River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1880-11-04
Victoria AND HIS APACHEs.
How the soldiers OF Tive Republics
Have Followed His Trail of Blood
f0r Eighteen Months.
From the Special Correspondent Of the worl

AtNAn t4S @pAhNNF V4iASllb Va khN NoIiNs
Victorio, the seventy-year-oldA Apache
chieften, who has for year and halfde-
fled and batfied the armies of the Unit
ed States and Mexico with a handful
of braves, is making for himself a
name greater than that of Sitting Bull
or Captain Jack He is rather short
and stout in build and his left arm falls
paralyzed by his side, yet with indomit-
able vigor, supported by his two head
chiefs, Loco (crazy) and Mani, with
about two hundred warriors be has
braved the power of t United States
on one side and the wrath of Mexico
on the other. Victories early career
was that of the trusted war chief to the
chieften of the Membres, or Lost River
Apachos in Arizona. Till 1877 he had
lived for ten years on the 0lo Caliente
hot springs) reservation in New Next
co Excellent government buildings
had there been erected for him and his
people and some progress made in the
cultivation of the ground and the con-
struction of dccequias for its irrigation.
There he was willing to remain. LET
the government leave me here alone"
he said. But white men coveted his
lands. Under the plea of consolidating
the agencies into one grand reservation
the Interior Department ordered
the removal of the Apaches
to the San Carlos Reservation
Victorio rebelled ana told General
Hatch that he never would go to San
Carlos to stay With thousand men,
comprising nearly all the army force in
New Mexico, the removal was accom-
plishcd in January and February, 1877.
Bad blood was stirred between Victories
tribe and other Apaches at the agency,
and in six months Victoria sought to
escape with few followers. He was
overtaken and brought back, but in the
winter of 1S77-1878 he again broke
away and with part of his tribe trav-
elled all the way to the Mescallero
Apache agency in Lincoln county, but
General Hatch again ordered Victoria
to move back to the San Carlos agency.
| The general had, however, strongly
recommended to the government that
Victorio be permitted to return to Ojo
Caliente, and stay there, where he
would be cOntented In the sprihg of
1879 Victoria received peremptory or
| ders to return to San Carlos. With
| fifty or sixty warriors he left Ojo Calien-
| tie, where he was staying, and went
| back to Mescallero. But the head chief
here was not friendly, though Victoria
was well received by many of the other
Indians. Still Nictorio refused to be
moved.
In the latter part of April, 1879, Vic
torio with about thirty followers crossed
! the Sierra Solidad and the river Joruedo
del Muerto, stealing enough horses at
| AlormocitO before crossing the river to
mount his band, and went on to the
Hot Springs reservation. At Hot
Springs he surprised six or eight men
who were guarding the horses of COM
panv f, Ninth Cavalry, captured forty
five horses, and killing the whole guard
rode away to HillsborO and McAllister's
ranch At this time General Hatch,
who had great influence over Victoria,
was unfortunately ordered into the Ute
country Only a day or two before
Victories desperate attack General
Hatch had received permission to
move him bac1 to Ojo Caliente Reser-
vati0n Word was sent Immediately to
Victorio, but either the orders were not
promptly obeyed or they reached the
now infatuated chieftoo late. Nictorio,
when near to Hillsboro, had mean
while attacked a mining camp and
eleven miners were killed although
they bravely defended themselves.
From there Victoria went to McAllis-
ter's ranch, which be burned, stealing
more horses and killing three men,
Major Morrow, of the Ninth cavalry
was following him, but Nictorio was
making long circuit towards the Black
Range and Membres Mountains, and
troops in pursuit Jared hardly. In
these raids about twenty teamsters and
herdsmen were killed, bat Major Nor
row, pushed down towards Messills,
drove the foe towards Mexico.
In July Victoria attacked Loyd's
killing four men and capturing a lot Of
sheep. Twenty volunteers, command
ed by VIM. I. Jones, clerk of Dona
Anne county, started out to intercept
them, but meeting Victoria between
Colorado and Loyd's ranch, they were
thoroughly whipped, losing six men,
among whom was Jones. Of the five
Mexican who fell, one Ditto Sanches,
the bravest of the band, shot five Ind
ans. Immediately after this fight VIC
torio crossed the road, fell upon q Mex
lean train CARVING flour to Silver City,
captured the provisions and killed II
Mexicans, sparing their women and
children. Victoria and his men, who
were now we'll mounted, were joined by
| JUS band of Apaches from the state of
Sonora and a few Kickapoos, SO that
they numbered nearly two hundred
warriors. Major Morrow, whose com
mand was now increased to four COM
panic of cavalry, soon overlook the
| Indians and drove them back to Black
Range, and half dozen fights occurred
in the canons without much advantage
| being gained. NictOrio was thus hunted
! through the month of November, 1879,
when he turned toward Mexico, which
he entered through Cookies Range and
Sierra Florida.
Major Morrow pressing him hard
with eighty-one men overlook Victoria
at Hatchet Mountains, having marched
seventy-two hours without water. After
six hours fighting by moonlight, and
losing six men and thirty horses, he
drove the Indians from the waters, but
pursuit into Mexico was impossible.
Morrow had pushed Nictorio so closely
that he had prevented him from max
ing depredations. He fought him sue
cessfully once in the Black Mountains
and twice in the Sierra San Mateo.
In the last encounter, the only officer
who was killed, Lieutenant French of
the Ninth Cavalry, fell with about
twelve soldiers and scouts.
When Victoria crossed the Rio
Grande Major Morrow was but a few
hours behind. Once in Chihuahua
Victoria robbed right and left until
Tarasas, the governor of Chihuahua,
and the governor of Sonora raised a
thousand volunteers, intending to drive
him out. Victoria went first towards
Carisal, gathering his warriors between
FL Paso and Chihuahua, in the state of
Chihuahua. In two fights with the
Mexicans at Carisal he killed sixty
men and captured 500 horses belonging
to Governor Tarsas. Then he returned
into New Mexico. Meanwhile more
United States troors had been sent into
New Mexico. General Hatch had re-
turned from the Ute campaign and
had taken command April 5, 1880. The
Apaches st the Mescallero Agency,
who had been aiding Victoria at times,
were made prisoners April Il, 1880, to
| the numb er of three or four hundred