The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-07-18
CROOKS CAMPAIGN.
Confirmation of the Story that He Was in
the Power of the Indians.

bWcr VI
Washington Special.
General Crook does not pan out as great a
nero as he mas been crowned. The statement
of State Senator Gibbs, of Texas, that he and
mis- command were captured by the hostile
Apaehes turns out to be true. The facts, as
cleaned from an employee of the Interior De-
partment, who was present at the conference
between General Crook and Secretaries Lin
coin and Teller, are about as follows Gen
eral Crook, in taking with him the 200 White
Mountain Apache scouts, supposed that they
were trustworthy and might be depended
upon in any emergency. On this hypothesis
he made his contingent of Federal soldiers
comparatively small. After few days
march in the mountains of Chihuahua. he
began to see unmistakable evidences that
the scouts were not to be relied upon.
They unceremoniously objected to an
order given by Crook, after his suspi-
cions were aroused, detailing a patrol as
well as the picket forces from the ranks of
The soldiers. They insisted, ana carrid their
point, that sentinel duty should be equally
divided between the two races. The scouts
whiting the camp marched and slept to-
gether, and while they were not unfriendlg
in their intercourse with the soldiers, practi-
caly maintained a separate and distinct or
ganiZatlon. The advance of the force was
rapid, uninterrupted, and direct. They
found themselves in the mountain strong
holds of the hostile Apaches without any of
the delays incident to a cautious advance on
an enemy's country. Crook knew that he
was in the power of his scouts, and like a
wise man. devoted all of his persuasive
powers to effect such a rescue that would
not be wholly without honor. He realized
the fact that unless he could make his 200
scouts mediators between him and the hos
niles he and his soldiers would be massacred
He urged the scouts to use their influence to
persuade the hostiies to return to tile reserva-
ton. He depored bloodshed and thought all
men should live in peace. He pledged his word
warrior and chief that the hostiles
should be restored to their reservation. il
they would surrender AS Crook had been
exceptionally honest in his dealings with the
Indians, the scouts conveyed his promises
10 the hostles, and they were accepted with
the condition that a certain number Of the
squaws and children of the hostiles should
20 20 the reservation, not as hostages, but
(undeT the protection of the Apache scouts)
as pledge that the hostilcs would treat in
good faith upon the proposed terms, the
scouts having obligated themselves to pro-
tect these women and children with their
lives against any perfdy on the part of the
government When Secretary Teller refused
10 grant the request OF Crook that the hos
tiles he placed on the San Carlos reserva-
ton, the scouts, several of whom are very
intelligent and quickwitted, quietly in
formed the "captives," as the women and
children were called, and enough of them
led to the hostile camps to carry the news.
With this intelligence the hostiles resumed
operations, and are still raising scalps
Ali of this was developed in the interview
Of Crook and Secretaries Lincoln and Teller,
and it is given, in substance, just as it came
from one who was present.