Bisbee daily review., 1911-01-13
GRIM REMINDER OF|EARLY DAYS
 IN ARIZONA
CAVERN oE APACHE BONES TELL OF BATTLE OF
 THE CAVES.
THOMAS IS SOLE SURVIVING OF TIGER OF THE BLOODY
 ARIZONA ENGAGEMENT.

PRESCOTT, Ariz, Jan l2.-Brig adler General Earl D. Thomas, Unit ed States army, was retired from active service at Denver, Colo, yes terday, after a military record GOV ering nearly forty-nine years of con tinuous service. The closing days of his military life were appropriate ly observed at Denver, where he re- linquished command of the Depart ment of the Colorado. which in- cludes ArizonG
 On the day he stepped into civil life he had reached the age of 64 years, having been born in Illinois on January 4, 1S47.
 Arizonans, especially, look back on the past life of this splendid soldier with very much interest and pleas ure. He was intrepid in his work, subduing the Apaches, and in the tel-year war that followed, it is due to General Crook and such able lieu tenants as Earl D. Thomas that the good work was accomplished, and the country orened to the march of industrial progress, so plainly in evt. denee toaoT.
 Battle of ihe Caves.
 About ten years ago a cattiemaz named Jeff Adams, now deputy sher- if of Maricopa county, rode into Phoenix, and stated that in the Sup erstituon mountains he had found cavern forr-fye by one hundred and thirty feet in area, the floor almost covered by the skeletons of over 200 Indiens. The cavern is located on the side Of a precipitous gorge, and could be reached only by a danger ous trail. Adams also stated that his discovery Of the tral settled the question of tae famous military ex- petition, when the Fifth United Sttt- es cavalry accomplished the great est job of Indian killing in the his tory Of the army
 Meeting Captain J W. Rose in Phoenix, Mir Adams entered into an earnest conversation over the dis covery made few days prior, when the former army officer gave an in terestng review of the great fight, which goes down in history as the Battle of the Caves.
 or the officers who were under Major Brown, only two are living Earl D. Thomas, now colonel of the Eleventh Un5ed States cavalry and W. J. Ross, a resident of Tucson Major Brown and Captain Taylor died in Washington, D. C., Captain Burns d.ed at Carriso Greek, x. M., and was buried at Fort WiEgate, N. M., Captain John C. Rourke Of the Third cavalry died at his home in Philadelphia, Pa, Lieutenant Jacob Amy of the Fifth Cavalry was kill ed by the Apache Indians at the San Carlos agency. Arizona.
 While in Prescott few weeks ago. General Thomas, who with the other officers of the Fifth, performed such valiant service, stated that Del Shea, one of the foremost and daring Chir- icahua Apaches of Arizona, was kill ed by his command in that fight, and after the chieftain fell it was but a question of a few hours until the remnant of the band surrender ed. General Thomas also stated that not an officer participating in that fight is alive today, except himself, .and even the brave men employed in a civil capacity, including the boss packers. have passed away.
 After the Battle of the Caves" Lieutenant Thomas was ordered to Whipple, and again in the following year, 1873. distinguishes himself while a lieutenant under Crook, in another memorable conflict with the Wallapais on the the Santa Maria, when with his one troop of cavalry he was sent to capture a rancheria in a steep canyon, several miles away. Returning in a few days he faced General Crook and reported that the Indians had been captured as ordered. and the prisoners ae- counted for" There were on hand but a dozen women and children and a few bucks. The official report gave a few casualties. but from civ ilian sources it was later learned that over fifty-hve warriors had been killed After this fight Lieutenant Thomas suddenly sprang into favor with General Crook. while in civilian circles he was very much adm'Ted for his effective military work