise...

...the federal government never let him return home.