Delta chief., 1883-07-11
Crooks Indian Guide.

The fame of General Crook as an Indian
fighter has been greatly extended by his re-
cent victories against the Apnches. His
name is more frequently mentioned in the
public prints than tina, OF the President. And
for why! Because he has subdued n remorse-
lessly blocdthirsiy band Of Indians task
which the Government has been pursuing
for years. General Crook has been Landed
and praised to the skies for his keen percep-
ton in seeking the Indians, and for his brav-
cry in hunting them down, killing the OBJ
strcperous and taking the remainder captive.
Some Eastern papers have even gone so far
~ to nominate the valiant General for the
Presidency.
Indian Agent Wilcox, of San Carlos. Ari.
zona, relates n little inside history of the late
Apache campaign, which proves Of decided
interest in view OF the present campaign.
Agent Wilcox and General Crook are the best
Of friends: they have assisted one another in
the Apache campaign, and the conclusion
must not be reached that, when Agent Wilcox
detailed the following story, he meant to de-
tract from the record Of General Crook in his
raid against the Chiricahuas.
According TO the Agents story, the success
Of the campaign was due more to the services
Of n renegade Indian named Penal -tish, nick
named Peach, than 10 the much praised gen.
cralship Of Crook or any other United States
official. Trnc, General Crook and command
are entitled to much praise for their prompt
action and bravery, but had it not been for
the services of the Indian Pe-ual-tish, II is
fair to suppose that the present results of the
Apache war would never have been accom-
plished.
The story Of Agent Wilcox is as peculiar
as i, is interesting. /, gives an inside view.
Probably the celebrated movements of every
General are predica,cd upon some act or in.
formation that is never made known TO the
public. The Agent says that, with the prof.
fcrcd services of the Indian Pc.nal..ish to act
as guide, it was comparatively easy task
for General Crook to march to the mountain
fastnesses of the Chiricahuas. From the time
the troops lcft San Carlos until the hostile
camp was taken, this same Indian accurately
piloted the way over the country, and not
day was lost in reaching the Chiricabuas'
camp, located in the generally conceded i'm
pnssablc Sierra Madras. Pc.nal.tish was
renegade from the Chiricahuas' camp, and
knew every foot Of the country he was travel
ing. He had, over Il year before, left San
Carlos with his marauding band that COM
mi,ted the dcprcdations which turned the
eyes of the whole civilized world toward Ari-
zona. He was with them during all Of their
raids before the band sought shelter in the
Sierra Madras in Old Mexico. Here he de-
serted them and alone sought his way back to
the agency at San Carlos where he expected
to be received back with open cordiality,
with his sins completely forgiven. That had
been the custom, and Pc-nal.tish expected
the same would be extended to him, After
two months of weary, plodding travel, one
night he found himself upon the reservation
and within sight Of the agency buildings.
The balance of the story is best told in Agent
Wilcox's own words:
when Pc.nal.tish was first observed by
the Agency guards" said the Agent, cal
though il was night time, he was at once rec
ognixed as a Chiricahua by his head dress
and the leather belt he wore, and runner
was hastily dispatched to my quarters, fully
six miles distant, who brought the intelli.
gencc to me that the Chiricahuas were back
on the reservation, and that depredations
were to be expected. It seems that rs soon
~ Pc.nal-tish was first observed, the runner
was dispatched to me without first ascertain
ing whether he wns alone or not. II was
surmised that no one Chiricahua would re-
turn alone, and that more Of the hostiles
w..a 4, ov,huab Al soon ns the vortl was