Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-06-01
CROOKS RAID TN MEXICO.
THE INDIAN PUZZLE MADE AS
CLEAR AS DAY.

HOW the Country was Aequired-W VIII,
and Where the Indians Are-How tn,
Wars are Started The Agreement
About Crossing the eBOrder-COnfidenc,
in the General,
WASHINGTON, May 3l.-The following
statement of the view taken at army
headquarters of the situation of affairs on
the Mexican frontier and of the plans and
circumstances of General Crook. is made
by the authority of the United States au.
thorities: E'The United States acouirad
| Texas, New Mexico and Arizona from
old Mexico in the war of 1S46-S. Ever
since that time our army and adventur-
Gus emigrants have been fighting with the
Apaches, the general name given to many
bands of Indians of about the same tvpe.
| known distinctively as TontOs. JicarilIas.
! Warm Spring Indians and Chiricahuas.
! who for 200 years have been cOntending
| for the posses sion of the territory
| lying along what is now the Mexican
frontier. According to the policy of the
| United States, the Southern Apaches
who properly belong on our side of the
line, have been collected into two reser-
| Vatlons, at or near-eaeh of which is thA
| usual agent of the Indian Bureau and
| garrison of troops. One of these reser-
vatiOns is in New Mexico. near Fort
Stanton, and the other in Arizona, at San
! Carlos, near Fort Thomas. A large part
of the Apaches, however, still remain i'm
Sonora and Chihuahua. These Indians
occasionally come north to see their old
| friends at the agencies, and the agency
Indians return their visits. While
making such trips they keep their hands
in by stealing the cattle and horses which
fall in their way, and by killing everybody
whom they encounter. They are the natu-
raj and common enemies of both the
Americans and MeXicans. They give no
quarter and expect none. Such visits or
raids across the borders create a panic.
but the cause is gone before the cry can
be raised. Some time since Secretary
Frelinghuysen, in behalf of the United
States and Senior Romero, the Mexican
Minister, with the approval of his own
government, entered into an agreement.
not a treaty, that the troops of
either nation might follow such raid
ing parties across the natural border and
destroy them. The pursuit, however,
must be immediate, in ''hOt blood" or a
fresh TRAIL" and according to interna-
tional law, due notice being given to the
other party, and must cease the moment
the authorities of the territory invaded
are able and willing to take it up. Gen.
Crook was assigned to the command of
the Department of Arizona on account of
his special fitness and experience, and he
was given an increased force to enable
him to prevent these Apache raids, which
so intertered with the development of the
resources of the Territory. This force con-
sisted of two full regiments of cavalry
(the Third and SIXTH, one regiment of
infantry (First), and 200 Indian scouts.
twO-thirds of all of whom are now en-
plOyed by the United States. General
Crook was convinced by the recent raid
that peace and security in Arizona could
only be attained by making the Apaches
i'll Sonora respect and fear the power of
this government, and he therefore de-
termined to follow the raiders to their
hiding place in the mountains which
separate the Mexican States of Sonora
and Chihuahua. He made his prepara-
tlons with great care and deliberation,
and took the precautiOn of first visit to
Sonora in person, and consultation with
its civil and military authorities with re-
gard to his contemplated movement, They
were only too glad to have such an
auxiliary in the work of preventing Apa-
che raids, and having assured himself of
this Gen. Crook returned to his command
and began the movements now in pro-
gress. The War Department has given
Gen. Crook the fullest liberty to conduct
this bold enterprise in his own way and
his own time, reposing in him absO-
lutte confidence and furnishing him
with men and money fully up to his requi-
sitions and estimates. There is no hurry
in the matter, for during his absence from
Arizona all railways and mining opera
tlons and other pursuits of the people of |
that Territory are gong on without inter- |
ruption, and his presence on the other |
side of the border will keep all hostile |
Apaches there from undertaking another |
raid. Gen. Crook in due time will ac-
mt for r.Nvt II hi
perish"
Lieutenant VIM. Baird, of the Sixth
Cavalry, who has just returned from the |
Mexican frontier, said to reporter to-
day, in reply to inquiries that he did not |
think that the reports of General Crooks |
engagement with the hOstiles were
trustworthy: ''Very likely" he said, |
"there has been fighting, but I do |
not think that any decisive |
action has taken place. Gen. Crook did |
not intend to send back word until he had |
accomplished something or had entirely |
failed" In reply to question why Gen |
Crook did not take with HIM into Mexico |
larger force of cavalry, Lieutenant |
Baird said: ''Gen. Crooks action in that !
respect is not fully understood. He took |
all the men that he could possibly |
provide transportation for, everything in |
the way of provisions, and baggage had to |
be carried on the backs of mules The |
country was secured, and all the mules |
that could be procured at the different |
posts were brought in. These mules are /
not very plentiful, and the size of the force |
had to be regulated in accordance with |
the supply. 1t was absolutely necessary
to take scouts to track the enemy. Gen. |
Crook took with him as far as the border
eight or ten companies, with which he
formed Gordon along the line. Six /
companies were left in the |
vicinity of San Bernardino. un- |
der Colonel Biddle. 1t was |
with one of these companies that | was |
stationed. 1t Is a terrible country that |
Gen. Crook is in. 1t is perfectly desolaUe
The prosperous ranches that used to stand |
along the base of the mountains have |
been swept away by the savages, and an |
occasional isolated hamlet is all that is LETT |
of the villages. The great difficulty that !
Gen. Crook has to contend with is the |
scarcity of water. The scouts only know |
one or two places where water can be |
found, but the fugitives know where every |
drop is in the mountains. The |
most cordial relations existed be- |
tween Gen. Crook and the Mexican |
authorities and his plans and intentions |
were fully approved by them. l think |
that no uneasiness need be felt for the |
safety of Gen. Crook and his men. We |
had no idea down there other than that he |
knew what he was about, and that he |
would come out all right
Chiricahuas Suing for Peace.
NFTf frFN A