Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-06-13
CROOKS GREAT VICTORY.
AN UNOSTENTATIOUS RETURN
WITH 3S3 PRISONERS.

| prised and Panic Stricken in an I'm.
pregnabIe Stronghold.
TUCSON, ARIZONA, June IA cou
rier arrived at Tombstone last night from
/ Gen. Crooks headquarters at Silver Greek.
Arizona, bringing the first official in.
formation of Gen. Crooks expedition. II
left American soil on the Sd of Nav
marching 200 miles southeast from San
Bernardin0 to the boundary line of Chi
huahua and Sonora, following the trail OF
the hostiles. Gen. Crook was guided bv
an Apache named Nadaski, who was cap
| tured near San Carlos Just previous to the
expeditions departure. At point about
200 miles south of the line the command
crossed the Sierra Madre range, advanced
fifty miles over an indescribably rough
trail, eight mules being killed by falling
over precipices, and pressed on without
delay. The men were rendered nearly
barefoot by sharp rocks.
After fourteen days hard marchine. day
and night, the Indian camps of Chatoa
! and BOnito were discovered a the heart
of the Sierra Madres in an almost i'm
pregnable position. The Apaches did not
dream of an attack, for the entrance to the
stronghold was next to impossible, and
the warriors were principally out on a
raid under Juh, only 81 bucks being in
camp with the women and children,
Inc san Carlos scouts under CAPTAIN
Crawford and Lieutenant Atwood and
Mickey Free and the chief of the scouts
surrounded the camp before the hostiles
were aware OF their proximity. They adj
Vanced from different points. The scouts
secreted themselves behind rocks and
commenced firing upon the camp. Great
ing perfect panic.
A number succeeded in escaping thouph
nearly all surrendered. Seven We're found
dead in the camp, and five Mexican wo-
men and little girl were recaptured.
They were taken from Carmen and Chi
huahua and are now with Gens Crook in
goOd health. Everything in the camp was
burned or carried Off by the scouts.
Among the property captured were 100
ponies and mules, forty being loaded with
plumber, saddles, girdles, clothes, gold and
silver watches, several thousand dollars
IN gold and silver and greenbacks. show
ing that they had been very successful in
their raids.
After the fight most of those who es-
capped came in. Altogether 1888 prisoners
were taken. The chiefs captured were Cha
t0a, BonIto, Geronima, Nachez, Loco and
Mana. The two latter were long repOrted
dead. The chiefs say that 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.
Charley McCOmas, Runners were sent
out, and he is expected in hourly. After
the hight the command with the prisoners
marched leisurely back to American soil.
and the entire command, with the
prisoners, are now encamped on
Silver Creek, about sixty miles
south of Tombstone. Not one of General
Crooks command was lost during the
campaign. The courier states that the
reason General Crook remains at Silver
Creek is that he is awaiting news from
the Secretary of War as to what disposi-
tion he shall make of the Indians. as Mr..
Wilcox, the agent at San Carlos. refused
to receive them, and he General Crook
Will 90 back to the Sierra Madres after the
rest OF the hOstiles if they do not come in.
In conversation with the courier he
stated that the hOstiles had plenty of
money. One old SquaW who was the
possess0r of three bills made inquiry of
some one at Col. Biddle's as to the value
OF her possessions. Upon being informed
that the notes were worth So each she
grunted, and decided not to negotiate.
and pointed with her skinny finger to
naught after the figure on each note.
Quite number of bucks had silver stars
and other ornaments beaten out of Mexi-
can dollars on their headgear while sew
eraI had American dOuble-G aeIes made
into necklaces. A rough estimate makes
the amount of wealth among them fully
$4,000, and probably more.
The troops stated that the place where
the capture occurred is the prettiest spot
on earth, and that the road leading to it
is rOugher than mortal man ever trod.
Large numbers of the hostiles seemed
pleased with the situation, evidently ex-
pectng Immediate return to the San
Carlos reservation. The only complaint
was from a squaW whose buck was
among those who made their escape.
The officers of the expedition stated
that General Crook had surrounded the
Indians before they were aware of his
presence, and that if he had not done so.
1t would have taken six months and ali
the men in Arizona to have captured
them.
AS an illustration of General Crooks
mOdesty and total absence of fuss and
feathers in his make up, it may be stated
that although the fight and capture oc-
Cured on the 18th of last month he leis-
urely retraced his steps to Camp
Supply, at Silver Greek. not
sending a courier ahead to signal his
movements. The first intimation had of
Gen. Crooks return was the arrival of
Lieutenant at Col. Biddle's headquar-
ters at O'Clock Sunday morning with
dispatches from Camp Bowie, the nearest
army telegraph station. Upon making
inquiry concerning the General, who was
supposed to be 100 miles distant in the
Sierra Madres, imagine the surprise that
awaited the camp when informed that
Gen. Crook was only two hours behind
with the captured Apaches.
About 10 O'Clock Gen. Crook made into
camp with an escort and greeted Col Bid
die with mice morning, Colonel, ,"straight-
way struck out for a wash basin
which he had spied, and was soon engaged
in performing hls ablutions, after which
he threw himself into camp stool and
engaged in conversation about his cam
paign in an off-hand way.as if hunting the
fiercest and most cruel foe on the conti-
nent, in the widest and most inaccessible
country to be found, was matter of every
day occurrence.
1t is reported that the loss to the In
dians in the fight was seven bucks. A
Lieutenant, whose name is unknown, was
the only person wounded in Gen. Crooks
command, and he was but slightly in
jured.
A band of twenty-five Indians are re.
ported near Richmond, New Mexico.
They are supposed to be renegades driven
out by Gen. Crook trying to get to their
reservation.
SAN FRANCISCO, CAL. , dne 12.-The
following dispatch from General Crook
was received at military headquarters
this afternoon, dated Silver Creek. Arizo-
ma, Il miles north of the boundary, via
Tombstone;
81 left here May 1 with 1913 Apache
scouts, under Captain Crawford. / got
Lieutenants Wood and Mackey with
Captain Chafer's company of AZ men, of
the Sixth Cavalry, and ratiOns for two
months on mules, and followed the hos
tiles. The Chiracahua country is of in
describable rOughness, and a number Of
mules lost their footing, and stepping from
the trail fell down precipices and were kill
ed. The stronghold of the ChIracahuas is in
the very heart of the Sierra Madres. The
position is finely watered, and there is a
dense growth of timber and plenty of
grass. They had been camped near the
head OF Bayispe, occupying prominent
elevated peaks, affording line outlook
Tor miles, and rendering surprise almost
impossible, and their retreats were made
secure through the rough adjacent canOns.
Capt. Crawford, with the Indian scouts,
early on the morning of May Is, surprised
the village OF Chatoa, the Chief who led
the recent raid into Arizona and New
Mexico. The fight lasted all day, and
the village was wiped out. The
damage cannot be estimated. A number
of dead bodies were found, but the indie
scribable roughness of the country pre-
vented a count being made. The entire
camp with the stock and everything be-
longing to it was captured, i was learned
from the prisoners taken that the Chira-
cahuas were unanimous for peace. and
that they had already sent two messen-
gers to try to reach San Carlos. On the
18th they began to surrender. They said
that their people were much frightened
by our sudaeuiappearance III their fast
nass and Lnd s1.attorocl III. a.,.tl