The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1883-06-14

from San Bernardino. on the bound
airy line of Chihuahua and Sonora
and following the trail of huStil =.
Crook WAS guided by an Apache
NadaSkl, who WAS captured near San
Carlos Just previous to the eXpedi-
ton leaving. At point about POO
miles south of the line the command
crossed the Sierra Madres range and
advanced fifty miles over an indie
scribably rough trail. eight men be-
ing killed by falling over precipiceS,
and pressed on without delay. Some
OF the men were rendered nearly
barefOoted by the sharp rocks.
After fourteen days hard march
ing, night and day. the Indian camps
of Chat and Bunite were discovered
in the heart of the Sierra Madres in
AN almost impregnable position. The
ApacheS did not dream of an attack,
for the entrance to their stronghold
was next Ia impossible, and the war
rlors We're principally out on raid
under Juh, only thirty-seven bucks
being in the camp with the women
and children. San Carl IS scouts.
under Capt. Crawford and Lieuts. At
wood and Mackey, with Al S~bree,
Mcintosh and Mickey, three chiefs of
scouts. surrounded the camp before
the hostiles were aware of their APP
proach and advanced from diff
ferent points, and were near
before they were discovered
The scouts secreted themselves be-
hind rocks and commenced firing
upon the camp, creating a perfect
panic. A number succeeded in es-
Gaping, though nearly all surrendered.
Seven were found dead in the camp.
Five Mexican women and little girl
were recaptured. They were taken
from CarInan and Chihuahua and are
now IN charge of Crook and in go I'd
health. Everything in the camp
was burned or carried off by the
scouts.
Among the property captured were
lOO ponies and mules, forty being
loaded with plumber, saddles, girdles,
clothes, gold and silver watches and
several thousand dollars in gold, sill
yer and greenbacks, showing they
had been very successful in their
raids.
After the fight most of those who
escaped came in; altogether 1888 pris-
Oners were taken. The chiefs taken
were Chato, Bonite, Gernimo, No
cheese, Loco and Mana. The two lat
ter were long reported dead. The
chiefs say an American boy, six years
old, who was captured a month ago in
New Mexico, is with the squaWs in
the mountains. He is no doubt
Charlie McComas. Runners were sent
out and he is expected in hourly. At
ter the fight the command. with their
nriOnnorc r11orohaI
the American side. The entire COM
mand, with the prisoners are now en-
camped on Silver Creek, about sixty
of Crooks command was lost during
the camDaign.
Crook remains at Silver creek
awaiting news from the secretary of
war as to the disposition to make of |
the Indians. Crook intends to 90
back to the Sierra Madres after the |
rest of the hostiles if they don't come
in.
In conversation with the courier he |
said the hostiles had plenty of money. !
One old Squaw was the possessor |
OF three fifty dollar bills. She in
CURED us to their value, and when |
told they were five dollars each, she |
grunted and pointed with her skinny |
finger to the nought after the five. |
Quite number of bucks had silver |
stars and other ornaments, beaten out |
OF Mexican dollars, on their head |
gear and several of them had Ameri- |
can eagles made into necklaces.
A rough estimate of the amount of |
wealth found with them is fully |
$1,000 and probably more. The troops
and packers OF the command state |
that the place where the capture oc-
CURED is the prettiest spot OH earth,
and the road to it rougher than NOR
tai man ever trod. A large number |
ef hostlles seem pleased with the sit
uatlon, evidently expecting immediate |
return to the flesh pots of San Carlos, |
The only complaint comes from some |
OF the squaws whose bucks are among
those who escaped. The officers who |
were with the expedition state that |
Crook had surrounded the Indians !
before they knew of his presence; |
that if he had not, it would have ia
ken six months and all the men in the |
arsenal to have got them.
AS an illustration of Crooks mod |
esty and total absence of fuss and |
feathers in his make up, it is stated |
that although the fight and capture |
occurred on the seventeenth of last |
month, he leisurly retr ICED his steps |
TO camp, not sending a courier |
ahead to signal his movements. |
The first intimations had of Crooks |
return, were on the arrival of a lieu |
tenant at Col. Biddle's head |
quarters at eight a'clock a. m.
Sunday, with dispatches for Camp |
Bowie, the nearest army tele-
graph station, and on making in
quiry concerning the general, who |
was supposed to be 100 miles distant |
in the Sierra Madres, imagine the sur
prise when informed that Crook was
only two hours ehind, with the |
captured Apaches.
About 10 o'clock the general rode |
into camp with an escort, and greeted |
Col. BiddIe with Mice morning,
colonel" and straightway struck out |
for wash basin, which he had spied, |
and was soon engaged in performing |
his additions, after which he sat |
down on camp stool and engaged in |
conversation about his campaign as
calmly and unconcernedly as if the |
tracking and capturing of the most |
cruel foe through the regions of the |
most deSolate and impracticable coun-
try was matter of every day occur
renee.