The true Democrat. [volume] (Bayou Sara [La.]) 1892-1928, 1897-02-27
IA DARING EXPLOIT.
ANOFFICER'S DANGEROUS CALL
UPON CHIEF GERONIMO.
His Life Hung In the Balance as He
Walked Into the Indian Camp
to Ask Their Sur
render.
s r N the way..of straight out nerve
and daring there is nothing in
the annals of savage warfare to

,, plOlt IN entering the camp OF the rene
{ gade Apaches in the campaign of 1873
! to persuade them to surrender to th
United States troops"
The man from Tucson was talking
: and when his discourse IS of Indian
or frontier desperadoes the pcopl
near him in the Hctfman House of1ic
gather to listen.
'lt was in the last Apache war, to-
years ago, which had as it's outcom
the deportation Of the hostile Apache
from Arizona to forts on the Atlnnti
coast, where they were corralled be
You'd the power of doing further mis-
chief. After the renegades had sur
rendered in March, 1886, to Genera
Crook, tnirty-five of them, includin,
Geronimo, their war chief, an,
Natchez, the son of the famou
Cochise, slipped away by night an>
went again on the warpath. For fiv'
months they were at large, raidinf
and massacring over region compris
ing 10000 square miles of mountain
GUS country, while 5000 soldiers OF
our side of the line and as many Mexi
can soldiers across the border were
trying to run down and intercept them.
The trouble was not in fighting them
a half company of our troops could
have whipped the whole band of rene.
gades in q fair fight in an open field
but to oyertake and bring them to an
engagement. They knew the trails
and passes and water holes of the vast
mountain region in which they opera.
ted, 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 that they went their
course was marked by cruel murder
and outrage, with every horror of In.
dian warfare enacted in its worst form.
Following the appointment of
General Miles to the command of the
Department of New Mexico and
Arizona the pursuit of the hostiles was
carried forward with fresh vigor.
Everywhere that they were likely to
so tho mountains we're thoroughly
secuted, guards were stationed at the
principal water holes, and the hello.
graphic service, then snewly intro.
duced, flashed orders to troops in the
field and information of the move.
ments OF the Apaches from one peak
to another over vast areas of country.
Captain Lawton, of the Fourth Cav.
airy, led the direct pursuit of Zero. !
nlmo's band, and gave the Indians no |
rest. Several times he captured their |
camp with it's provisions, stock and !
munitions, but on every occasion the
Apaches got away among the noun.
talns IN time to save their skins. The
United States got too hot for them
and they crossed the border into Mex.
leo: Captain Lawton followed them,
and the Indians, 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 q deserter a
few days later that Geronimo's band
Vas encamped near the town OF From.
;eras, in the Sierra Madre, and that
'hey were exhausted by the fati9ues
II their long flight, we're short Of
900, and nearly out of ammunition. f.,
Inc Apaches were trying to make F;
ern's with the Mexicans on the basis
II peace with them. while they should
'e left free to raid northward into +,
United States territory. With Captain
4awtons command was Lieutenant c.
). Lakewood, of the Sixth Cavalry. an 1
experienced Indian fighter, who spoke 7 !
ne apache Language and personally :
new Geronimo. He volunteered to =
. to the Apache camp and treat with J
ne Indians for their surrender. With =
wo Chiricahus scouts as companions T.
e set out on his errand in advance Of Il
be column of soldiers. D
1.-The Indians were encampeil in m 81
Id, abandoned Jesuit mission village II
ullt OF adobe houses with an adobe =
all about it. On arriving near the Z!
lace Gatewood left lis horse with the II
70 scouts outside, and walked alone ="
ITO the village. At sight of him the le
'd'aDs seized their guns; recognizing o:
eronlmo among them, he laid down ~
IS carbine and beckoned to him. The ~ ~
hlef came forward and the two sat 81
own on a pile of stones to talk =" ="
getber, while the warriors waited in 10
nlnous silence for the orders of their III
ader. Geronimo's first emotion o.
emed to be of establishment that the W
hite mon should put himself into his W. W.
'wer, and his first words were Of 10
1ister import. oa
" Are you aware of the danger Won le'
n I, in -, coming into our campo he en- en-
ID You are foolhardy. Do you Oh Oh
pect to leave this place alive?' ~
"Gstewcod. knowing that bis life Gu
IS in the balance, answered him with
RECT composure.
" Certainly Won can Ill, mn,