The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1895-05-02
APACdES IN THE ARMY,
THE NEW SYSTEM TRIED IN AR1-
IONA TERRITORY.

IONA EEH644S6 Z.
The Indian Has Not Proved Very
Good Soldier-Lured Into Service
by the Charm of Brass Buttons.
nT oMpANY, attention.
'e / The long line Of copper
" colored soldiers presents
unique and picturesque ap-
pearance. The straight-cut regular
army Jacket, trousers that are COM
promise between the native garmens
and tho garments Of the line" met at
the knee by buckskin leggings, on the
head cloth of red muslin OF calico in
O. 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.
nent 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 dlsc1-
pline. Their uniforms vary slightly
from those of the other troops, re-
semblins a sort of Zouave equipment,
concession which the dep, rtment
found it necessary to make in order to
satisfy some whims Of the aboriginal
mind. The Indian is essentially mar
row-minded and superstitious. Matters
of dress which may be exceedingly trlv-
ial in importance have to him some
times an immense significance.
The Apache problem has been
| thorn in the side to the commanders
Of the Department Of Arizona. There
nre ten large tribes in the Territory,
making an aggregate of some AZ, OOo
persons. Of all these, the Apaches
alone have given the Government any
trouble within the past quarter OF a
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
nlation numbers less than 5000. There
has not been year since the white oe-
| cupation that some Apache renegade
was not off the reservation, making
/ life interesting for some one, and
very few years have passed ID winch
ths Government has not been called
| upon to quell general outbreak.
With the end of the Geronimo cam
oaion the authorities adopted new
policy toward these implacables and
the formation of the Indian auxilarles
lis a part OF the new programme.
Gradually the more lawless chiefs have
been vanquished until now there Is
| hardly a corporals guard of the old
warriors to be found in all the tribes
] which comprise the Apache Nation.
Then supplementary proceedings were
began by enlisting all the able-bodled
Young bucks between the ages OF SIX
teen and thirty into regular companies
Under these conditions-wlth 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
!ant.
While the question seems in fan
Tay 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
einiens rsutiny was raised Oh the
arrival Of the red-skinned troopers.
/ Regulars who have been for years hight
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, as rule, are not
verv enthusiastic over the innovation
| either. Their general opinion is that
the novelty will soon wear off 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-enllst-
ment and return home with their
newly acquired knowledge and dis
cipline to become more troublesome
than ever.
! As to the merits of the Apache as
soldier he doesn't seem to have many.
He can withstand an incredible amount
of fatigue. A body Of Apache infantry
will make a forced march IN better
time and can arrive in better fighting
trim than the average regular cavalry.
When the line of battle is drawn up
Mr.. Apache is not there. From time
immemorial the Apache warrior has
fought only from ambush, and no
amount of military discipline can COM
pel him to face fire in which he has
10 better chance than his enemy.
The one thing which lures the In
dian from the reservation into the
army is his love of the uniform. De
cares more for bright colors and gilt
treppings than for his wife-e7en more
than he does for eating. The glitter
inr epaulettes and shining buttons lr-
resistibly charm tie savage eye. An
Apache sergeant in full regimental uni
form is an object of the profoundest
reverence to every male in his tribe
and to the squaws he is thing to be
adored. Then they like the evolutions
and military maneuvres. They enjoy
the music, especially lively and splr-
ted martial airs.
The number OF Indians now serving
in this department is in the neighbor"
hood of FIVE hundred. They are organ
ize1 into companies of fifty each, with