Sacramento daily record-union., 1890-04-12
spAGHE PARADISE.
HOW A FLUcKY OFFICER COUNTED IN
DIANs IN ARIZONA. :
Desperate Character of the Savages and
the Dread Entertained by the
Settlers.

Camp Verde eastward to the White Noun
tains, south to the San Carlos, continued
westward te Camp Mcdowell, and thence
north to the point first named, would con-
tain 5000 square miles of rocky noun
tain peaks, deep canyons, heavily wooded
mountain streams, and dark pine forests.
Here and there beautiful little valleys or
parks are found, each an isolated oasis and
it is inthis isolation and the intervening
barriers that the peculiar difficulties of
the region for campaigning purposes are
discovered.
After incredible upward toll along the
zig-zag trail, the scouting party reaches
the sharp rocky ridge, whence the almost
precipitous descent begins TO the pleasant
camp ground far below, and it is plainly
seen from the commanding hight that the
beautiful grassy plain is of very limited
extent, and shut in on all sides by almost
impracticable mountains Thus are an
ticipations of rest and refreshment some
what dashed by the prospect of the inter
minable, heart-breaking, rock-climbing
struggle to begin again at day-break. In
most wild mountain regions the narrow
BERNIE on the edge of streams, or the bed
of the stream itself, is the only passable
route, but here the mountain torrents that
pour out in every direction from the great
ranges pass for the most part through dark
preeipitous box canyons which cut off COM
munication between the parks, strung to-
gether like beads by the pure, clear, deep
streams, and all wLo would penetrate the
mountain ranges must do so by painfully
climbing their rugged sides.
In this Apache paradise many varieties
of climate are found. From the cool shade
of the pine forests on the "Black Mesa" to
the burning sandy wastes that form the
valleys of the Salt and Gila rivers one
passes from one extreme to the other, but
would prefer rather 10 remain in the worst
than encounter the torture of a Journey
over the miles on miles OF confused and
jumbled masses Of rocky mountain peaks
to reach the better.
The thea.er of operations thus family
outlined, as well as adjacent portions Of the
immense Territory of Arizona, has been
for many years the scene of innumerable
conflicts between the troops and the many
Apache tribes A record carefully COM
piled by the historian Of one of the caAlry
regiments which took its share OF the sui.
ferings and hardships OF the mountain
scouting between the years 1S71-S5 shows
that in that period the regiment had nine
ty-seven combats with the marauding saw
ages.
Early in the year 1872 it became evi-
dent that portion of the Arivipa Apaches
were using Camp Grant as base of sup
plies, and pushing their marauding parties
out in every direction into the settled
parts of the Territory. The dread enter
tanned by the settlers for these marauders
is best appreciated when the character and
mode OF warfare OF the mountain tribes are
understood. As an old wagon-master re-
marked to a cavalry officer: eve have
horror Of them that you feel for a ghost.
We never see them, but when on the road
are always looking over our shoulders in
anticipation. When they strike, all we
see is the flash Of the rife resting with
secure aim over pile of stones" behind
which, like snake, the red murderer lies
at full length.
All the Apaches are footmen, mountain
| climbers. They will steal horses and use
them, but when driven into the mountains
the horses become part of their rations
Graceful, well formed, with legs of steel
| wire, light and active as a cat, the Apache
on the rocky hillside is unapproachable,
and to fight him, with any chances of sue
| cess, he has to be attacked with skill and
great caution at gray dawn in his bivouac
far up among the rocks. Many surprise
has been effected by night marches against
natural fortresses absolutely unassailable
in the DAYTIME by any number of men,
and where, if the Indians had discovered
the ascending columns, even in the night,
they could have repulsed them with great
slaughter.
As a first step in the campaign. the
commanding General directed that all
warriors receiving rations should be
counted every day at q place to be selected,
within five miles of the post In order
that the officer detailed for this delicate
and dangerous duty might be able 10
identify and keep record of the young
men, metal tag with a number was issued
to each Indian of fighting age. Many of
the Indians receiving the order with sui
len dissatisfaction, because, if carried out,
it checked their rovings. Seated on their
heels in increasing concentric circles in
front of the General, the crouching attitude
and the steady glare of their bead-hke
ewes made them resemble snakes coiled
ready to strike, and it was plain that when
opportunity offered they would resist by
the most deadly means this effort to scotch
them.
The next day the cavalry officer detailed
rode out four miles from the post, accom-
panied by one orderly, to meet the young
savages and make the first count.
The officer selected was one who had
seen considerable service and fighting, but
he subsequently confessed that he would
have been glad to exchange the duty as
signed to him for detail to lead forlorn-
hope over a breastwork.
However, he had been told by the Cen
eral that it was undesirable to send force
on the duty, as some of the warriors might
become alarmed, and in their ignorance
make trouble, and that the object was to
give the Indians fair chance. So out he
rode with his heart in his throat, feeling
pretty confident that unless he kept his
head some young "buck" would stab him
in the back, and thus distinguishing him.
| self, take his departure for the war-path.
| The place selected was at the foot of hill
on which was situated the largest Indian
/ village of the reservation. Arriving at the
point, the officer was met by the whole
band rushing down the hillside with yells
and shouts, and as they approached nearer
he had the horror of perceiving that they
were nearly all drunk. They had been
celebrating the disagreeable order of the
day before by ''tiswin" spree
/ The Lieutenant received the charge BY
dismounting and standing, with noncha-
lance which was far from natural, at the
foot of q large cottonwood tree, the orderly,
mounted, holding the horse a few yards in
the rear. 1t was soon apparent that sew
eral of the chiefs had remained sober, and
We're doing their utmost to prevent trouble,
and by their exertions the rabble was