The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1890-04-19
horses; there was, however, plenty
of rainWater."

"reminiscences of the great Indian
fighter: General Crook was one of
the greatest generals that this coun-
try ever had-a wonderful strategist
and a remarkable soldier himself,
thoroughly we'll versed in all the
principles of war. In Indian war
fare he was undoubtedly preeminent,
This was due to great extent to his
marvellous knowledge of the Indian
character. During the early part of
his army life. which has all been
spent in the West, with the excep
ton of the war time, he learned to
become thorough hunter and
woodsman- In many respects he had
the traits of an Indian, being keen.
Tquick and strong, and with nice
judyme6t when in WILDERNESS. He
knew the Indian as ] know my alph-
ahet, and he treated them on all oc-
caSiOns with the honesty that formed
remarkable factor in his character.
Whatever he said he meant, and
he never went back on his word. A
promise was sacred with him-just
As much to an Indian as to any one
else. This made them learn to trust
him. to respect him and even to love
him, although he was a terrible enc
my to them. During his last visit
to Mount Nernen Barracks, in Ala
bama. the old Apaches whom he
captured in Arizona came to him
and greeted him and even embraced
him. One of them once told him out
in the West that his people looked
upon him as they did upon God, as
being the soul of honor and of truth.
They had the utmost belief in every
thing he did. His honesty was pc
ruIiar in its intensity. He would not
even say to man / am glad to see
y0u,' if he did not really feel glad.
In matters of thought he was slow.
cautious and logical in methodf. and
he weighed the arguments carefully
before coming TO a decision. In &C.
ton he was quick as flash, with an
unerring Judgment, General Crook
was an Indian fighter from the be
ginning of his military career, and L
have been an interested listener Of
many yarn from his lips. In the
sos. while sep 4rated from his small
body of men he commanded, he was
fred upon by a band of Indians from
the other side of a canon. Arrows
began to fall like hail so thick,
indeed, that in clutching at a
tuft of grass to assist him up hill,
while endeavoring to get under COW
er, he caught three arrows in his
hand with the grass. One arrow was
imbedded in his thigh. Crook pulled
it out, but the poisoned head remain
ell in his leg to the day of his death,
oyer forty years. There was no doc
tor nearer than $50 miles, and al
tHOuSu DiOtu pOlSObIIS oFG HI iio
wonderful physique enabled him to
pull through. General Crook was
very fond of hunting, and was one of
the best shots I ever saw. When he
was young officer he always did the
hunting for his mess. In those days
the mess bills sometimes exceeded
the officers salaries, and have heard
General Crook tell how they made
him caterer, and by his intimate
knowledge of the Indians economi'
cal methods of cooking and his luck at
hunting the mess was soon able to de.
clare dividends. Pye been with him
in many hunting trips, and l never
saw better or steadier shot. Sage
hens are not the easiest game to bag
and yet 1 have seen him repeatedly
drop bird out of a flock with each
barrel but not only that, he would
kill chicken every time. His eyes
was so quick that while aiming he
could select the chicks Instantan.
eousIy. With all his experience and
trials, General Crook was as simple
as child. He was Straightforward
and truthful, and had no patience
with concealment or trickery. He
never broke his word to white man
or red man."
General Crook. obtained his lovely
wife through one of the most roman
tic incidents Of the civil war. In the
early autumn of 1860 he was in com.
mand of the Union forces on the Dor.
der line of Maryland and West Vir'
ginia. 1t was tough campaigning ur
among the Allegheny mountains and
down through the Youghiogheny
and Kanawha regions, and while the
skirmishing never amounted to the
dignity of a pitched battle. it wear
led the troops and their officers. One
; night at that time General Crook
, and his staff accompanied only by 4
small escort of cavalry, had reached
the town of Cumberland and haC