Chief Black Hawk and Geronimo had something in Common

image from wikipedia
"I am now an obscure member of a nation that formerly honored and respected my opinions,  The pathway to glory is rough, and many gloomy hours obscure it.  May the Great Spirit shed light on yours, and that you may never experience the humility that the power of  the American government has reduced me to, is the wish of him, who, in his native forests, was once as proud and bold as yourself. "
From the Dedication to "The Autobiography of Chief Black Hawk, by Chief Blackjhawk

Modern writing does not include attestations of veracity or certify accuracy of translation--
but the book "Autobiography of Chief Black Hawk" does.
Published only 1833, just 3 years after the Book of Mormon, it contains a certification of authenticity of authorship by the district clerk and a separate certification of accuracy of translation by the "US Interpreter for Sacs and Foxes."
It also contains a separate dedication by the author, "When my last resources were exhausted, my warriors worn down with long and toilsome marches, we yielded, and I became your prisoner."

image from okgazette.com see their great article here

The book Geronimo's Story of His Life, was published in 1906, three years before Geronimo's death.  It was written down by S. M. Barrett as dictated by Geronimo and begins with no less than 10 endorsements from  Army Officers and the US War Department, who permitted the publication, and includes a preface by S.M. Barrett who explains he had to transcribe the story as best he might as Geronimo would permit no stenographer while he told his story.

I had always wondered at the Testimony of the Three Witnesses and the Testimony of the Eight Witnesses at the beginning of the Book of Mormon.  Reading these autobiographies published with the help of translators, helped me understand that it was typical for the times to have witnesses of authenticity and translation accuracy, especially in endorsing the source and accuracy of translation.