Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1883-06-16
FRUITFUL INDIAN CAMPAIGN,
Gen. Crook Relates in a Modest Way
His Fight with and Capture of 400
Hostile Apac h es-Tbe Apaches Now
Most Submissive in Disposition.

Silver Creek. Ariz, twelve miles north Of the
boundary, via Tombstone.-Left here May with
1913 Apache scouts under Crawford. Got word to
Mackey with Chaffee's company of forty-two men,
Sixth cavalry, and rations for two months on
mules. Followed the hostile Chiracahuas. The
country is of indescribable roughness. number
of mules lost their footing, stepping
from the trail. fell down the Dreci-
pices and we're killed. The stronghold Of the
Cbracahuas is the very heart of the Sierra
Madres. The position is widely watered, with
dense growth of timber, and plenty of grass.
They had been camDed near the head OF the
BavisDe. occupying prominent elevated peaks,
affording fine lookout for miles, rendering sur
prise almost impossible. and making
Capt. Crawford, with the. Indian scouts.
early on the morning of May Is surprised
the village of the chief who led the recent raid
into Arizona and New Mexico: The fight lasted all
day and the village was wiped out. The damages
cannot DO estimated. Numbers OF dead bodies
were found, but the ndescribable roughness OF the
camp with stock and everything belonging to it, was
captured. 1t is learned from prisoners taken that
the Chiracahuas were
UNANIMOUS FOR PEACE,
and dispatched two messengers to try to reach San
Carlos. On the 18th they began to surrender. They
said their people were much frightened by our sud
den appearance in their Businesses and bad scat
tered like quail. They asked me to remain until
they could gather all the bands together, when they
would g. bacE TO the reservation. By the terms OF
the treaty my operations were limited to the time
of the fight. told tie Chihuahuas TO gather up
their women and children without delay. They an
swered they could not get them TO respond 10 the
signals, the fagtives fearing they might be Deset
by our Apache scouts and entrapped. They told as
they had white boy who was IN village
Jumped by our SCOUTS. He had run of with souaws
who escaped and who had not yet been heard from
They assured me that every one of the band should
come in if would remain short time. The terms
of the treaty embarrassed me greatly, and being in
PlCY
there being between 800 ard 400 Chihuahuas to
feed, was compelled to return with the Chihua-
huas. We found six Mexican capttves-five women
and one chiid-taken By the Chlhuahuas early IN
May. They are with the command. These
women say they were captured near the Mexican
Central railroad at place called Carmen They
further state that when the Chihuahuas discovered
Apache scouts were in The county they
BECAME GREATLY ALARMED
and abandoned on the trail 300 head OF cattle
which Were driven away from points IN western
chihuahua, but afterward picked up and driven OF
by body of Mexicans We marched back as rap
idly the condition of our stock and the strength
of the women and children would permit. We
found the country depopulated for distance OF
100 miles from the Apache stronghold. The Chi
huauas insist that they have always lived in the
Sierra Madres: that even when the main body
went on the reservation some remained on the
mountains. OF those who went out, there are q
number who state that they have never been on
q reservation. have strong hopes of being able 10
clean the mountains of the last OF those now
with us are the chiefs Loco aud Mana, so often re-
ported killed By other prominent chiefs. we saw
Mexican troops, and after leaving the settlements
in Nesorira did not see Mexican other than cap
tives rescued. have such assurances from the In
dams that the white boy will be brought back alive
that am looking for him every moment, and will
inform you by courier.
CROOKS NoNCHALANCE
AS an illustration of Crooks modesty and
total absence of fuss and feathers in his make
up, it may be stated that, although the fight
aud apture occurred the 18th of last month,
he leisurely retreated his steps to Camp Sup
ply, at Silver Creek, not sending a courier
ahead to signal his movements The first in
timaton had of Crooks return was the arrival
of lieutenant at Col Biddle's headquarters at
8 a. m Sunday, with dispatches for Camp
Bowie, the nearest army telegraph station.
Upon making inquiry for Gen. Crook, who
was supposed to be q hundred miles distant
in the Sierra Madres, one can imagine the
surprise that awaited the camp when Informed
that Crook was only two hours behind with the
captured Apaches. About 10 O'Clock Gen.
Crook rode in with his escort, and greeted
Col Biddle with "a nice morning, Colonel,"
and straightway struck out for a washbasln,
which he had spied and was coon engaged in
performing his ADDITIONS after which he threw
himself into a camp stool and engaged in con-
versation about his campaign in an ff-hand
way as if hunting the cruelest and fiercest foe
on the continent in the widest and most mac
cessible country to be found was a matter of
every day occurrence. A lieutenant, name un-
known, was the only person injured in Crooks
command, and he but slightly.