The Sunday herald. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1866-1887, 1880-05-16
TIE APACHE WAR.
A Moving Story ct bravery aud roru-
tudc-what the ARMY ~ Doing.

FoRr CnNta, y. W., Arrl 80, 1850
Apache Chief Nictoria's passes across the
lernado sim ,akcu notwithstanding the continual
defeats the Indians have substantially sustained during
the last twenty days. Rumors along our line Of
march from scccrro to this point, cutdowu, aud with
embellishments Of stagc-coacl drivers Mexican
hcrders, and prQspcctors reduced IT, zero would
seem TO Indicate even in the most favorable light
that the Indian war is now only lust begun. since
tho outbreak Of nearly year ago there have been
over u hundred persons Killed hy the Apachca aud
their nlles the Mescaleraos, Commanchcs, and Kio-
was. Nctoria's band Of not over seventy Eve braves
or bucks, as they called here, have swcled until
the lowest estimate places the fighting force un-
der the command of this noted chief at three hum
dted and over. Within the last few days Gen.
1Iatchs command has killed over forty Ave Indians
(scen deadl and captured and destroyed upwards OF
FIVE hundred head Of horses. Gen. Hatch arrived
last evening and Is personally directing the concen-
tration of the columns In the field at san Jose which
is eighteen miles from here and the foot of the
san Mateo mountains, toward which mountains all
trails are leading and where It is believed the Indians
viii make firm stand, and adccisiye battle he fought
not later than Maya To any one who has not been
In this country the sores-not romances-told Of the
different engagements with The Indians In the noun
tans would like fairy tales; later on l propose
to give one two to show what troops have to go
through with on scouting expeditions, and I am cer-
tain they win prove moi only fascinating reading hut
deter, may be the dcractors of the Army from too
free outspoken disbelief of the life out here. had
only time to write thus much when Gen. Hatch
,ercd us forward 10 san dose, from which place
now writing, amid the husilc noise, aud confusion
of military camp about to break up and move for
ward toward the enemy, the Apachcs, who are said
To he within sight Of this place In the san Niatco
mountains. That they are In force Is well known,
for Col. Pnrngton, Ninth Cavalry, when hc
crossed the Rio Grandc yesterday, was following u
trail OF hundred and fifty. The companies which
started from here this morning (Apri 3o) are Capts
rurlngton, Dawson, and Fuckers, with Lieut.. Glib
hon, Ninth Cavalry, In command or recruits for the
companies belonging To Mai. Morrow's command
which passed to the left of here last night Its way To
Canada Aamosa, the objective point OF concentration
capt Byrne's battalion Is on the other side Of the
Mhteo range moving up slowly, ms his command Is par
TALLY dismointed. Gen Hatch confidently expects
fight and believes the troops win make killing.
PERSONALLY one of the biaNest men have ever seen,
Gcn. Hatch has by an energy which puts To shame-
as they acknowledgements of the Young officers Of his
regiment Infused spirit among the men which Vie
torias braves had better not meet The General with
Lieut. Davenport, has ridden during the last -four days
over two hundred miles from one command to another
back ana forward, at the same time controlling affairs
In other parts of this district by conier and
the Military Telegraph Line, which was erected and
now maintained not by soldiers of the Signal Corps
as believe the chief Signal oncer airms In his re-
port hut by enlisted men and officers belonging to the
regiments stationed In this district. 1t may seem
little strange in letter of this kind war subject
to go from that to another. only FOR moment, how
as am reliably informed, had single man EN-
poyed In the erection of the 'llne here give facts
and credit where 1t belongs, and In future letter
propose to enter Into discussion of the Signal Ser
vice vs. The Western Union Telegraph Company.
Lieut., Nancy. Fifteenth Infantry, moved ont last
night with his Indian company into the foot hills of
the san Matco mountains To locate Victoria.
Gen. Hatch has applied for hundred more In
dian scouts and should have tlem more men is what
Is needed In this district of anything Rcmarka-
ble stories are told In regard to the speed and distance
made by the Indian scouts under Manney. one viii
In NI.xi.,
Victoria one of his scouts. starting a IL NJ, made by
! 10 \. NJ. next day distance of nearly one hundred
dian fights usual thing and keep the hosiiles en-
| gagged until the troops come up.
An Indian fight In the mountains here, excepting
the san Andres fight. in which Capt. carroll was
wounded, means about as follows, as Ia the part the
| troops take In them After following an Indian trail
through the mountains, most of the time leading their
horses, the soldiers suddenly and generally With
out warning fired at from the top of ridge; All they
the puts of smoke and what they hear Is
whiz or sput as the bullet passes and strikes-not
| always, however, passing. Horses are left with
guard, and up they go against an hidden enemy.
They lake advantage of all After from half
to full hour of the hardest kind of climbing they reach
the ridge. Where are the Indians? On another ridge
and they are opened upon again from that, and
until night makes 1t impossible for them 10 for
ward. They are without rations and without water,
and have to wait for daylight to make the descent to
their pack mules and horses Not unfrequeny ii has
occurred that the Indians open fire upon them when
making halt hut 1t amounts to the same thing: the
Indians are never seen and fight always behind breast
works Of their own making or of Gods.
Daring ieas have been perfornedby the officers of
the Ninth Cavalry and exhibitions of personal bravery
| of high order by number of the men, and
| Indians killed powler-marked. ON occasion
| Lieut.. schaenor and party OF some eight
crest of ridge upon which the Indians We're to
solid perpendicular wall of rock thirty feet high.
Fortunately for himself and party nature protected
them by shclve coming ont over their heads but only
partly, for the Indians would reach their guns-Win-
| chester, Sharp's, and Government arms-Over the
shelve and shoot under. Capt. Dawson, Ninth Cav
airy. was cOrrallcd further down the and
could NOT assist Sclaeiier. The men Of Lieut.. Schaef
fer's party would rush ont for moment and fire up
| and then retreat. After being in this precament
for several hours, 1t was discovered that the ammun
non was giving out Epps one OF the men, volunteered
| to go and get some. The Lieutenant told him he
might go, but he would not order him. This brave
soldier 'comd 90 and asked the Lieutenant to draw
the Apacies hre which was done and he started, and
was successful, amid vollcy of lead in reaching
turning under the weight of "A e-bag full Of cart
| ridges; he was seen by the ApacIes, who fired
| him; he reached to within about twenty PAGES
remember the Indians were right over him
heroic, soldier, with last desperate effort as
he fell, threw the bag with the cartridges within
reach OF his comrades. Lieut. Mills killed three In
! dians with but one man with him. Lieut. Day in
hre. Mai. Morrows personal acts of courage the
talk of the command and are legion. These but
simple facts and the truth.
with such men and such officers one may wonder
why Victoria has not been ceaped out by Gen Hatch.
The answer is, 1t Is impossible without having many
every advantage and II they were not towards the
death roll of the Ninth Cavalry would show larger than
| II does to-day.
No one WHO has moi been In one of these fights can
realize how dlshearening 1t Is to he continually on the
march, exposed TO deaih-dGaling bullets at every turn
and YET not see the end approaching when they can 60
| To their posis and have a resi- ! wish those who do
hot believe in onr colored regiments could have
weeks ago, neither did Maj. Mcclellan, of the sixth
Cavalry, who told me last evenings 81 have In
my life seen braver men or men fight harder than they
did In the San Andreas mountains ~ In that night,
| In which Maj. Mcclellan and his company took such
prominent part the Indians for once reversed their
tactics and showed In the OPEN and make stand-up
fight for the first time during this campaign Lieut.
| Hughes was knocked down with a stone, of The
men dubbed by the Indians In hand to- hand fight
and every onicer had his horse Killed under him; so
you ga" see Thai u was close thing. Gen. Hatch
o'l me he hoped 10 make killing IN tho San Nlateo
mountains, and believe he WIN, ana that the tele-
graph Will announce his success before this reaches
You. As this Is fayore crossing of the Indians San
Inlnnlry and detachment Of men Ia guard the Ford of
TIE Rio Grande. There has been two attacks made
| this place Within the last month.
one Thing the troops haye toconend against, and II
should be Wildly ventilated, Is The apathy ofa certain
class Of citizens in This part Of New Mexico in regard
10 these indian troubles They are continually ask
ing for defense against raiding parties Of Indians and
yet when the soldiers are sent they fail to render them
the slightest assistance. Time out of mind has Gen
Hatch said, - Come with me- raise hundred men,
and wi'l arm and feed them for ninety days
purpose of lighting Indians although as the General
pts IT, they &C., into drunken personal bro,s and kil
zach pthefad Nb{tum Their iak always ends IN their
arms and ammunition, not by The forty rounds but
by The wagon load, for his band wastes their ANNA
milton IN fight AS II they had the Springfield Arsenal
to fall back upon.
Nal Mcclellan, with his company and tho Indian
scouts under lieus. GatewOOd and Mills, have been
ordered TO return to Arizona, much to The regret of
Gen. Hatch, who expressed himself to them last
night Ia that effect In the presence of nearly all tho
officers Of The command twin tako the Major about
seventeen days 10 reach his post, Fort Bowie. II Is
Tunored that he proposes TO ask 10 bo retired
soon as lie Is promoted. lie now stands Ave ON the
list Of captains Of cavalry.
Nal Manck has arrived IN Santa Ft, and been as
signed 10 the command Of Fort Stanton II Is unfoI-
tnnate that his health VIII not permit Of his taking
the field
Lieut.. McGunnege, Fifteenth Infantry Is reported
engaged to young lady at ~ PasO who Is said tn he
pDe NJ trio oi beautiful sisters, and that the
rags Hiil iale place az soon he get leave.
present be ~ ~ Bla1eis Mls MescaleTO Agency,
In command Of q company.
Iient. Iedgwall, Fifteenth Infantry Is going 10
purpose,
Lieut.. Parker Ninth Cavalry, Is at Fort Stanton,
l a..l..U