Sullivan republican. [volume] (Laporte, Pa.) 1883-1896, 1893-11-24
APACHES In THE ARMY.
THE NEW SYSTEM TRIED IN Arr.
IONA TERRITORY.
The Indian Has Not Proved n Very
Good SOtdier--Lured into Service
by the Charm of Brass Buttons.

The long line of
~ colored soldiers presents
unique and picturesque APP
pearance. The straight-cut regular
army jacket, trousers that are COM
promise between the native garment
and the garments of the line, met at
the knee by buckskin leggings; on the
head a cloth of red muslin or calico in
a band and tied tightly behind, leav-
ing the crown of raven hair completely
exposed, This is the Apache soldier
of the United States regular army on
duty, says an Arizona correspondent
of the San Francisco Chronicle.
The Indian troops of the Depart
ment of Arizona are recruited solely
from the various tribes of the Apache
Nation, and are in nowise similar to
the Indian police force of the Sioux or
other Indian tribes. They are regu-
larly enlisted for the full period of
service, receive full pay, and are held
strictly amenable to military disci
plinc. Their uniforms vary slightly
from those of the other troops, re-
sembling sort of Zouave equipment,
concession which the department
found ii necessary to make in order to
satisfy some whims of tho aboriginal
mind. The Indian is essentially mar
row-minded and superstitious. Matters
of dress which may be exceedingly triv-
ial in Importance have to him some
times an immense significance.
The Apache problem has been n
thorn in the side to the commanders
of the Department of Arizona. There
are ten large tribes in the Territory,
making an aggregate of some 40, 900
persons. OF all these, the Apaches
alone have given the Government any
trouble within the past quarter of n
century. They occupy reservation
in the heart of the Territory larger
than the combined States of Massachu-
setts, Rhode Island, Connecticut and
Delaware and their whole tribal pop
ulation numbers less than 5000. There
has not been year since the white oc-
cupation that some Apache renegade
was not off the reservation, making
life interesting for some one, and II
very few years have passed in which
the Government has not been called
upon to quell general outbreak )
With the end of the Geronimo cam
paign the authorities adopted q new
policy toward these implacables and
the formation OF the Indian auxilaries
is part of the new programme.
Gradually the more lawless chiefs have
been vanquished until now there is
hardly corporals guard of the old
warriors to he found i'll all the tribes
which comprise the Apache Nation.
Then supplementary proceedings were
began by enlisting all the able-bodied
young bucks between the ages of Sin
teen and thirty into regular companies.
Under these conditions all the
old men deported and all the young
sters under the eyes of the regular
soldiers it is hoped that the solution
of the Apache trouble is not fer dis.
tant.
While the question seems in II fair
way to be settled with regard to the
Indian, the new deal does not give
universal satisfaction in army circles.
The soldiers do not take kindly to the
change. At Fort Huachuca an in
cipient mutiny was raised on the
arrival of the red-skinned troopers,
Regulars who have been for years fight
ing the willy Apache from behind
rocks cannot readily accustom them.
selves to the idea of messing and
sharing quarters with their hereditary
foe. The officers, ns rule, are not
very enthusiastic over the innovation
either. Their general opinion Is that
the novelty will soon wear oil with the
recruits, and that eventually they will
either desert, singly or en- masse, or
else at best, when their term OF SER
vice expires they will refuse re-enlist'
ment aud return home with their
newly acquired knowledge aud die
ciplnc to become more troublesome
than ever.
As to the merits oi the Apache rs II
soldier he doesn't seem 10 have many,
He eau withstand an Incredible amount
of fatigue. 4 body of Apache infantry
will make forced march in better
time aad can arrive in better fighting
trim than the average regular cavalry.
When the line of battle is drawn up
Mr.. Apache is not there. i4rom time
immemorial the Apache warrior has
fought only from ambush, and no
amount OF military discipline eau com
pei him 10 face tire IA which he has
no better chance than his enemy.
The one thing which lures the In
dian from the reservation into the
army 10 hls love uf the uniform lie
cares more fnf bright colors ahd gait
trappipgs than for his wife even more
than he does for eating. Ihe glitter
ing epauiettes and shining buttons ~
resistibly charm the savage eve, An
Apache sergeant IA ful re8lmentsl
form j. al object - the proiaunslest
re~ renee o. every nsle "a his tribe
and o. the sauaas he is thlns ta hs
alars,l Then they Ia. th' oYelntlens
anl military n.anmuNres lhe1 enjoy
The music, especially ilseli AMI spir
led ftial aifs
fhe iamteg Of iuslians uoA serving
IA the epkFtfnsai ~ "a the nele hhgt'
hood i've hundred They ere ursHE
ized u - eanipanles II iiitf each, with
shite oliieeTs shsuah there have hesa
sumf fes pfeia silslas e. iHniaf grades.
theeampaAiss afs nai 81 tai. hnaf@ft,
q, reason 20 seeeHlunai llesfs iinAa aiIA
aatural eausss 4 sell knaaa offices,