River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1906-10-11

United States troops attacked our
new camp at sunrise. The fight lasted
all day., but our arrows and spears
were all gone before ten o'clock and
for the remainder of the day we had
only rocks and clubs with which to
fight. We could do little damage with
these weapons, and at night we moved
our camp about four miles back into
the mountains, where it would be hard
for the cavalry to follow us. The next
day our scouts, who had been left be-
soldiers, returned, saying that the
| troops had gone back toward San
Carlos reservation.
1--WE went on toward Old Mexico,
but on the second day after this Unit
ed States soldiers overlook us about
| three o'clock in the afternoon and we
| fought until dark. The ground where
we were attacked was very rough,
which was to our advantage, for the
troops were compelled to dismount in
order to fight us. / do not know how
many soldiers we killed, but we lost
only one warrior and three children.
We had plenty of guns and ammuni-
ton at this time. Many of the guns
and much ammunition we had ac
cumulated while living in the reserva-
ton, and the remainder we had OBJ
tanned from the White Mountain
Apaches when we left the reservation.
''The troops did not follow us any
| longer, so we went south almost to
Casa Grande and camped in the Sierra
de Saharipa mountains, We ranged
! in the mountains of Old Mexico for
about year, then returned to San
Carlos, taking with us a herd of cat
tie and horses.
Horses and Cattle Seized.
"Soon after we arrived at San Car
los the officer in charge, Gen. Crook,
took the horses and cattle away from
us. l told him that these were not,
white mems cattle, but belonged to us,
| for we had taken them from the Mex
! leans during our wars. / also told
him that we did not intend to kill
these animals, but that we wished to
keep them and raise stock on our
range. He would not listen to me,
but took the stock. I went up near
Fort Apache and Gen. Crook ordered
officers, soldiers and scouts to see that
I was arrested. If offered resistance
they were instructed to kill me.
THAT night we held council of
war; our scouts had reported bands of
United States and Mexican troops at
| int in thn nfoir To
estimated that about two thousand
soldiers were ranging these mountains
seeking to capture us.
Interview with Gen. Crook.
Gen. Crook had come down into
Mexico with the United States troops.
They were camped in the Sierra de
Antunez mountains. Scouts told me
that Gen. Crook wished to see me and
I went to his camp. When I arrived
Gen. Crook said to me, why did you
leave the reservation? 1 said: You
told me that I might live in the reser-
walton the same as white people lived.
One year l raised crop of corn, and
gathered and stored it, and the next
year put in crop of oats, and when
| the crop was almost ready to harvest
you told your soldiers to put me in
prison, and if resisted to kill me. If
l had been let alone l would now have
been in good circumstances, but in
stead of that you and the Mexicans
are hunting me with soldiers He
said: L never gave any such orders;
the troops at Fort Apache, who spread
this report, knew that it was untrue
Then l agreed to go back with him to
| San Carlos
ut was hard for me to believe him
at that time. Now J. know that what
he said was untrue, and I firmly be-
lieve that he did issue the orders for
me to be put in prison or to be killed
in case 1 offered resistance.
1--WE started with all our tribe to go
with Gen. Crook back to the United
States, but feared treachery and con-
! cluded to remain in Mexico. We were
not under any guard at this time.
The United States troops marched in
! front and the Indians followed, and
when we became suspicious we turned
back. / do not know how far the
United States army went after myself
and some warriors turned back before
we were missed, and / do not care.
Capt. Lawton in the Field.
"Soon Gen. Miles was made com
mander of all the western posts, and
troops trailed us continually. They
were led by Capt. Lawton, who had
good scouts. The Mexican soldiers
also became more active and more
every day, and so we finally decided
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