The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-01-29
TUE DEATH OF CAPTAIN CRAWFORD.
The War Department Furnishes Details Of
the Unfortunate Collision in Mexico.

WASHINGTON, Jan. 28-The War Department
to-day received official information from General
Crook of the death of Capt Emmett Crawford,
Third Cavalry, at the hands of Mexicans in Mex
leo. and the probable surrender Of the renegade
Apaches- An accompanying report from Lieut..
Maus, First Infantry, who was next in command
to Captain Crawford, gives details of the affair,
from which it appears that Captain Crawford's
command OF Indian scouts located the camp OF
the hostiles on the night of the 10th instant at
point about fifty miles southwest of Narcori,
Mexico, and one mile north of Arras river, being
about two hundred miles from the border-line.
awaited the break of day. In the mean
time the braying of the burros alarmed
the hostiles. Two of them made their
appearance, and were fired upon by the scouts,
and general fight ensued Finally the Indians
retreated to the rocks and left all their effects in
the hands of the scouts A running fight was
kept up for two or three hours when Captain
Crawford's command was surprised by volley
of bullets fired in their midst from an unex-
pected quarter. At first it was supposed that
the shots came from Captain Daviss command,
which was also after the hostiles in that vicinity.
Captain Crawford signaled for his men to stop
firing. and twas then discovered that the attack
ing party was composed OF Mexicans, who evil
IDENTITY took Captain Crawfords men for the hos
tiles. Lieutenant Maus started out to consult
with the Mexicans, when firing began in another
part of the line. He about to take steps
to stop it, when, happening to look
back, he saw Captain Crawford lying ON
his back with bullet-hole through his
head. A parley between the two forces followed.
and it was found that Captain Crawford was
mortaily wounded and q guide named Horne
and five scouts were also wounded On the side
of the Mexicans, the commanding officer and
FIVE other men were killed and four wounded.
The entire day was consumed in settling affairs.
The following day two s0uaws from the hostiles,
who had escaped, came to Lieutenant Maus to
ask for terms He refused to talk with them,
and also refused to talk with two bucks who fol-
lowed soon after. Geronimo, the head chief,
and Natcnese, another chief, then appeared to
make terms. They said they were utterly dis
couraged and were tired of being hunted from
rock to rock, as they had been for the past two
months. Lieutenant Maus would consent to
nothing but an unconditional surrender. The
chiefs then agreed to meet General Crook at
point on the line between Mexico and
the United States. They sent to the
American camp as hostages, Chief Mana and
another chief, Geronimos wife and child and
seven squaws. The hostiles are now on their
way to the place of meeting with General Crook,
and expect to reach there by the 4th prox. The
party numbers twenty two bucks, and is sup
posed to comprise all the renegades. General
Crook is reported as saying there is no doubt Of
their surrender They have prepared a written
statement of the troubles and grievances which
led them to leave their reservation.
Captain Crawford, after being shot, remained
unconscious until his death, which occurred on
the 18th inst. He was carried with the COM
mand foy lNTen days, and buried at Narcori,
Mexico xsd death is much regretted at the
War Department, where he is described gal
liant officer and one of the best Indian fighters in
the service.
A San Francisco dispatch says; "Major-gen-
eral Pope stated to-day that he felt certain that
the Mexcans who attacked Captain Crawford
not regular troops, but renegades. who
took the Americans for hostles, and attacked
them in the hope of obtaining the scalp-money
offered by the State of Sonora for hostiles. He
said the troops were acting only according to
mutual agreement with Mexico by which troops
from the other country were permitted to pur
sue the common enemy into the country of the
other, and added that most friendly feeling
exists between the troops of both countries.