The Shasta courier., 1871-07-01
GENERAL CROOK.

Geo. Alfred Townshend, (Gath,) while
in this city recently had an interview with
General Crook, the Indian fighter who has
Apaches. In letter to the Chicago
Tribune he says:
! Crook bears the name of being one of
the best Indian fighters in the United
States army, and, as our whole army, un
der normal circumstances, is merely SER
les of guards over the Indians, to be among
the best Indian fighters is to be a hero of
it.
General Crook occupied parlor at the
Lick House with his wife, who is, like Mrs
Stoneman, Maryland lady. He is ma
tive of Dayton, Ohio, and West Pointer,
bearing the rank of Lieutenapt-C Colonel in
the regular army. He was associated
with Grant and proved an able and sue
cessful cavalry officer. Before the war
Crook had distinguished success in subdu-
ing the Rogue River, Klamath, Idaho and
other tribes of Northern Indians. lie
speaks the klamath language with some
fuency.
In appearance he is tall, bony, bashful-
looking man, with high cheek bones,
smooth face small, twinkling eyes, which
the cheeks nearly close up when he laughs,
short, sandy hair, and long arms and legs
on the whole, wiry and loosely put togeth-
er, somewhat like blond and juvenile
copy of Mr.. Lincoln's body, but as to
eountenance mixedly earnest and jovial. -
He wore no uniform, and looked somewhat
like young farmer come to town on a bri-
dal trip His wife wanted to 90 to Arizo-
ma with him, as had Mrs Stoneman with
| her husband but both had been refused
by their lords.
General Crook expressed his unwilling
ness except in the line of duty, to go to
Arizona Indian fighting was hard long
aud anxious species of work, inglorious
when successful, mortifying in failure, and
it offered nothing tactical, intellectual nor
bril- liant to successful soldier, but WAS
sheer education Of the senses, subtlely
and endurance.
| He insanced the nature of the Indian
character by citing one OF his Oregon
campaigns, where large tribe Of Indians
had been pursued for a year and curbed
by the mere force of vigilance, yet ad
never been defeated At the end of that
time the Government made peace with
them and gave them presents, and. as a
Consequence, to this day those Indians
think our Government is afraid of them
The General intimated that thrashihg
was the best method of conveying a syllo-
gism to savage.
asked him what bad been his method
of Indian fighting. lie had, he said, gone
himself in the advance, generally on horse
back, and erelt up on the indian camp
and discovered the outlets from it. Then,
going back to his onmand, Le would march
them up and attack the emp at dawn
He apprehended that it would net do to
attack the Apaches with any large com
mand, but preferred the policy of trailing
them up by practiced Indian runners, and
then, when they were discovered, surround
ing their squads. He had educated two
or three men for that purpose, notably one
who was French half breed, formerly
Hudson Bay man HI proposed to let this
man take OFT several Papageos and friend
ly indians, and teach them his art Thus,
in a short time, various parties of Apaches
might be followed up at the same moment,
and all jumped upon by separate pickets Of
troops, each advised OF the others where
abouts.
But said the General, az do not
go to Arizona at all sanguine. | am not
acquainted with the officers there, aud, in
Indian fighting, men are better than num-