West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1889-05-30
BLACK CLOUDS SON.
4 GOVERNMENT RIDERS STORY.

A GOVERNMENT RIDERS STORY.
There will never be another Indian out
freak serious enough to call for the ac-
ion Of full regiment of soldiers in sup
'ressing it. The determination of the
futfalo was the death-blow to the hostile
indian. Added to that, the building of
he railroad lines flooded the West with
migrants, miners, hunters and tourists,
nd the Indian found himself hedeed in
~ circumstances The red man is no
onger warrior. He is down, and down
retty low, and it is the beginning of the
md. He is doomed to follow the buffalo.
md his total extinction will be regretted
'nly by the few philanthropists who
rgued for him as a theory, and never
.ame in physical contact.
No human being ever came nearer
being fiend than an Apache Indian. The
eawnees, Blackfeet and Cheyennes were
wicked enough, but the Apache had
rats of his own-a fendishness which
'ther tribes might initiate but could not
.qual. He was born. crafty and cruel. He
Iever had the slightest feeling of mercy
'r pity from the cradle TO the grave. He
vas never so much amused as when assiss.
ng to torture some living thing. He was
sever so satisfied as when p,anning TO
AXE lie.
A year previous TO the time General
Custer was ordered West to begin vigor-
aus campaign against the Indians, tho
Apaches were in their glory, aud they
ooasted that they could defeat any force
u soldiers sent against them was
scouting and mail-carrying In Teas for
the Government, and after many close
'hayes was finally captured by the red
mps. II is OF that incident / am going
70 write.
A month before my capsuro I was on,
On scout on the Rio Pecos River, our
party numbering eighteen men. We
we're well mounted and moving quickly
from point to point. One day at noon
we went into camp in grove Of cotton
woods, and before had unsaddled the
Lieutenant in command informed me
that ne had lost his revolver from It's
holster during the last mile Of our ride.
and asked me 90 ride back In search. In
stead of riding returned on foot, and
had the luck TO find the weapon only
shout quarter Of mile away. then
tut across an elbow 10 reach the grove.
and when within stones throw came sud
aenly upon an Indian pony in a dry gulch,
and at the same instant discovered his
owner crouched behind a boulder with
his back to me and his face TO the grove.
had him under my rife before he could
turn his head. Indeed, my finger was on
me trigger when / saw that he was boy
Tie had a rifle in his hands, but called
out to him to lay II down OF I would fire.
and after moments hesitation ne
obeyed. Then, as I kept him covered at
distance Of only seven or eight feet, +
called 20 the men IN the grove, and
several Of them came hurryiDg down in
response.
I bad captrrel . son Of Black Cloud,
Chief Of one o. tho Apache bands. and
the boy was named after his father. He
was only fourteen years old, and his
presence there exempliGed the ruling traits
Of Apache character Three hours before
no had discovered our party while out
hunting with a party Of his own. they
dared not make an open attack, but the
young Chief had sent bis people away
and then cut across the country TO the
grove, planning that we would halt
there. Single handed and alone hc was
going 70 pick off the Lieutenant, and
TEN make his escape to boast Of IL. We
uad splendid horses and were All old
campeigners, and the boy would not have
bag ono chance in ten 70 set awa1. lie