The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1895-09-14
and Randy wrote in eager delight to

I and Randy wrote Ia eager delight to
/ tell the news. HI. ss f s53
This was about mid June Blazing
hot and dry were the days and breeze.
less the nights, q most unfavorable
time for travel to and fro across the
4 Arizona deserts, but Maj. Cullen was
4 losing not an hour. BE was . man
who had seen much service among the
| Apache Indians, knew their haunts
end habits, and was both feared and
trusted by them. No sooner was the
old regiment fairly outeof Arizona, and
before the new one was fairly IN, there
| few hurried dispatch to San Francis
CO that was flashed on across the Sier-
ras and Rockies and cfught the new
major at Omaha In brief words it
told him that there was universal up
rising among the Apaches and asked
how soon he could return, as the gem
! eral commanding held open for him an an
important command. In tWentY-fonr
hours the. reply was at Drum barracks.
'Start this morning. Expect me by
25th''
One week later courier from Pres
colt, riding post haste with dispatches
to the new commander at Ret1ibution,
warned him that he must guard his
working parties and the road between
the old and new post. The Tontos had
dumped" Now, Tonic in the Mexican
dialect means fool or idiot, but the
Tonic Apache was no fool. The" craft
lest, cunningeat Of Indians he, and well
had the chiefs and young men reasoned
that good time to strike would be
| Just as the old and seasoned regiment
left the territory. and before the new
one, utterly untutored in Apache STRAIT
agem and mountain scouting, could be-
gin to get down to their work. And SO
all through the wild hunting grounds
! in the Sierras their war fires and sig
nails blazed by night and pulled in
smoke cloud by day. All across the
rocky chasms and among the pine
crested ranges from the haunts Of the
Hualpais in northern Arizona down
through the valleys Of the Verde and
the Hassayampa, the home of Apache
Mohave and Apache Yuma; across the
broad basin between the Mazatlan and
the Black Mesa and southwark. to the
Sierra Ancha, the Tonic Apaches had
sent their messengers urging instant
and united action, and down from the
mountains, on stage road, trail and
mining camp, swooped the savage foe
men, and all Arizona walked to a new
reign of terror.
Among the first mines abandoned as
the result of this sudden raid were
those on the Santa Anita. The first
refugee to claim the protection of the
commander of new Fort Rctribution
was Muncey, speedily followed by half
dozen others-an with fearful tales
of massacre and pillage. 1t was a hot
June evening, when they gathered at
the edge of the bluff looking westward
from the adjutant's Office over the
southern foothills Of the range, to
where, faint and dim, the guard lights
Of the old post could just be distin-
guished through the rare Arizona at
mosphere, twinkling feebly in the low
lands Of the Sandy, ten long miles
away.
How many Of our people are left
down there under care Of the guard?'
asked Capt. Raymond Of the stern
faced old soldier in command.
ssOnly the ordnance sergeant's family
and the workmen dismantling what's
left of the post"
mo women or children besides
Kelly's?'
t..None. The last were moved over
to-tlay-un1ess we count MacDuff.
Leon said he wanted to stay with old
Kelly to the last" 3
.sLeon!' exclaimed the miner Muncey,
in apparent amaze. why, thought
that boy was-was safe in Sonora with
his mothers people" Whereat two Of
his fellow miners looked keenly into his
face and then exchanged quick and exc
pressive chances.
"That boy said Capt. Foster, ''is
like cat. He found his way back
from Tucson to the old post, and sticks
to it SO long as there's single left.
Look here" he continued, pointing to q
Jagged, conical shaped height clearly
defined against the soft hues Of the
lingering twilight. ''Yonder's Signal
Butte overhanging the old rookeries,
shd Kelly's ranch is mile beyond that.
Now suppose the Apaches did work
around to the west of us and were to
swnop down on the Sandy, suppose our
people were able to get up there and
signal, how long would it take US to
Urn out fifty horsemen and gallop over
those ten miles, and how much would
b left BY the time we got there?n
The commanding officer stood in deep
thought for = moment without replying.
He had sent to the old site only lieu-
teaant and twenty men. This would be
sufficient to protect the property still
1nshipped and the lives Of those still
detained there on duty, bat there were
two ranches in the valley within q
couple Of miles Of the posts; there was
ti,e camp of Jose's bull train, there was
Sergt. Kellys little farm on the slopes /
Of the south gate Of Apache canyon, all
beyond rifle shot Of the guard. Kelly
was an old First Dragon man, q vet
eran who had fought Apaches q quarter.
ST century before, and declared that
he despised them. His wife end two
daughters lived at the ranch, and,
though bitterly disapp pointed ats the res
lnoval Of the post, were BY no means
afraid But no such o1tbreak as this
had occurred before. The Apaches were
more daring aud better I armed and
dow In the bottom 81 his heart NJ j.s
Thornton wished he had left 81
force u cavalry at the post, io,utt 5
now too late TO change. sss5
81 Darkness had settled down On the I
B rrison. The Inst hues OF the tyEi-
light faded ont 81 the western sl The