The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-12-11

was branded as a renegade. Gen.
Kautz, commanding the Department
Of Arizona, was at Fort Bowie at the
time l informed him of Geronimo s
movements and requested that the col
umn of cavalry stationed in the San
Simon valley be ordered to take up the
trail of the fleeing Indians and ad-
minister proper chastisement to them.
Three troops of cavalry and one COM
pany of Indian scouts, under Maj. Nor
row, started next day in pursuit of
Geronimo, but failed to overtake him.
From that time-June, 1876-until APP
ril, 1877, this Indian and his followers
were constantly depredating through
Southeastern Arizona, Southwestern
New Mexico, and Sonora, in Old Mex
leo.
1.-THE troops and scouts failed to
check his career. Stock stolen on these
raids were traded off at the small
towns on the Rio Grande and the
renegades were wealthy and happy.
Evidently wearied with the military
activity, Mr.. Smith, the Commissioner
of Indian Affairs in Washington, wired
me to take my Indian police and effect
a capture of Geronimo and his out
laws l was ordered to sieze all stolen
property and restore II to the rightful
owners and lock the thieving rene
gades in the guardhouse at San Carlos
on charges of murder and robbery.
was instructed to call upon the MILL
tary for aid should need IT, Here be-
gan one of the most exciting and inn
portant movements Of the Apache cam
paign.
"In the latter part of March, 1877,
left San Carlos with 100 Indian police,
armed with needle-guns and a goodly
supply Of ammunition. Ojo Caliente,
where the Indians were supposed to be
camping, was $50 miles from San Car
los, and my little army had to make
the journey on foot. In New Mexico
Gen. Hatch, department commander,
had ordered eight companies into the
field to cooperate with me in the pro-
lection of settlements should serious
trouble occur. All along the route we
were informed that the main body of
the renegades were in the mountains
near Ojo Caliente, about 400 strong,
well-armed and desperate, and wait
ing to greet us in the most enthusiastic
manner. This managed to keep up the
interest during the march.
'At Fort Bayard / arranged to meet
Maj. Wade, commanding the troops in
the field at Ojo Caliente. With my
police / marched cautiously to within
ten miles of the agency, and then Sc
lecting bodyguard of twenty-five,
rode into the agency itself just before
shutdown, on 1.-THE evening of the day
agreed upon with Maj. Wade. To my
chagrin l received a dispatch from him
stating that he was delayed and that
he would not be able to reach the
agency until three days later.
A Plan of Capture.
81 determined not to wait for the
military and soon learned that Geron-
limo was camped about three miles 10
the westward and that his force con-
sisted of about 700 men and a number
of boys and old squaws, who, by the
way, are much more liable to precipl-
tate a fight than the men. I decided
that must act at once without rein
forcements, If the purpose of my ex-
petition was to be accomplished. To
effect the arrest of the renegade
adopted a bit Of strategy which work
ed so perfectly that have been proud
Of II ever since. The renegades had
watched my arrival, having learned
that some Indian scouts were coming
from Arizona for some purpose. They
had not discovered the main body Of
police which / had left ten miles back
in the mountains. That they thought
my entire force consisted Of the body
guard of twenty-five who accompanied
me to the agency I felt convinced.
Accordingly, soon after dark, the
renegades having retired to their camp,
dispatch a messenger TO Beauford,
my chief OF police, who was I'm charge
OF the reserve, with orders to march to
the agency before daylight the next
day. About o'clock In the morning
OF April a, Beauford arrived at the
agency with the reserve police, about
100 strong. These were safely quarter
ed In a large vacant commissary build
ing about 100 yards south OF the agency
building and on a line with Il.
soon after daylight / sent word to
Geronimo that / would like 20 have
a talk with him AZ the agency lie
came up AZ once with his entire force,
and a desperate, defiant group they
were. adorned with feathers. their feat
ures hideous with war paint. and equip
ped 10 the teeth with with needle
guns, ahotguna, HiN-EhOoters. bows and
arrows, butcher knives, lances and
divers other kinds ~ weapons. A score
~ troublesome gquawa were tagging
on behind this RfOtenque procession.
collected the fanfgadea on the parade
ground. which wah directly an front Of
the vacant c0mmianary building. Every
man iu my command he'd his gun load
"a ana forty rounds ~ ammunition
iu his belt ! stood On t1e perch IA