At the end, in the summer of 1886, they numbered thirty-four men, women, and children under the leadership of Geronimo. This small group of Chiricahua Apaches became the last band of free Indians to wage war against the United States Government. The 'renegades', as white men called them, were mercilessly pursued by five thousand American troops (one quarter of the US Army) and by three thousand Mexican soldiers. For more than five months Geronimo's band ran the soldiers ragged. The combined military might of two great mations succeeded in capturing not a single Chiricagua, not even a child.' From the Preface.

Of the many tales of conflict and warfare between the US Government and the Indian tribes, perhaps none is more dramatic or revealing than the story of the Apache wars. Those wars were the final episode of the US Government's subjugation of the indigenous peoples; the surrender of Geronimo in 1886 effectively ended the Indian wars.

Once They Moved Like the Wind is the epic story of the Apache campagin, told with sympathy and understanding. Using historical archives and contemporary accounts, David Roberts has writeen an original, stirring account of the last years of the free Apaches.

'Robert dips into a century or so of myth and misinformation, and comes up with a lucid and plainspoken history of what was intended by both sides to be a war of extermination. ' Los Angeles Times

About the Author
David Roberts is the author of seven previous books, among them The Mountain of My Fear and Jean Stafford: A Biography. He has been a contributing editor at Men's Journal, Outside and American Photo Magazines, and he has also written for National Geographic, Smithsonian and The Atlantic, among other publications. He lives in Cambridge Massachusetts.

Reviews
A distinguished, responsible, and, almost inevitably, exciting retelling of a sordid tale * New Yorker *
Roberts has fashioned a clear and engaging narrative of Apache survival... Well-researched, well-written... Compelling reading -- Paula Mitchell Marks * Washington Post Book World *
Roberts has achieved near perfect focus upon a people and their times... [A] brilliant, poignant history -- Jeff Long * Chicago Tribune *



Book Information
ISBN 9780712666282
Author David Roberts
Format Paperback
Page Count 384
Imprint Pimlico
Publisher Vintage
Weight(grams) 496g
Dimensions(mm) 234mm * 153mm * 28mm