The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1904-08-26
INDIAN FIGHTERS TALES.
Exciting Times in the West When
Geronimo and His Men Were
or the War Path.

-NpaChe nSnteT, WHO ls HON d. tl!e
Worlds Fair. will soon receive a call
from one of his old antagonists. re-
tired soldier, who fought the renoWn-
ed Indian warrior in Arizona and
New Mexico thirty-tive years ago.
The soldier is Henry George Ma
bers, OF No 1913 North Fifteenth
street, who was a sergeant in Troop
9. Eighth United States cavalry,
about 1870. Mr.. Nabers is not known
in army circles by his real name, how
ever, for he ran away from home
when he was IS years old to prevent
his relatives hearing where he was
he enlisted under the name Of
John Tracy.
This was II 1868. and soon after
Joining the army his regiment was
ordered to the southwest. where a
constant warfare was being waged
between the Apaches under Geronl-
mo and the United States soldiers.
Many were the thrilling eSper-
fences which Sergeant Tracy had IN
the mountains of Arizona and New
Mexico from 1868 until April, 1878,
when he was honorably discharged.
The hardest battle in which he took
part was that which was fought on
the summit of the mountains on the
line between New Mexico and Arlzo-
ma in the fall of 1871.
Troops C, l. K and L, OF the
Eighth United States cavalry, had
been engaged with about 1000
Apaches," said the retired veteran,
"and after a hard days fight the cav
airy slowly withdrew from the held.
The mountain ridge then interposed
between us and the Indians, and the
officers decided to take the Indians
by surprise in the night and COM
pletely rout them.
Captain E. J. Fishit, who was IN
command of Troop G, was instructed
to select a sergeant. who IN turn
should choose ten trustworthy men
to accompany Manwella. half-breed
scout, on the reconnoiter. The cap
tain selected me, and with ten SOL
',1iers whom ! knew would not run,
went with Manwella on the scouting
expedition.
"We were instructed slowly to
climb the mountain. and when we
found the Indians to signal to the
rest of the army at the loot OF the
hills which would then follow us and
give battle to the Apaches.
Cutting branches of sagebrush,
each man slowly advanced up the hill,
waving the branches in front OF his
face thus making the Indians think
that what they saw was nothing but
grass.
"As we reared the top of the hill
company tailor who had joined the
reconnoitering party foolishly raised
his head and received a bullet IN the
forehead. The report of the gun
was mistaken by the soldiers at the
base of the mountains as the signal
to advance. They swept up the hill,
drove the Indians from camp. and tol-
lowed them for 3o hours
I'm this battle a lieutenant was
shot through both jaws. We placed
him in an improvised stretcher. which
WIS swung between two horses, and
carried him for 90 miles to Apache
Pass.
"For my conduct in this battle
1eceived a medal from the govern
ment but that medal has since been
lost"
Though Sergeant Tracy or Henry
G, Nabers, was not with the party
that captured Geronimo. yet for
while, he says, he was in command OF
the guard that had charge OF Gero-
nin1p at Camp Bowie. Ariz He is
confident that Geronimo will remem-
Der him.
The most thrilling experience OF
Sergeant Tracy's life took place about