CHAPTER XXXV.

THE APACHE AND THE SOLDIER.

GENERAL CROOK AND HIS EXPERIENCES-CHARACTER OF THESE INDIANS-ILLUSTRATIVE IN-
STANCES A WILDERNESS CEMETERY MOUNTAIN FASTNESSES OF ARIZONA
RESOURCES OF THE APACHE IN WAR A FORMER CAMPAIGN.

ENERAL CROOK had been trying for years to bring the Apaches to terms, and on several occasions within thirty years they had pretended to surrender and had accepted the terms given them by the government. They would then go back to their agencies with their plunder, stolen stock, and for a fresh supply of the munitions of war, and after remaining quiet for some time would suddenly break out again with renewed ferocity. There were various bands of Apaches-Yuma, Mohave, White Mountain, Chiricahua and other branches. The Chiricahuas were the worst, wildest and strongest of all. The Apache regarded himself as the first man; the "superior man," as the word Apache indicates. In some respects they really were superior. They excelled in strength, activity, endurance, and also in cruelty. They were cruel to everything that came within their power. If the young Apache could capture a bird or a mouse or any living thing, he took the keenest delight in torturing it, and this species of cruelty did not disappear even when they grew to be stalwart men. They took pleasure in tormenting any living creature from a bird to a horse. Their atrocities are simply too horrible and shocking to write out in words.

There is an Indian by the name of Schimizene still living in that Territory who, for a number of years was in the habit of traveling past a certain white man's dwelling, and on these occasions was always treated kindly, given food, and made comfortable whenever he cared to tarry. One morning after having stayed there long enough to secure a good breakfast, he picked up his rifle and killed his benefactor, and then went away boasting of what a strong heart he had. "Why," he remarked, "a weak man or a coward could kill his enemy or any one who had done him an injury; but it takes a man of a strong heart to kill a friend or one who has always treated him kindly." This is a specimen of Apache reasoning.

At another time during Indian hostilities he captured an unfortunate white man and buried him, all but his head, in close proximity to a large black ant hill such as are found in that country, sometimes two feet high and from one to three feet in diameter. The unhappy victim lived for two days, suffering the most excruciating torture while the ants slowly ate away the flesh from his head.

APACHE CRUELTY.

Another incident showing the heartlessness of this people was related to me by one personally cognizant of the facts, and of undoubted trustworthiness. A renegade, or outlaw Indian, had committed several murders and was wanted to answer for his numerous

crimes, but the official at the agency had found it impossible to arrest him, as he rarely appeared there, and kept himself concealed in some safe mountain retreat. Seeing no other way of securing the criminal the officer in charge called up a dissolute Indian, a cousin of the outlaw, and told him that if he would go out into the mountains and bring in the culprit alive, or if that was impossible, a proof of his death, he would give him a certain horse, which was pointed out to him. One morning not long afterward, the officer was in his quarters seated at the breakfast table, when this Indian appeared before him carrying a sack over his shoulder. He advanced to where the officer was sitting and remarked with much apparent satisfaction that he had come for the horse, at the same time shaking the head of his relative from the sack to the floor at the officer's feet; and the Indian received his fat gray horse.

A short time after this, as the officer was going about the agency, the same Indian motioned to him to come round the corner of the agency building that he might speak to him in private. The officer naturally not

having much confidence in the sense of honor of this particular savage, called an interpreter to go with him. He need not have feared, for the Indian merely wished to say that if the officer had another good gray horse, he had another cousin whose head he could bring in at any time. The instance given conveys but a faint idea of the unique character of the Indian I found myself called upon

to subdue. He was, besides, pos

sessed of resources not under the
control of the white man.
He required noth-
ing of the white man
to support life, and
wanted only his weap-
ons for warfare. The
deserts and the moun-
tain fastnesses were
his allies, and with his
knowledge of the en-
tire country, he could
find in the rocks tanks
of water where a white
man would die of
thirst. Even in the
desert the cactus was
used for both food and
drink, nature aiding

CLAIMING HIS REWARD.

him where she was fatal to the white man. Indians fled to the most inaccessible mountains of Mexico, and not till the treaty made in 1882, did it become possible for our troops to pursue them into that country.

As previously stated, General Crook had been trying for years to bring the Apaches to terms and keep them under control. In 1883 he made an expedition into Mexico which resulted in the return of the Chiricahuas and Warm Springs Indians under Geronimo and Natchez to the Apache reservation.

For nearly two years they remained quiet, when tiring of peaceful pursuits, Geronimo, Natchez, Mangus and many others, in May, 1885, again went on the warpath and fled into Mexico. They were vigorously pursued but succeeded in eluding the troops and commenced again their work

of death and destruction from their base in the Sierra Madre Mountains. Captain Wirt Davis, Fourth Cavalry with his troop and one hundred Indian scouts, pursued them and surprised their camp near Nacori, Mexico. Lieutenant Hay, Fourth Cavalry (of the command), with seventy-eight

scouts, attacked their camp, surprising them, but only succeeded in capturing their camp outfit and killing two boys and a woman. Captain Crawford, Third Cavalry, with a bat

talion of scouts also proceeded to Mexico in pursuit, and his scouts under Chatto encountered Chihuahua in the Bavispe Mountains and captured fifteen women. An ac

count of this campaign is given by Captain Maus. Captain Dorst also commanded a similar expedition.

Despite constant pursuit these Indians succeeded in crossing back into the United States, murdering people, and destroying property. One band, Josanie with ten men, crossed into the United States, raided the Apache

reservation, killed some of the friendly Indians as well as thirty-eight white people, captured about two hundred head of stock, and returned to Mexico. This expedition occupied only four weeks and the Indians traveled a distance of over twelve hundred miles. That such a raid was possible despite the fact that in addition to the commands already mentioned, there was a large force of regular troops in the field (forty-three companies of infantry and forty troops of cavalry), shows the energy and daring of these Indians. The necessity of following and constantly harassing them being evident, two expeditions were again formed to go in pursuit. One consisted of a battalion of Indian scouts (one hundred and two men) and a troop of cavalry under Captain Wirt Davis, Fourth Cavalry, and the other of a battalion of Indian scouts (one hundred men) under Captain Crawford, Third Cavalry. The first battalion (Davis) was composed of San Carlos and White Mountain Indians, principally, and the second (Crawford) was composed of Chiricahuas, Warm Springs and White Mountain Apaches. The Indians of the battalion were largely a part of the band to be destroyed, and in every respect as savage and as able as they. Captain Davis operated in Chihuahua, while Captain Crawford proceeded with his command into Sonora. Captain Crawford selected the people composing his command on account of the fact that they were mountain Indians and knew the haunts of these to be pursued, being, indeed, a part of their bands. Many doubted the wisdom of taking these men alone with no troops, and predictions of treachery were freely made, but still officers volunteered for the duty. Those selected were Lieutenant Marion P. Maus, First Infantry, and Lieutenant W. E. Shipp, Tenth Cavalry, to command the companies, while Lieutenant S. L. Faison, First Infantry, was the adjutant, quartermaster and commissary officer, and Acting Assistant Surgeon T. B. Davis was the medical officer. The scouts were selected and enlisted, fifty each, by Lieutenants Maus and Shipp, thus forming the battalion of one hundred men.

The history of this expedition into Mexico, its unique formation, the almost unparalleled hardships and dangers it encountered, the tragic death of its commander, Captain Emmet Crawford, and the international phase of the affair, all give it an especial interest, and we will follow its movements in detail from the time the command left Apache till its return and muster out of the service-a period of six months. This account is best given in the narrative of Captain Marion P. Maus, who accompanied Captain Crawford, and is himself one of the most experienced officers in the service. His account illustrates the difficulties to be overcome, as well as the fortitude and courage of our officers and soldiers.