The Arizona sentinel., 1878-12-14

for the march across the arid desert inter
vcning between the ella and Sonora.
In the meantime Pesqueira and Gan
dara had made up their quarrel cn the
common basis of "death to the filibus;
ters." On reaching the frontier town of
Sonoita, Crabbe was first made aware of
Pesqueira's treachery, and that the com
pact between the two patriots was to be
sealed with the blood of himself and his
followers. He had gone toe far to re-
treat. Crabbe was man of true mettle,
and being in for it he determined to do
or die. He accordingly Issued a procla-
nations setting forth his peaceful and le-
gitimate object in coming, his determina-
ton to stay, his ability to defend hims elf
if attacked; and then pushed forward to
CahOrca, upon entering which he was at
tackled in front, flank and rear, despe-
rately fought his way to the Plazo, and
was there forced to assume the defensive,
which was successfully maintained against
twenty times his number for several days,
and finally, under solemn guarantees and
after more than half of his men had been
killed, and nearly if not all wounded,
himself included, his ammunition ex-
hausted, the house in which he had taken
refuge burning over his head, Crabbe laid
down his arms and surrendered Within
less than twelve hours the, whole party,
the well and the wounded, were MUIR
dered in the most barbarous manner.
Their heads were severed from their mu-
tilated bodies, and the head Of Henry 4.
Cra56e 5CaS placed on dish to 0doyra the
head Of the table at the grand dinner cele-
brGted ttco days after tie 6utchery, and over
which his former ally, Ygnacio Pesqueira,
presided. The bodies of his followers
were left on the ground to be deyoured by
the swine, and, of course, in some degree
contributed to the general veal of the
good people of Caborca
While Crabbe was besieged at Caborca,
a small party Of about twenty men started
from Tucson to his relief, and reached the
vicinity Of the town just before the sur
render, but could in no way aid him.
They were surrounded by MeEicans and
had to fight their way the entire distance
to the American line. On his March
Crabbe had left two sick men at a ranch
on the American side of the Iine-men
who never saw Sonora. A party of So
nora chivalry came over and dragged these
two sick men from their beds and bru-
tally murdered them. There. was one
survivor of the Crabbe party, boy named
Evans, aged fourteen years, who was per-
mitled to witness the butchery of his com
paniOns and to be present at the feast of
reconciliation. In the summer Of 1857
met this boy Evans, from whom 1 learned
the details above referred to, and which
believe are in the main correct. The
reader will lose no time in coming to the
conclusion that Pesqueira was very
great villain, whose true merits might be
given the need of his just deserts only by
a second ShaksEeare-an ordinary pen
would fail to do him Justice The true
actor and superlatiye villain in the horri-
BILE cOnspiracy-and tragedy was one Fer
nandez, whose full name l forget, but
whose antecedent history 1 am quite
familiar with, and will proceed to give it.
although 1t carries me back to the first ex
ploring expedition to the then unknown
region in 1912 by John T.. Fremont.
Fremont says in his narrative (Which I |
have not seen since 1850 that on his way
from Los Angeles to Santa FG in 1S43, I |
believe, the party, on reaching some |
springs somewhere in our present Ari- |
Zona, found psrty of 9IeXicans recently |
murdered by Indians; that one very small |
boy, four or five years old, had escaped |
the general massacre, and when discovered !
was clinging to the body of his dead |
mother and crying piteOusly. The sight |
of the dead mother and the living infant |
excited such sympathy and indignation in |
the minds of the brave men of Fremont's |
party that Kit Carson and Alex. Cooley |
obtained FremonPs permission to pursue |
the numbering savages, which they did, |
(the two men only following the trail for |
two or three days. They overlook, sur |
prised, killed and routed the murderers !
recaptured and brought back the horses |
OF the murdered Mexicans. The little |
Fernandez was tenderly cared for, taken |
to Missouri, adopted into the family of |
the great Benton, and raised and educated |
as gentleman. Attaining manhood he |
came to Los Angeles, and afterwards went |
to Sonora. 1t was he who negotiated be-
tween Pesqueira, the AinZas and Crabbe, |
and procured the assistance of Crabbe for |
PeSQueira. 1t was be who negotiated the |
terms of peace between Gandara and Pes |
queira, to be based on the massacre of the |
Crabbe party of Americans, and it was he |
who acted as chief butler and master OF |
ceremonies of the feast of demons. Far |
better for the good name of humanity had |
Fremont been day late at the scene OF |
the murder of the boys parents, in order |
that the iackals or Yultures could have |
feasted on his infant carcass, and saved |
the world so great shame.
i Published in the SENTINEL of Decem-
Der 22d, 1877.