Arizona citizen. [volume] (Tucson, Pima County, A.T. [i.e. Ariz.]) 1870-1880, 1876-09-30
a Communication.
CAMP BOWIE. September %.

LDliOho SillLhN iii lOui 49,
of September %, you make some state
ments which must arise from your be
ing misinformed. and desire to correct
them. You state that 1t. Henely made
a scout into the San Pedro valley. This
is not correct. The scout of the San
Pedro valley was made by company
from Camp Grant shortly after Mr.
Lewis was killed. l will state briefly
the history of the affair, because | do
not believe it has been properly under
stood by the citizens of the southeastern
portion of the Territory Early on the
morning of April 9th, Agent 'Jetfords
reported to the commanding officer of
Camp Bowie, that Rogers and Spence
had been killed by two drunken In
dians; that the Indians were in a very
uncertain state, and that the chief Toza
had sent word to him to come to their
rancherIa, but not to come alone. He
asked the commanding officer for an
escort, and was sent with him, taking
forty men of Co. 4, Sixth Cavalry.
The impression prevailed at Bowie that
the killing of Rogers and Spence was
the result of drunken row, and was
ordered to investigate the circum-
stances connected with their death. |
was ordered to take five days ratiOns,
which were conveyed in an army wag-
on. Although Jeffords asked for an
escort he allowed me to go to Sulphur
Springs direct while with his inter
prefer, he went to the Indian rancheria.
Shortly after arriving at Sulphur
Springs, l was Joined by Jeffofds and
four Indians. Early in the morning
of the 9th, McClain rode into the sta
ton and reported that the San Pedro
valley had been taken in" 1t then
became apparent that a considerable
body of the Chiricahua Indians had
broken out and would devastate the
country. | determined to prevent this
to the best Ofmy ability with the means
at my disposal; ordering my men 10
take a few rations in their saddle-bags,
| made a rapid march under guidance
of the Indians to the Mule Pass mount
ain, the Indians promising to take me
TO the rancheria, which they failed to-
do. About ten o'clock in the morning
of the 10th, the renegade Indians we're
found on top of high peak, approach
able only through deep canyons and
narrow ridges. After some skirmish-
ing with these Indians, and after sur
veying carefully the ground, l became
convinced that to attack these Indians
would result in great loss of life with
out any cOmpensating results, | there
fore abandoned it. Although | was
in my attack, | saved the
lives of the men at the BrOnkOw mine,
besides preventing the Indians from
keeping up their raid on the San Pedro.
Being out of rations, | marched direct
ly TO Camp Bowie | expected to be
sent out again Immediately in proper
to make a scout after these
that this was not done was no /
fault ofmine. Every one who has been
on a scout with me can testify that l
work hard to get Indians, and all the.
citizens at Camp Bowie know that |
have always been and am now eager to
scout after these Indians.
You state that the Sergeant who pur-
sued the murderers Of CadUtte and To-
denworth was absent from the post two
days. The records of the post show
that he was absent four days and fol
lowed the Indians to the Sonora line,
which of course he had no orders to /
cross. The Sergeant Marcus Robbins
is a brave, energetic young man, whom
l once mentioned for conspicuous cour-I
age in an engagement with hostile In
dianS, and | feel confident that he did
his best to overtake and punish the In
dians.
BY giving this a place in your col
umns, you will Cblige,
Yours respectfully,
AUSTIN HENELY,