The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1886-02-11
A Boys LETTER.
GRAPHIC DESCRIPTION OLA FIGHT
WITH MEXICAN TROOPS
ON THE BORDER

I'm MEAlCAN IltOOIS
ON THE BORDER.
The following well writtea letter j
from little boy only - years old to hi
grandmother in this city.
Fort BOWIE, ARIZONA,
January II, 1886.
DEAR GRANDMA
don't owe you letter, but l write Il
tell you the latest news while it is fresh OF
my memory.
This morning at about 10 o'clock
courier arrived from Lieutenant Man.
lieutenant Mans, was with Captain
Crawford's command in MexicO) with dis
patches dated NacOris, Sonora, Mexico
January 2, 1886, saying that Captain
Crawford discovered the camp of the rem
egades, but although he laid very good
plans for their surprise he failed on ac-
count of the braying of their mules or
donkeys, but nevertheless attacked them
and defeated them in a running fight in
which nobody was hurt on our side and
the only evidence of casualty on the
hostile side was several pools of blood on
the rocks. Captain Crawford captured
all their effects and about sixty horses
and mules. This was on the 10th inst.
A squaw by the name of Bridget came in
to have talk with Captain Crawford,
saying that the hOstiles would have an
other talk with him the next day. The
scouts went into camp on ridge about
100 yards from the
OLD INDIAN CAMP.
The next morning, Monday, the
18th inst, the camp was alarmed
by the cries of the scouts and Immediately
after by storm of bullets fired into the
camp. The officers of the battalion soon
discovered that the firing was done by
party of Mexican soldiers (154 in numberl,
so they and their interpreters began cali
ing out to the Mexicans in Spanish that
they were friendly Americans, soldiers,
etc. Presently three Mexicans came for
ward with their hands up in token of
peace, but upon approaching the camp
they topped got behind trees, and
FIRED ON THE
scouts, however, hurting no one. The
scouts then fired and killed two of them.
in spite of the efforts of the officers.
When quiet was restored, Capt. Craw-
ford, followed by Lieut.. Means, Mr.. Horn,
the interpreter, and "Dutchy," chief of
scouts, advanced waving white flags and
and assuring the Mexicans
of their peaceful intentions, the Mexicans
answering them, when all at once the
Mexicans fired, mortally wounding Capt.
Crawford, he being waving his handker-
chief at the time, and wOunding MrHorn.
'Dutchy," standing near, caught
CAPT. CRAWFORD
as he fell and pulled him behind the ROCKS
out of danger, then took the captains
pun and killed the man who
wounded him (Crawford). General firing
then began, in which three of our scouts !
were wounded. After about 30 minutes
firing, Lieut.. Maus, who had assumed
succeeded in quoting the
scouts. The Mexican loss was their can |
tain and three men killed, and five men |
wounded. Lieut.. Maus then went into
camp for the night. The next day, Lieut.
Mau5 was inveigled into the Mexican
lamp and there surrounded, and before
he could get away, he was obliged to
promise the Mexican commander six
mules, and other things. The scouts were
1t that time stripping and preparing
TO FIGHT,
seeing which, the Mexicans let Lieut..
Naus go.
1t being too late to move that day,
Lieut.. Maus did not move till the next
lay, when he moved his camp seven
niles north. He had talk with the hos
lies, who said that they would like to
nave talk with the general, near the line,
n about month. They, the hostiles
numbered twenty-four bucks Geronimo.
NNathes' Cuimame andINana, and twenty
our bucks, and some women and chill
iren-in all, nine-surrendered uncondi-
ionally. Poor Capt. Crawford lived till
he command got to Nacoris
vhere he died and was buried,
lie was unconscious from the
ime of his being shot to the
line of his death. Lieut.. Petit, first in
antry, has been sent out from Sanp's
anch, on the border, with supplies, trans
MI