Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-02-22
THAT GERONIMO CAMPAIGN.
1t Ii Being Fought Over Again at thu
Capitol.

| WHAT WERE THE CONDITIONS OF asBoNIMo's
sURRESDER-GKN. MILES AND GEN. CROOK
| STILL AT oDDs-wHAT LIEUT.. KENNoN TEsTI-
| FLED TO YESTERDAY.
The Geronimo campaign is being fought over
again in the House committee of Indian affairs
| The proposition before the committee, recon-
| mended by the President, the Secretary of War
and others, is to move the Apache Indians from
\ LIT. Vernon barracks. Alabama, where they
were placed after the surrender of Geronimo's
little bloody band to Gen. Miles, to Fort Sill
/ Ind. Ter. When the proposition was brought
before the committee petition was received
| from several cities OF Arizona and New Mexico
who, it was thought, were following in the lead
| of Gen. Miles, protesting against the Indians
| being sent west again. Gen. Miles took occa-
sion. too, to appear before the committee last
Saturday to oppose the removal of the Indians
and to make review of his campaipn over
which there is a bitter controversy between him
| and Gen. Crook. who was his predecessor in
command OF the Indian campaign, Gen Miles
and the petitioners opposed tine removal of the
Indians on the grouads-tirst, that Fort Sill
was not healthy; secondly, that Fort Sill
was so near the old haun;s of Geronimo and
ms band That they could escape to the noun
tains OF Arizona and New Mexico, and
| third. even If the Indians had no desire to es-
cape, the mere fact that the people were afraid
OF them would be an injury to that section of
the country. ct the time of Geroiiimo's sur
render zen. Miles was anxious that these In
dians should be sent to Indian territory and
strongly recommended it. but now that Gen.
Crook wants them sent there he opposes it
strenuously. The feeling between these two
warriors Is such that they cannot agree on any
| subject.
GEN. CROOKS RECOMMENDATIONS.
Yesterday Lieut.. l.. W. V. kennon. who was
IN the Indian campaign with Gen. Crook and
Is member of his staff appeared before the
committee to answer the objections advanced
by Gen. Miles and the petitioners to the re-
moval of the Indians. The position taken by
the department and by Lieut.. kennon in his
statement to the committee is that the whole
tribe OF Chiricahua Apaches, who have given
no sort of trouble since their first surrender to
Gen. Crook in 1888, and the scouts who did
efhclent service IN securing the capture of
Natchez and Geronimo are suffering for the
misdeeds of the two latter and their small
band. They think the removal of the entire
tribe is matter of mere humanity and Justice
besides being good policy.
Lieut.. Kennon answered the first objection
that Fort Sill was not healthy by showing that
though Fort Sill might be subject to malarial
influences on account of being on the low lands
by the river. there was no room to dispute the
healthfulness of the high lanis in that vicinity
where 1t was proposed to put the Indians. He
aiso proCnced a report on the general
HcditH fOIt OIL showing tDat the death rate
there was very low and that it was healthy As
to the second objection he said there could be
no possible danger of the Indians escaping to
their old haunts Ill Arizona and New Mexico
even If they were inclined to do so, as they
would have to travel for about seven hundred
miles over . desert plain, where, being noun
tain Indians, they would be at a disadvantage
and they could easily be captured BY the
troops. They would have to pass through a
line of troops, four thousand of them. who had
taCre n far ity hot
country. and in addition had railroad facilities
for getting ahead of any fugitives and cutting
them oil. The idea of their being abie to make
their escape he said was too absurd to con-
slider.
THE CONDITIONS OF THAT SURRENDER
There has been a deal Of controversy over the
terms of the surrender OF Geronimo and his
little band TO Gen. Miles Gen. Miles has given
1t to be understood that the surrender was I'M
conditional, as the department had directed it
must be, yet at the time of the surrender
neither the President nor the Secretary of War
could get any definite statement from him ON
the subject and it was claimed by the Indians
and others participating that there we're condi-
lions. which were that the lives of the hostiles
should be spared, that no harm should come to
them on account of their past Offenses and that
they should be restored to their tribe and rela
tlyes.
Lieut.. kennon spoke on this subject and gave
a history of the Indian campaign calculated to
detraet from the glory OF Gen. Miles campaign
He also pointed out to the committee the in
justice that had been done to the peaceable In
dians ana TO the scouts III particular.
CROOKS CAMPAIGN
He said that in 1888 the Chiricahua Anaebes
AT that time they numbered six hundred and
were the widest and most savage Indians of
the continent. IL that year Gen. Crook pene-
trated their stronghold and brought them in
as surrendered prisoners of war and placed
them on reservation in Arizona. There they
were given farms ana were taught to cultivate
the soil. Their progress was remarkable for a
people submitting to control Tor the first time
IN their tribal history.
In the spring of 1885 occurred the outbreak
OF Natchez. Mangus and Geronimo who fed
back TO Mexico with their followers numbering
about one hundred and thirty-four men, women
and children. The rest of the band. over four
hundred and fifty, remained in the reservation
IN spite OF all the efforts of their relatives TO
induce them to leave. Chatto. who was threat
ened with death in case of REFUSAL declined to
20 with them.
THE SURRENDER TO CROOK.
In the campaign which ensued the scouts
enlisted from among the Chiricahuas rendered
efficient service. In March, 1886, the whole
BODY OF hostIies sure ndered to.Gen Crock ac-
cepting as a punishment for their misdoing
Punishment for term of years. which was i'm
r
them to the United States. after the surrender
Natchez and Geronimo. with Il small party es-
capped III the night and fed back TO the noun
talns. AS the result of the surrender how
ever, seventy-seven of the hOstiles were secured
and sent as prisoners to Fort Marion Fla.
Among these were CHIHUAHUA and Uaua be-
sizes wives, children and relatives OF every one
OF the Indians who had escaped.
RESEGADEs STILL AT LARGE
There still remained at large the party of
Natchez and Geronimo numbering eighteen
men and eighteen women and children. The
task of ret'Iking this hostile remnant was in
trusted to Gen. Miles after Gen. Crook had re-
signed the command of the department of
Arizona, who secured their surrender IN Sen
TENDER, 1886, OH conditions. SO it is generally
understood, that their lives should be spared.
that no harm should come to them for their
past otfenses and that they should be sent TO
JON their families who had already surrendered
After this surrender three men and three
women escaped and returned to the mountains.
but there remained in Gen. Niles hands
Geronimo, N&tchcZ. thirteen men, eleven
women and six children. The men were sent
TO Fort Pickens. the women and children AT
nrst TO Fort Maroon aud then to Fort Pickens
Gen. Miles opposed their beng sent to
Florida for military reasons and wanted them
placed or reservations Ill Indian territory.
In 1857, the Indians who had surrendered In
Cen Crook, were sent to Mount Vernon bar
racks, Alabama, and NatcEez and Geronimo