The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1871-04-28
ARIZONA.
Three Apache Raids-Two Rstdtng
Parties Punished.


Three Apache Raids-Two Rsiding
Parties Punished.
From private letter published in the Vallejo Csl)
Recorder.
RALsToN, New MEXICO, March Is,
1871. Some time ago the Indians made
raid and stole fourteen head of mules
and horses from Cienega, few miles
from Fort Bayard. 1t was done at 8
o'clock a. m, and while the herder was
with the stock The fact was made
known at the Post Bayard) }, and Major
Kelly, at the head of his cavalry troops,
started on the trail, following it for
eight days, finally surprising them at
their camp on the summit of high
mountain, and during a snow storm,
near the boundary line due south from
here. Kelly and command killed fif-
teen and wounded many more, recover
ed some of the stolen stock, and two or
three others which were stolen from
some other places. He captured many
articles of interest, such as q priests
cassOck,, dolls dress unfinished, n
Mexican flag embroidered in the cen
! tire, any amount of Indian saddle.bags
made of horse and mule skins, bows
and arrows, o Mexican lance somewhat
like u brOadswOrd, any amount OF mes
cal, dried mule and horse meat, needles,
thread aud registered envelopes, and
many other articles too numerous to
mention. Major Kelly destroyed all
their beef and mescal, fifteen or twenty
"wicy-ups or lodges--in fact every
7 bnX no
them.
A few days after the first raid on
Cienega, the Apaches made a second,
and succeeded in driving off fourteen
or fifteen more horses and mules. They
took a northerly course into the Fran
cisco Mountains. The citizens formed
a company of thirty men, well armed
and equipped-so far as ammunition
and pack animals were concerned-and
started on foot, under the command of
Captain Billiard, worthy citizen,
pioneer, and hunter. Captain Billiard,
and company were very successful in
surprising the red skins, killing six
teen, nearly all adults, and taking one
prisoner boy six years of age, be-
sides recovering some of the stolen
stock. Unfortunately, Captain Billiard
was killed by an Indian whom he had
wounded and was in his death strug-
gle, when a stray shot from the devil S
pistol killed brave, generous, and
noble man.
A few days after making the second
raid the red devils made third on the
Cienega again, and drove off about 100
goats belonging to the poor Mexicans /;
later still a fourth was made, and some
stock stolen from Mr.. Bremen's saw
mill, few miles from Fort Bayard.
How Ralston has escaped their depre-
dations is mystery. We are situated
better; the country is more open and
they have not as good an opportunity
TO hide and lie in wait, Every day ac-
counts are received of depredations in
Arizona and Southern New Mexico.
No protection for life and property.
At Fort Bowie (Apache Pass, fifty
miles west of us, there is now only one
company of cavalry, and this is one OF
the most important posts in Arizona.
1t is in the very heart and centre of the
Apache country. Often and often have
the Indians gone in there at night and
stolen stock, and invariably they get
away, owing to the configlration of the
country it is SO rough and broken.
Much dissatisfaction is felt in Arizona
iii consequence of General Stoneman
moving his headquarters from Prescott
to Wilmington, and from his report, in
which he has said the Apaches were
comparatively peaceful now.
Nothing but n war of determination
can give peace or security here. The
governments of Sonora and chihuahua
pay respectively, think, Sl0Oand $50
for Indian scalps. They understand
the Apache better than we do, as the
rascals have been raiding on them loo
years and more. Independent of this,
the general government of Mexico
pays 5000 in addition to what the afore
said State governments pay. A party
of Indian or scalp-hunters from Sonora
succeeded lately in taking fifty priso
ners, near the line of this Territory and
Sonora. This is the only way to get
rid of these human tiends.