APACHE INDIANS.
Arkansas City Traveler, November 1, 1876.
Ticoga, a son of Cochise, an Apache chief, died in Washington, on the 27th ultimo, and was buried in the Congressional burying ground. His home was in Arizona.
Arkansas City Traveler, November 22, 1876.
A band of Apaches attacked Eagle Springs Station, Texas, on Oct. 10th, and were driven off after an hour's fighting. The force at the post consisted of two negro soldiers, three Mexicans, the station keeper, and a stage driver. The Mexicans had gone to a spring near the station, and on discovering that the Indians were close at hand, had run back to the post. One of them fell to the ground, pierced with arrows and bullets, but his companions gained a place of shelter. The stage driver and a colored corporal posted themselves behind a rocky knoll commanding the approach of the body, and when the Indians rushed forward to take the scalp, a murderous fire checked their advance. Then the avengers, black and white, rescued the body, and buried it in a shallow trench, piling up a little mound of stones and surmounting it with a rude wooden cross bearing his name in pencil. Commonwealth.
Arkansas City Traveler, July 24, 1878.
The Indians are not accommodating. They won't keep still long enough to be whipped, and they must know that Howard can't go on forever chasing them up perpendicular precipices.
HOWARD=S BATTLE WITH THE INDIANS.
Gen. Howard found the Indians at Butte Creek, on the 8th, and advanced in two columns, one under Throckmorton, consisting of two companies of artillery, one of infantry, and a few volunteers, and the other under Bernard, consisting of seven companies of cavalry and twenty of Robbins' scouts. Howard accompanied the latter column. Bernard's scouts notified him of the vicinity of the hostiles, when the cavalry moved forward at a trot over three foot-hills, each over a mile in ascent. The Indians were strongly posted on a rocky crest. One company was left with the pack train, and the others deployed and advanced handsomely under a heavy fire.
The ascent is described as steeper than that at Missionary Ridge, but not a man broke the ranks, though several saddles were emptied and many horses killed.
The enemy was driven from this position to another height in the rear, of greater elevation, and crowned with natural defenses of lava rocks. In twenty minutes this position was also stormed from different sides at once, and a rapid pursuit commenced of the flying Indians, who abandoned horses, provisions, ammunition, and camp material.
The hostiles made for the thick timber crowning the Blue Ridge, and made another stand, but were again dislodged and pushed four or five miles further in the mountains.
The rough country and great exhaustion of the men and horses caused a cessation of the pursuit for the day. In this engagement five enlisted men were wounded and about twenty horses killed. It is impossible to state the loss of the enemy. Their women and children and best horses were moved before the fight began, apparently in the direction of the Grande Ronde, and the hostiles fled in that direction. Officers and men behaved in the best possible manner throughout the affair.
ANOTHER CHASE FOR HOWARD.
A dispatch received here says the hostiles were whipped back into the mountains by Gen. Howard, and have now started Eastward for Snake River, alongside the Blue Mountains, between Grande Ronde and Columbia valleys. They will cross Meacham's road between Summit and Pelican, and swerving somewhat south, pass into Walluwa and cross Snake River at the mouth of the Salmon.
THE IDAHO WAR.
The Piute chief, Natchez, with several companies, has had a conference with Gen. McDowel. He says the plan of the hostiles is to gather all the tribes in the vicinity of Columbia River, then to return on their trail and drive out the whites and friendly Indians from Southern Idaho, and that neighborhood.
FORCING THE REDS.
A band of Ute and Apache Indians having manifested unwillingness to be moved to the new reservations, Gen. Sherman instructed the army officers to render the inspector all the assistance he may require to carry out the provisions of the law.
[REPORT FROM REV. WINGAR.]
Arkansas City Traveler, March 5, 1879.
FROM ARIZONA.
PICKET POST, PINAL CO., A. T., Feb. 29, 1879.
But doubtless your readers are more interested in the renowned Apache. "What have we to say for them?" They do not steal; O no! They only take on their own responsibility. Are they to be trusted? Yes, where they have no power to do you an injury. They were here in large numbers during last summer and fall; some of them earning a little occasionally, and, well may be they didn't drink any muscal.
They are however spending the winter on their reservation, at San Carlos Agency, and taking lessons in civilization! Their future course is a problem I would not dare attempt to solve. We know that the bones of many a hardy and aventuresome pioneer are now bleaching in the sun, who were the victims of the guns and bloody scalping knives of the lordly Apache warrior.
Gen. Hatch lately followed the large band of Apache Indians, which caused so much trouble, into the San Andre mountains in New Mexico, and with the aid of Gen. Grierson's and Major Morrow's commands, surrounded them; and after a sharp fight, captured the whole camp, consisting of 400 warriors and a large number of women and children, besides over two hundred mules and horses, and a large amount of stolen cattle and other stock.
[EDITORIAL CORRESPONDENCE: LAST PART MILLINGTON=S JOURNEY.]
Winfield Courier, March 11, 1880.
VICTORIO.
While in New Mexico we heard much of Victorio and his band of Apache Indians. One day it would be rumored that he was on one side of the Rio Grande, the next day we would hear he was on the other side. There were reports of small fights, but no further reports of other depredations. On our way down, at Albuquerque, we saw two companies of colored cavalry on their way to join in the pursuit. The next we heard was that the Indians had disappeared and all trace of them was lost. On the 22nd of February, when we were at the Madalena mountains, 160 miles southwest of Santa Fe, we met some Mexicans who told us that Victorio was only twenty miles from us southwest, hiding in the San Matteo mountains. There does not seem to be any trouble between the Mexicans and Apaches. The trouble, say the Mexicans, arose from the persistance of Americans in going into what Victorio calls his territory and mining there after he had forbid them, and the Mexicans seemed to sympathize with Victorio in the position he took.
The fact is, Victorio and the Apaches are savages. Their tribes have always been wild and uncivilized, and always will be. So long as they exist, they will do as their nature and religion teach them, and prey upon others as far as they dare to. There is not the least use to try to teach them better, to civilize them. Long before you can teach a single one of them to respect the rights of Americans, their race will be extinct. Perhaps you might educate a rattlesnake so that he would not insert his fangs, but it will not do to depend upon him. Savages change only the slowest. It takes generations to make a perceptible change in the character of a tribe.
THE FOUR CIVILIZATIONS.
There are four civilizations now existing side by side in New Mexico. The Apaches, Utes, and some other type of "the noble red man" of the sensationalists of the past, low, dirty, degraded, beastly, treacherous, having nothing but their fears that can be trusted. The next race is the Pueblo Indian or Aztec; the third the Mexican; the fourth is the newcomers or Americanos.
THE PUEBLOS.
These people are called Indians, but are not properly so called. They are named from the Spanish pueblo, village, because when first found they lived in villages. They are generally considered to be the same race which Cortez found occupying Mexico 350 years ago; but I conclude they are a somewhat different race, that of the Moquis found in Arizona and perhaps even more ancient than the Aztecs, and when first discovered by Europeans, more highly civilized than were the Aztecs. They have always been an agricultural, and a quiet and peaceable people. They keep goats, burros, and some cattle and sheep, and cultivate the land, raising various crops by means of irrigation, as their ancestors have done from time immorial. They are rather smaller in stature than either the Indians or the Mexicans, dark complexioned, regular features, but straight, black hair.
Their style of building is the feature of their life most distinct from the Mexicans. Their houses are of adobe walls and dirt or earth roof, but different from Mexican houses in that they have no openings, either doors or windows, in the outer walls of their houses, and in that their houses are two stories. The first story walls are about twelve feet high to a shoulder of dirt covered roof of a few feet wide to an inner wall, which goes up about ten feet higher, forming a second story. The entrance is through the roof of this upper story. When you visit them, you approach the castle and call out. An inmate hears and climbs up a ladder one story inside, pulls up the ladder and climbs on it to the upper roof, pulls up the ladder and descends on it to the lower roof outside, places the foot of the ladder on the ground outside when the visitor climbs up to the jog, the ladder is pulled up and both climb on it to the upper roof, from which both descend on the same ladder to the interior.
This old style of building was adopted in early times when a peaceful people wanted protection against warlike enemies. Their quiet disposition leads them to observe the forms of the prevailing Catholic religion for the sake of peace with their hot-headed, superstitious neighbors, but they adhere, in fact, to their ancient religion, which is substantially that of the sun worship with its attending isms, but, withall, at least as little superstition as attends the prevailing religion as held by the ignorant Mexicans.
MEXICANS.
These are a mixed race of Spaniard and Indian or Aztec, largely of the latter blood. They are scarcely more intelligent than the Pueblos, and less industrious and moral. In each of their principal towns or grants is a head man, who usually claims to be pure Castilian, is usually intelligent, and appears to own most of the property of the community, and, as Manning says, "is the big bull of the herd." Some of these are extremely wealthy and live in barbaric splendor, mixed with the accompaniments of European and American wealth. The names of Baca, Chaves, Romero, Otero, etc., are among the few which are heard as the head men of these grants. These seem to have in charge the material interests of their communities, as the priests have control of the spiritual interests.
Arkansas City Traveler, April 14, 1880.
General Hatch has had an engagement with 300 Mescalero Apache Indians at San Andreas Mountains. Capt. Carroll and seven soldiers were severely wounded. A large amount of stock was captured from the Indians.
Winfield Courier, April 29, 1880.
Gen. Hatch lately followed the large band of Apache Indians, which caused so much trouble, into the San Andre mountains in New Mexico, and with the aid of Gen. Grierson's and Major Morrow's commands, surrounded them; and after a sharp fight, captured the whole camp, consisting of 400 warriors and a large number of women and children, besides over two hundred mules and horses, and a large amount of stolen cattle and other stock.
Arkansas City Traveler, January 6, 1881.
Major Mahan says that the Apache chief, Victoria, is surely dead.
Arkansas City Traveler, February 1, 1882.
Titsecomanse, a Cheyenne Indian, who went to New Mexico last spring in the interest of the Smithsonian Institution, has returned. He traveled along with a company of soldiers and related the story of a sharp fight with Apaches at White Mountain. In this encounter he forgot all about his bugs and went in for military glory. The battle resulted in the loss of several on each side. Our naturalist killed one Apache, whose scalp he brought home and now exhibits with great pride. He does not fancy bug hunting among hostile Indians and says he has explored New Mexico to his entire satisfaction. Titsecomanse is one of the original Florida prisoners. He spent two and a half years at St. Augustine, Florida, one year at Hampton, Virginia, and one year at the Smithsonian Institution, Washington. At the latter place he displayed considerable talent and soon became a general favorite.
Arkansas City Traveler, May 3, 1882. Editorial Page.
INDIANS ON THE WAR PATH.
SANTA FE, NEW MEXICO, April 28.
It has been supposed heretofore that the Indians now upon the war path were confined entirely to the Apaches, but it is now pretty definitely settled that the Navajos, or at least a part of them, are and have been concerned in the raids now being made and those which have been made.
The testimony of the woman, Placide Romero, who was captured just south of Cubero station, on the line of the Atlantic Pacific road last summer by Nana and a portion of his band, is to the effect that there were several Navajos in Nana's party and that they were as blood thirsty as the very worst of the Apaches. This their agent has denied, but the woman knows the names of some of the Navajos and they will be brought to justice. The woman was in the custody of the Indians for some months, but afterwards was recaptured and taken back to her family.
A STATE OF TERROR.
It is not very easy to describe affairs as they now exist in the western and southwestern parts of New Mexico, and the southern, southeastern, and eastern portions of Arizona. The Indians, consisting of bands of Navajos and Apaches, principally the latter, have sworn to kill every settler along the New Mexican and Arizona border, and are now engaged in their bloody work. The band which seems to be doing the greater portion of the slaughter is that led by Nana, while the party led by Cahise [Cochise], also, has killed a geat many. There are several bands, two of which are composed of the women and children, and these seem to be
TRYING TO REACH MEXICO.
The band with the women and children has a sufficient amount of braves to do guard duty, while another, numbering about one hundred and fifty warriors, is close behind to cover their retreat. These are not doing any killing, except where they happen to come across a settlement or a white party, and those they do not spare. Nana and Cahise roam around at free will and swear they will kill every white man they come across. So far they have kept their word, and their record is a bloody one. Arizona and New Mexico have never known anything like it. The latter is better protected than the former, as Gov. Sheldon and Gen. McKenzie had taken previous measures for the preservation of the settlers which have proved reasonably efficacious. A part of the Chihuahuas are also
OUT ON THE WAR PATH,
as it was a party of Apaches and Chihuahuas that Col. Forsythe attacked and really routed last Sunday. While Forsythe found the enemy, after dislodging them from their first position, eintrenched in an impregnable spot, and was forced to retire or suffer great loss, it was nevertheless a great victory for the troops, as the progress of the reds was checked. The troops behaved bravely, and during Sunday and Monday marched seventy-eight miles over a rough and rugged country, and were forty hours without water.
John P. Risque, an attorney for the Santa Fe railroad, with headquarters at Santa Fe, was killed by the Indians a few days ago while on his way from Silver City to Arizona City. It is not known what band or part of a band were the murderers, but General Woodruff, in command here, will spare no efforts to discover the perpetrators of the deed. Traveling is not safe now, and the coaches make their trips escorted by guards heavily armed.
MILITARY EFFORTS.
Advices from the seat of the present Indian outbreak are to the effect that the military are being rapidly disposed so that their services will be of more value than they are now. The troops will cooperate with the Mexican soldiery and if any of the reds are caught on the Mexican side of the line, they will receive rough treatment, as was the case a few days ago when the Mexican Gen. Rey met a large body of Apaches on the Arizona line and killed nine of them. The Mexicans did not get off so easily, however, their loss being eight men killed. The Indians swear they will give no quarter and that they expect none, so it is literally a war of extermination, so far as they are concerned. The reds are well armed, have plenty of ammunition, and have not gone on the war path without being thoroughly prepared. The situation is a very discouraging one, for the Indians will have the opportunity, it is feared, to slaughter many more settlers before the troops can come up with them. The victims of the slaughter so far will reach over one hundred, and may possibly reach two hundred.
Winfield Courier, May 4, 1882.
LO ON THE WAR PATH.
Five Hundred White Mountain Apaches Broken Loose.
The citizens of San Semin sent a special messenger on the night of the 27th to Guthrie=s Ranche, requesting him to notify all persons on the Gila River that five hundred White Mountain Apaches had broken out from the San Carlos reservation, and were heading for the Gila River. A son of Captain Lawson, who was recently killed by the Indians at Gold Gulch, arrived from Clifton on the 28th with disptaches of a smiliar tenor. There are over thirty men at Guthrie=s thoroughly well fortified. A good force well fortified is also located at Whitefoot Ranche half a mile below Guthrie=s, and active preparations for a vigorous defense are being made all along the river. The great want is for a sufficient supply of arms and ammunition.
Arkansas City Traveler, May 10, 1882.
We can take a lesson from the Mexicans as to the manner of treating the Indians. A few days since Col. Forsythe had a fight with the Apaches, killing a few, and having a few of his men killed in return. To get out of his way the reds fled into Mexico, where the Mexican troops got hold of them and killed or captured about one hundred, a fate which never would have befallen them had they remained in the United States. Besides, when the Mexicans get hold of savages who are on the warpath, they do not feed them taffy nor anything of the kind, as we do; they usually stand them up, and make corpses of them as soon as possible.
Arkansas City Traveler, November 8, 1882.
General Crook and the Apaches.
TUCSON, A. T., Nov. 3.
A Star's special from San Carlos, of the 2nd, says: General Crook held a final conference with the Apaches this morning. Every male Indian on the reservation capable of bearing arms, not excused on account of sickness, was present. They were told the time had now come to make an effort to earn their own living and govern themselves. After being among them nearly two weeks studying their wants, General Crook is sorry to find how little progress any of them had made towards civilization and self-support, while a majority are not so well off today as they were eight years ago, when he left them.
They were fortunate at least in having a good agent now, but he might leave anytime and one come instead as bad as some of those of whom they complained so bitterly. In the future troops will not serve as guards while the Apaches are being robbed or oppressed, but the Indians themselves, must, as far as possible, defend their own rights.
Their present locality being unadapted to either farming or grazing, permission would be given them to select suitable lands on the reservation for cultivation, under the care of a chief, who would be held responsible for the discipline and behavior of the respective bands. The chiefs would be assisted by enlisting of soldiers.
Some of the tribes would habitually reside among their own people, the selections to be made with regard to the character, influence, and aptness to acquire new duties. It is expected of them while they are soldiers not to be employed except in case where the Apaches fail to govern themselves. The Indians must learn dependence upon themselves for their future. The address was listened to with profound attention by more than 1,200 warriors present, who seemed greatly impressed by the course given.
Arkansas City Traveler, December 20, 1882.
A band of 400 Apache Indians massacred the inhabitants of, and then burned the village of Casas Grande, State of Chihuahua, Mexico, last week. About seventy-five persons were murdered and several girls and women carried off.
Winfield Messenger Union, September 12, 1891.
The devilish nature of the Apache cannot be appreciated except by those who have seen the work of these inhuman savages on one of their raids. Recently two poor fellows were killed near Tombstone and the report simply said they were badly mutilated. This means very little to the ordinary reader, but to an old Apache hunter it brings up visions of devilish work that are seared into one's brain. I remember a fearful case, of which I was an eye-witness, in the spring of 1865, says a writer to the Globe-Democrat. It happened that I was in command of a company of California volunteers, stationed near the Mexican line.
One day, with several men, I rode toward the ranch of Pedro Sevadra, five miles from our camp. On the way we heard shots, and soon a Mexican came tearing along on a horse. He said old Chief Cochise had attacked Sevadra's ranch with a large force. We spurred on, but arrived too late. The ranch house was in flames, while all about was the worst sight imagina-tion could conceive. Pegged out on the ground were the dead bodies of four Mexican women stripped naked. The Apaches had disembowled them while they were still living, and had thrust lances through their hearts when they heard us approaching. Nearby were the bodies of two little children whose heads had been smashed to a jelly against the log by the side of which their bodies were lying.
The only living person about the ranch was Sevadra, who had been tortured in the worst way by the savages. He had always been good to them, and they knew he was a brave man, but the devils shot an arrow through his kidneys in order that he might die a lingering death. He lived in terrible agony for two days. His wife was the only one about the ranch who escaped. She concealed herself, and was missed by the Indians when they ransacked the place. These Apaches were never punished for this or any other of their outrages in Arizona for twenty years. The squaws did the most of the worst torture and mutilation, and deserve no mercy when captured, although their sex always served them when surprised by the regular troops.