Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1897-01-30
The STORY Teller.
IN THE ENEMY'S CAMP.

"In the way of straightout nerve
and daring there is nothing in the an
nails of savage warfare to beat Lieuten-
ant Gatewood's exploit in entering the
camp of the renegade Apaches in the
camp paign of 1885 To persuade them to
surrender to the United States troops" !"
The man from Tucson was talking,
and when his discourse is of Indians
or frontier desperadoes the people near
him in the Hoffman House Office gath
er to listen.
"It was in the last Apache war, 10
wears ago, which had as it's outcome
the deportation of the hostile Apaches
from Arizona to forts on the Atlantic
coast, where they were corralled be-
yond the power of doing further mis-.
chief. After the renegades had sur
rendered, in March, 1886, to General
Crook, IS of them, including Geroni-
mo, their war chief, and Matches, the
son of the famous Cochise, slipped
away by night and went again on the
warpath. For five months they were
at large, raiding and massacreing over
region comprising 5000 square miles
of mountainous country, while 5000
soldiers on our side of the line and as
many Mexican soldiers across the bor-
der were trying to run down and inter-
cept them. The trouble was not in
fighting them--s half company of our
troops could have whipped the whole
band of renegades in fair fight in an
open field-but to overtake and bring
them to an engagement.
They knew the trails and passes and
water holes in the vast mountain re-
gion in which they operated as we'll as
New Yorker knows the route be-
tween his house and his place of busi-
ness, and, being swift and tireless run
ners, with no baggage to impede them,
they kept up their game of hide and
seek with our troops for long time.
Everywhere they went their course
was marked by cruel murder and out
rage, with every horror of Indian war
fare enacted in its worst form.
"Following the appointment of Gen
eral Miles to the command of the
department of New Mexico and Ari-
zona the pursuit of the hostiles was
carried forward with fresh vigor. Ev-
erywhere that they were likely to 60
the mountains were thoroughly scout
ed, guards were stationed at all the
principal water holes, and the hello
graphic service, then newly introduced,
flashed orders to troops in the field
and information of the movements of
the Apaches from one peak to another
over vast areas of country. Captain
Lawton of the Fourth cavalry, led the
direct pursuit of Geronimo's band, and
gave the Indians no rest. Several
times he captured their camp with its
provisions, stock and munitions, but
on every occasion the Apaches got
away among the mountains in time to
save their skins. The United States
got too hot for them and they crossed
the border into Mexico. Captain
Lawton followed them, and the In
dians, pursued by our troops and the
Mexican troops at the same time,
found themselves in tight place.
"This was in the middle of August.
1t was learned through a deserter a
few days later that Geronimo's band
was encamped near the town Of From
tares, in the Sierra Madre, and that
they were exhausted by the fatigues of
their long flight, were short of food
and nearly out of ammunition. The
Apaches were trying to make terms
with the Mexicans on the basis of
peace with them, while they should be
left free to raid northward into United
States territory. With Captain Law
toms command was Lieutenant G. B.
Gatewood, Of the Sixth cavalry, an
experienced Indian fighter, who spoke
the Apache language, and personally
knew Geronimo. He volunteered to
20 to the Apache camp and treat with
the Indians for their surrender. With
two Chiricahua scouts as companions
he set out on his errand in advance of
the column of soldiers. He was we'll
acquainted with the Indian character,
and fully realized the appalling risk
he ran in trusting himself in the
Apaches' power.
"The Indians were encamped in an
old, abandoned Jesuit mission village,
built of adobe houses with an adobe
wall about it. On arriving near the
place Gatewood left his horse with the
two scouts outside, and walked alone
into the village. At sight of him the
Indians seized their guns. Recognizing
Geronimo among them, he laid down
his carbine and beckoned to him. The
chief came forward and the two talk
together, while the warriors waited in
ominous silence for the orders of their
leader. Geronimo's first emotion
seemed to be of astonishment that the
white man should put himself into his
power, and his first words were of sim
lister import.
"'Are you aware of the danger you
run in coming into our Campo he said.
you are foolhardly. Do you expect
to leave this place alive?'
"Gatewood, knowing that his life
was ir the balance, answered him with
perfect composure.