River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1883-06-21
FRUITFUL INDIAN CAMPAIGN.
Gen. Crook Relates in Modest Way
HIS Fight with and Capture of 400
Hostile Apac h es--The Apaches Now
rIost Submissive in Disposition.

Silver Creek, Ariz, twelve miles north OF TN
boundary, via Tofnbstone-Left here May with
1913 Apache scouts under Crawford. Got word to
Mackey with Chsffees company Of forty-tso men,
Sixth cavalry, and ratiohs for two months on
mules. Followed the hostile Chiracahaas The
country Is Of Undesirable roughness. A number
OF mules lost their footing. stepping
from the TRAIL fell down the proci-
pices and were killed. The stronghold Of the
Chiracahuas is the very heart of the Sierra
Madres The position is widely watered, with a
dense growth of timber, and plenty of grass
They had been camped near the head of the
Bavispe, occupying prominent elevated peaks.
affording fine lookout for miles, rendering sur
prise almost impossible. and making
retreat secure, through adjacent canyons.
Cap. Crawford, with the Indian scouts,
early on tho morning of May 10 surprised
the village of the chief who led the recent raia
into Arizona and New Mexico The fight lasted all
day aud the village was wiped out. The damages
Annot DO estimated. Numbers OF dead bodice
we're found but the indescribabe roughness of the
country prevented count being made The entire
camp with stock and everything belonging to 1t, wat
captured. 1t is learned from prisoners taken that
| the Chiracahuas were
UNANIMOUS FOR PEACE,
and dispatches two messengers to try to reach Sar
Carlos Ga the 18th they began to surrender. The>
said their people were much frightened by our sud-
! den appearance in their Businesses and had scat
tered like quail. They asked me to remain until
they could gather all the bands together when they
would GO back TO the Reservation by tue terms VI
the treaty my operations were limited to the time
| of the fight. / told tie Chihnahnas to gather an
/ their women and children without delay. They an
swered they could not get them 10 respond TO the
signals the fugtives fearing they might he bese'
By our Apache scouts and entrapped. They told us
thew had white boy who was in a village
umred by our SCOUTS He had run of with sauaws
| who escaped and who had not yet been heard from
They assured me that every one OF the band should
come in il would remain short time. This terms
OF the treaty embarrassed me greatly, and being in
that rough region with rations rapidly disappearing
| there being between 800 ard 400 Chihuahuas tc
| feed, l was compelled to return with the Chhua'
| huas We found six Mexican captives--fiye women
| and one child-taken by the Chihuahuas early IL
| May. They are now with the command Ihest
| women say they We're captured near the Mexcat
| Central railroad at place called Carmen. Ihey
further state that when the Chihuahuas discovered
| BECAME GREATLY ALARMED
| and abandoned on the trail 800 head OF cattle
which were driven away from points in Western
Chihuahua, but afterward picked up and driven on
by body of Mexicans. We marched back as rap
Idly the condition of our stock and the strength
| of the women and children would permit WI
| found the country depopulated for distance Q
| 100 miles from the Apache stronghold, The Chi
huahuas insist that they have always lived in tb'
| Sierra Madresi that even when the main body
| weut on the reservation some remained on TN
mountains. OF those who went out, there are
| number who state that they have never been OF
A reservation | have strong hopes Of being able L
/ clean the mountains of the last. Ot those nov
| with us are the chiefs Loco aud Mama SO often re
1
no Mexican troops, and after leaving the settlement
| in Nesorira did not Mexican other than cap
| tives rescued have such assurances from the In
dams that the white boy will be brought back aiiy
| that | am looking for him every moment and vii
| inform you By courier.
| URooK's NoNCHALANCE
| As an illustration of Crooks modesty ant
| total absence of fuss and feathers in his maxi
up, 1t may be stated that, although the tigh
aud capture occurred the 18th Of last month
| he leisurely retreatad his steps to Camp Sup
plv, at Silver Geek, not sending courie
| ahead sigp.l his movements. The first in
| timation had of Crooks etnrn was the arriya
of lieutenant at Col Biddle's headquarters a
| S a. IN. Sunday, with dispatches Ter CAM
| Bowie, the nearest army telegraph station
Upon making inquiry for Gen. Crook, VII
| was supposed to be a hundred miles distan
in the Sierra Madres, one can imagine tn
| surprise that awaited the camp when INFORMED
| that Crook was only two hours behind with tn
| Captured ApacheH. About 10 O'Clock Gen
| Crook rode in with his escort, and greete,
| Col Biddle with "a nice morning, Colonel,
| and straightway struck out for a washbasin
| which he had spied. and was coon engaged il
performing his abluIions, after which he threw
| himself into camp stool and engaged in con
| versation about his campaign in an off hant
way as if hunting the cruelest and fiercest fo
| on the continent in tho widest and most mac
cessble country to be found was a matter 0
every day occurrence. A lieutenant, name ur
known, was the only person injured in Crook
| command, aud he but slightly.