Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1882-05-02
AFTER APACHES.
GENER ~ FoRsYrBE 8EcoVyTs HIS
CHASE OF THE INDIANS.
Death of the Scout Yuma BiIi-A Narration
of Bravery and Eadurancs-settIer rs Or
ganizipg to Resist the Reds-Csptain
jacks Untimely Demise-A Scare In wy.
omipg.

Col GeO. Forsythe on his recent perafione
against the hostile Apaches. The report is
dated sterns' Pass station, April IS, and is as
follows:
fed my horses at 9:30 10 the morning on
the 23d inst and watered as soon as possible
from a tank car which had ord-red here
from Sam Simon station. I got of at and
started directly across the ella plain to strike
The direct road TO ch nond. ord-red Lieut..
Mcdonald to take the six scouts belonging to
the Craig companies mounted and two en-.
listed men OF Capt. Calahin's company and
try to cnt any trails along the southeastern
ind of Sterns' Pass. At his request dis.
mounted one of his own scouts and gave him
Yuma Bill who spoke excellent English, and
Was reg 4rded as one Of the brst Indian scouts.
also sent our sig dismount.d Indians
along the base of the same range, though
faI ther out in the foot hills. When al out two
or thrte mil from camp, Lieut.. Mcdonald
sent word that he had struck trail twelve
hours old OF ten Indians dsmnunted, who
We're going ~ our direction. He also asked an
additional enlisted man, whom / sent. An
hour later he sent word that fifteen more In
dams had Joined the trail and had with them
a mule and two horses. / sent back with this
messenger two more enlisted men and CON-
tiuued my march He had now turntd the
southern end OF the pass and was moving
along the base OF the range in northwestern
Was moving across the plain and
probably eighteen miles on my way when one
of the IudIan scouts came In with his
horse on a dead run and stated that
four OF the scouts were killed, inclu ling Yu.
ma Bill. and that Leu Mcdonald and bis
men we're siaudng off Il large body OF Chirca-
hu as and must hasten 10 save them. I hur.
ried at once and ratified ami galoped six cen
N Hes to the point Indicated by the Indian. I
met Mcdonald at Orc, twelve miles from
whence started, who toll me the scouts we're
falling back on foot, the Indians not fol.
lowing them. He hal been chased closely by
another small band OF mouuted Indians, who
came near cutting him off.
[ soon came up with he rest Of the party,
who were al right, the attacking force OF Ia
dams having retfeated on seeing my com.
mand approaching so rapidly. Il SEEMS the
Apaches had been hailing tn party and am.
pushed them from the rocks, firing upon
them when not twenty fret slant. They
mortally wounded Yuma Bill and killed three
Others OF the scouts instantly. Yuma
Bill saw them about thee or four
seconds be fore they fired and shouted: "Waich
out, lieutenant" and Mcdonald was quick
enough to turn his body and horses head just
as they fired, and was the only one of the adj
vance party who escaped found the Indians
strongly en- renched on the left sice of the
canyon and in the middle of it, which has an
ouI Lying mass of rock about 400 feet 10
height. A little to the right OF the center
there is small line of rocks connecting the
left and center. / realized at once that the
body of Indians was greatly 10 ex ess OF
twenty-five and dismountiug, my entire force
formed two flnkiDg parties of two companies
each, and one directly in tkeir front.
At the left flank, Capt. Davis commanding,
hogan the attack. In about an hour we
fanked them ont of both positions, and they
took up a stong second position which we
again drove them from, thence hacking up
among the mountains and high rocks Of the
canyon. They scattered all through the rocks,
some firing from points eight, twelve and SIX
teen hundred feet above us, and most OF them
evidently climbed from crag TO crsg, and
suppose eventually worked back to the other
side Ofthe mountain range.
| never saw such a rugged place nor one
better adanted TO defense. was delighted 10
see how much pro- mari snen ur men
were to the Apucles. They never dared 10
fire third shot from behind any particular
rock, az our men, as soon as they could see
where the shots came from, put their bullets
right at the particular spot from which the
shots came. Our people drove them to The
verge of the canyon and forced them back
and over the range. The action lasted from
to $3.50 O'Clock, and our men were completely
exhausted climbing the sides of the noun.
tain and going up the canyon. The Apaches
abandoned about thirty ponies and mnles.
We killed ten or twelve on the day Of the
fight, and took some with ns to mount our
scouts, and Yesterday when I returned they
killed the rest, which were straying among
the rocks. I concluded after the action was
over that had been fighting indians who
we're on the way 10 Join Gerenomo and help
him bring down the wom+n and children, as
the trail followed bv Med jnald was leading
around the base Of the range toward Rich
mond. l therefore concluded to cross the
ella plain that night and 90 to Richmond,
near where hoped 10 find Laco and Gereno-
mo.
reached the main road. twelve miles dis
tant, at | 30 a. m. on the Oath, and within less
Than mile came across a citlzsR on his way
to Lordsburg from Richmond, who told me
that the Indians had left the GilA river and
we're evidently on their way To Mexico.
Furthermore That the ella river was eighteen
miles dis ant. at once made dry camp, and
the horses ard men were ahout exhausted.
here telegraphed you that would go tn TIE
ella for water. but in the morniny / decided
to come h,ck here. At 8 m was joired
by Capt. Gordon, OF the Sixth cavalry, with
sixiytwo men, and Lieut.. G,tewoOd, with
twenty four Indian scouts, ard Lieut.. Hat
field, with company of the Fourth cavalry.
took the back trial 10 this place, via Horse.
shoe canyon, where there are two small
springs, at which my men got water for coff-e,
hut scarcely any for the horses. In fac they
divided their caneen OF water with the poor
animals Irested four hours there, made cnf-
fee, groomed horses, and then pushed on here,
where arrived at $50 p. III. / had tele-
graphed for forage aud ration> from my sup-
plies at Setur, and for two tanks OF water,
VIII ch we're here on nv arrival. My animals
had marched tw-nty.eight miles, sixteen at
gallop, over a rough country, and had been
forty hours without water. few OF them
gave out, but hope they will follow on the
ut 80 D. m. shall have To send for another
tank Of water TO d,y. Half the horses refused
10 eat last hight. blu they are all right this
morning. shall shoe uo az push out on
the trail over one of The Stein pass ranges of
mountains, and cross the railroad about eight
miles below here. heading for the chihuahua
range. They have good many animals with
th-m.
II YOU do not hear from me for some time
give Yourself no u easiness. I shill foll"w
the trail persisten'ly until fight these In
dams Mr.. Perry will probably send two
more companies OF cavalry to follow and lin
me, and Capt. Chaff.e with men AID q
com pany of Indisn scouts will join me at
Bowie Road crossing on the ira /.
Please send my original report to the com.
mander ana copy my official report; also to
Fort Cummings for file.
A few of my men are sick and must be sent
back, including one with broken ribs ny a
kick from horse. The command Is in first
rate spirits, though somewhat tired.
Iexpect Lieut. Hall aud his Indian scouts to
Join me here this morning.
Kind regards to all at headquarters. l am
well satisfied with the officers and men of our
regiment. There has not been word OF CON-
Ilsint from any source.
Will leave he'e in good shape. Very re-
spectfutly and truly yours,
(Sigr ed) GEO. A FoRsYTHg.
tt On. R. 8. Mackenzie, Santa Fe, New
Mexico.
CHIEF SHOT WHILE ESCAPING.
CHICAGO, May News is received at Gen.
Il 4 a