Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1904-02-25
Where the
Credit Belongs
COL. r. II. BLAKE WRITES FROM
PERSONAL EXPERIENCE OF
THE APACHE WAR.

-
General Miles is spoken Of as a
great Indian fighter. He is also given
the credit Of capturing Geronimo.
General Miles was in this city when
the Apache chief was captured by
Lawton, and had no more toy do with
the matter than the man in moon.
-Citizen.
My attention having BE- ttracted
to the above item in Il s~ .izen Of
February 23d. by request i will give
The Optic some historical facts. At
the time mentioned by the Citizen
that General Miles was in AlbuQuer-
que ! was there also, as q member Of
Gov. Ross military star. Previously
for months, as colonel Of the Third
New Mexico volunteer cavalry. | had
been in active service in pursuit OF
the Geronimo and Matches bands OF
Apaches all through the mountains of
southern New Mexico, so was person
ally familiar with all Of the move
ments Of the regulars as well as the
volunteers from the commencement
to the end of the Apache war Of 1885,
1886.
Geronimo, Matches and all Of the
Hot Spring band of Apaches had
been captured and sent to Florida be-
fore General Miles came to Albuqner-
que with part Of his stan, and the
then Captain Lawton was with him.
At the time, | had several CONVERSE
lions with Captain Lawton and Lieu.
tenant GateWood In regard to the sur.
render Of Geronimo. The facts are as
follows: General Crook was In com
mand at the time of the Apache out
break and for months after, but he
failed to stop the Indian raids, and
Miles was appointed to take his place.
Miles at once took more forceful
measures. The hostile Apaches by a
large majority remained on their res
ervation or returned to 1t often for
ammunition and recruits. Only small
bands were constantly in the field
with Geronimo and Matches. So long
as these bands had their reservation
friends to aid them they could defy
the regulars and volunteers In the
mountains a long time. Miles recog
niezd this and at once decided to
round up all OF the hostiles, men womr
en- and children. to be found on the
reservation and get them removed
from Arizona IL possible. This he
did, and then the government ordered
them shipped to Florida. This was
true generalship and to Miles credit.
He then selected the right men to
get after Geronimo and his band in
the mountains,-Lawton, Gatewood
and DR.. Wood. with equally good sol
diers to follow them.
These officers and men took up the
tran and followed the hostile bands
over the rugged Sierra Madre mount
ain ranges into Old Mexico, until one
day scouts located Geronimo's camp
a few miles In advance Of Lawton's
nearly worn out command. Here
Lieutenant Gatewood volunteered to
risk his life alone to reach Geronimo's
camp and tell him that all Of his
friends on the reservation had been
banished to Florida and that he must
surrender or die before the pursuit
ended. Gatewood was permitted to
60. and he succeeded in n Of the
most daring ventures recorded In the
annals Of our border Indian wars. The
history OF this desultory Apache war
has never been written up for
the public, but the above In brief are
the facts as to the parts taken at Its
close by Miles AZ commanding gen..
eral, and Lawton. Gatewood and DR..
Wood in the last pursuit Of Geroni.
mos baad.
In the light OF these historical facts.
1t would look like the Citizen should
revise its assertions somewhat. The
most tragic and romantic Incidents.
as wen as the 'hardest campaigning
during fEis7 Apache war occurred be.
fore Miles, or Lawton took part in Il;
but the territory nor the general gov.
eminent has not as vet ever recog-
nized the services Of the men and
ofhcers who so long succeeded In pro.
fecting n large mart II southern New