Arizona silver belt., 1883-07-28
Letter from MaricOpa
County.

NOuhtN.
The following letter from one of
Maricopa's most reputable citizens, is
of unqueStioned interest, and is only
one of several like averments now in
our possession which establishes the
fact that Gen. Crooks expedition
against the Chiricahuas was not sue
cess, or resulting advantage. The
name of our corresponding informant
is withheld by request for good and
sufficient reasons, but, nevertheless,
the information is from such a SOURCE
as to place it beyond question:
Your ideas have generally coincided
with my own regarding Gen. Crooks
campaign in Mexico. l have always
had my doubts Of great many Of the
reports given Of things done in that
memorable fasco, and yesterday l be-
came fully enlightened regarding the
whole matter from beginning to end.
Ny informant is a gentleman of un-
doubted courage, who accompanied
the expedition. | have known him
personally for a long time, and place
implicit confidence in his. utterances.
| asked him if there was any truth in
the telegram regarding the fact of
Crooks command having been virtual
prisoners to the Chiricahuas? His
answer was that ''there was a id
sight more truth than bad spelling in
it, He then gave me the whole
thing. The scouts, just as soon as they
got over the border into the noun
tains, became badly frightened, being
in deathly fear of the hostiles who had
always been victorious over the other
tribes of Apaches, and because they
(the scoutS) were in strange country
of which they knew nothing whatever.
The meagre number of white troops
failed to inspire the scouts with any
courage, and it became painfully evil
dent that if a fight occurred they
would scatter and leave the soldiers to
be massacred. After striking the
camp Of the hostiles Cat which time
there was no fight whatever, notwith-
standing the reports,) Crook stayed
four days, when the warriors came in
from foray into chihuahua, driving
a herd of some 300 or 400 cattle and
horses, and the only thing that saved
Crooks command from annihilation
was the fact that the hostiles were en-
tirely destitute of ammunition. As it
was, they assumed very threatening
attitude, and had things pretty much
their own way, refusing to give the
command any fresh meat, although
they slaughtered thirty Or forty head
of cattle, and had big feast. They
told Gen. Crook that they were tired
of fighting, because they could not
always get ammunition sufficient to
keep them going, and if he would
promise them immunity from punish
ment for former crimes, they would
come in, and be good Indians. This
Crook has undertaken to do, and has
succeeded so far as granting them i'm
munity is concerned, but it still re-
mains to be seen whether the warriors
will come in as they promised. While
the General was camped there, max
ing these negotiations, the Mexican
troops came within five miles of the
place, and recaptured what was left of
the herd referred to. My informant
states he saw them do it. After the
hostiles came into camp, they and the
scouts mingled freely, and had q big
time. When the business of the capt.
ulation( p was finished, Crook marched
off towards home to the music of
Apache yells, and was glad to get
away, too. This is the true inward
ness of the celebrated victory" in
Mexico. These facts make you solid
on the stand you have taken regard
ing this matter. c. j. B.
Rasl