The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1888-04-13
GENERAL TERRY's SUCCESSOR

BrigadIer-GeneraI George Crook. the
Famous Indian Fighter, Nominated by
the President for the Vacant daJor-Gen-
eralship Caused by the Retirement OF
General Terry.
WASHINGTON, April THE nomination
of Brigadier- General George Crook to be
Major General, vice Alfred Fl. Terry, re-
tired, gives general satisfaction, and moth
ing but words of commendation can be
heard in regard to the course Of the Presi-
dent, who was guided solely by the record
Of this distinguished soldier. General
Crook, a native Of Ohio, graduated from
the Military Academy at West Point in
1852, and was assigned to duty in the
Fourth infantry, then serving in Califor-
MIA and Oregon. He soon became noted
for courage, GOODNESS and skill In Indian
warfare, and his name has since become a
household word in every State and Terri
tory west of the Mississippi river. Dur
ing the war of the rebellion he became
one Of the prominent commanders Of the
National forces, reaching the command OF
a separate army corps, and at the close Of
the war was in command of Sheridan's
cavalry in Virginia. With the surrender
Of General Lee, he was promptly ordered
back to his old field of duty in Northern
California and Eastern Idaho, to quell the
Piutes and Bannocks, then in those States,
tory. He pursued them during the worst
winter ever known in that region, and at
last brought them to bay in the Internal
Caverns in the lava beds of Idaho, killing
a great number and reducing the re-
mainder to submission.
This success induced President Grant
to order him to Arizona Territory to quell
the Apaches, who had been at hostilities
since the first coming of the Spaniards.
General Crook endeavored to secure peace
by gentle means, but these failing, he be-
gan his operations with startling energy,
attacking the hostiles in their chosen
strongho1ds. At the head of the Santa
Maria, at the canyon of Salt River, at Tur-
ret Butte, at Superstition Mountain, and
| dozens of other places, the Apaches were
| surprised by forced night marches, thor
| oughly whipped and forced to surrender
| to the number of five thousand. They were
not permitted to live in peaceful idleness,
but were compelled to farm for their liv-
ing. Only one band was exempted by
name from Crooks contrOl-the Chiric-
huas-who afterwards gave the authori-
ties so much trouble.
Promoted to the position Of Brigadier-
General, Crook was transferred to the
| Department of the Platte, where the
! Sioux, Cheyennes, Bannocks and Utes
were elements of danger to the public
| peace. In his campaigns against the
| Sioux and Cheyennes in 1876 and 1877, he
| led his troops for two winters in the face
| of billiards. in Dakota, Wyoming and
Montana, at a tempe nature of forty de-
| grees below zero, and through a summer
| OF unusual heat and unprecedented rains
| The entire command narrowly escaped
| starvation, being reduced for eleven days
| to diet of horse meat and water.
His troops fought the hostiles on Pow
| der river, Wyo., in February, 1876: at
tackled and destroyed the village of Crazy
Horse, on the LOwder Powder, in Mon
| tana, in March; again met and defeated
| them on the Tongue river, Montana, on
June 9. 1876; whipped Crazy Horse and
! Sitting Bull on the Rosebud, June IT, 1876;
again on Goose creek, Montana, August
| Is, 1876; again at Slim Butte, Oak, Sep
tember 8, 1876, and totally destroyed the
| village of the Cheyennes on Willow creek
! WyO., in the Arctic weather of November
%, 1876. This last blow proved too much
and the hOstiles sent in runners begging
for terms.
In subsequent operations against disaf-
fected Utes and Bannocks, Crook showed
the same energy, skill and courage.
Recalled to Arizona, in 1882, to subdut
| the Chirichua Apaches, who were agaiI
on the war-path, he made the memorable
march against them into the heart of the
Sierra Madre, three hundred miles across
the Mexican border, surprised Geronimo''
stronghold, killing nine and compelling
the others to surrender. Five hundred
and twenty-five Chirichuas returned t.
the agency, being every soul of the hos
tiles, and seventeen white captives wert
restored to freedom.
General Crook is known to the countr!
at large as a firm friend to all Indians
anxious to do right and live at peace. Hi!
firm advocacy of the cause Of the Dakot;
Poncas, in 1881, and his unswervinl
friendship for such of the Apache bands
as have kept faith with the whites, has at
tracted favorable attention throughou
the country. He will hold his new posi-
ton for six or seven years, retiring il
1894. His headquarters will in all proba
bility be Chicago.