Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1883-06-08


Arizona recalls those daring raids
which distinguished the warfare on
both sides during our last val. As
Ill those enterprises, the marauding
party starts from secure position,
circles round the centrrs OF the en-
en.ys strength, passing through an
important though not strongly
guarded territory. and after career
OF which the apparent rccklcssness is
merely a careful adjustment OF bold
ness i'll fttack to prudent provision
for retreat, returns to its own quart
erS
The Apaches left Sonora and
crossed the line apparently east of
the Sonora Railroad, and their first
blow was struck at a charcoal camp
on the northern end Of the Huachuca
mountains. on y seven miles. it is
said. from Camp Huachuca They
then crossed westward to the Santa
Ritas and killed some wood choppers,
and striking northeast encountered
and killed four men near Winchester.
and after that appear to have re-
turned southwark to Sonora. They
are said to have picked up Il company
Of squaws from San Carlos in their
path. and either this band in their
circuit OF another band coming up
from Sonora killed Judge McComas
and his family near the line of New
Mexico
The exact details OF the march are
unknown, for the Arizona papers are
all too angry 10 hunt for and give
the true facts. Ou account of their
line Of march is made ont entirely
from comparison of the localities
OF their successive murders, and not
from the contradictory stories told
by the press of the Territory. The
one fact which seems indisDutable is
that they swept around Tombstone,
in the southeastern corner Of Arizona,
near Fort Huachuca. always at
respectable distance from that i'm
portant town, and probably returned
to Sonora. after committing number
Of murders. supposed to be about
forty, counting those in Sonora and
Arizona.
In all such movements there IS no
advance after the first blow is struck,
for then. whatever route may be taken
the march becomes retreat. and il IS
this which makes pursuit futile. III
the present raid, news of the attack
on the charcoal camp appears TO have
been sent to the pest in the most
slovenly fashion, delaying action;
but 1t is extremely doubtful if sue
cassful pursuit could have been made,
even if unusual promptitude, both on
the part OF civilians and the military.
had been made. In the war no one
dreamed of making a stern chase af
ter raj 'ers, but the necessities of the
case make this the only resource in
an Indian raid, and it is highly prob
able that it will never succeed in an
open Southern country. The military
posts are not on the line. and do not
all have the telegraph. the Indians
are well acquainted with the country,
and the border can be crossed at any
point for miles of its extent. There
is no certain track for their opera
tions. and thorough means for meet
ing their raids by military force
would require much more complete
preparations than are provided
Still there can be no doubt that the
yearly murder of citizens by Indians
must be prevented Many things
combine to make Arizona a danger
ous ground at present. In the first
place, it is the last ditch to the
southern tribes. Iu the second place.
it is the southern portion of the Ter
ritory next to the Mexican line that
has always been the habitable area,
and is now the scene of violence
Thirdly, altering climatic conditions
have made this country open at all
seasons for two years past. The high
rainfall which has been so disastrous
in the Eastern and Middle States has
extended to the Territory, giving an
abundance of grass and water and
making every valley in the whole
region probably for 600 miles along
the border, a practicable road where
the largest band Of ponies and cattle
can be fed in any month in the year.
1t seems quite probable that this
heavy rainfall may be repeated next
year and in years following, and if it
is the Government will be called upon
to make special provision for the de
fense of the inhabitants of Arizona
and New Mexico
We have spoken of Sonora .as
sure retreat for marauding band
In that State the MeAicans are max
ing the greatest effort to put down
the hostiles and with apparent sue
cess, though of great cost of blood
and treasure But it is evident that
when hard pressed there the Apaches
can cross the line, retreat through
Arizona, and reappear in Arizona 200
miles away, and in this way defeat
the most careful plans. No doubt CO.
operation on the part of the Gov
ernment, thorough system of tele
graph lines, and the distribution of
posts nearer tbs border may do much
to destroy these advantages. but
there remains one condition which
threatens to destroy the best efforts
of the army on either side of the line
and it is a condition that our Govern
ment is called upon by duty and hu
manity to remove.
The Apaches are collected in the
San Carlos Agency in Arizona, and
those that do all this murderous mis-
chief, every year the grass gives them
the means of moving freely, are of
course bad Indians, renegades, NAL
contents and all the others of that lot
so well known to the army. San
Carlos is not more than l30 miles in
a direct line from Sonora. and the
valleys in that region make the line
of travel very direct. There can be
little doubt that communication is
steadily maintained between tho
Agency Indians and their bad breth
rem in Sonora. \ raiding party can