Arizona republican., 1922-02-04

consisted of a few American citi-
zens, quite a number of MeXicans,
about so pack mules. tools, powder
and fuse. The troops consisted of
two companies of infantry. Co. A,
32d Regiment and Co. +, 14th .Regi-
ment, about 100 men in all. Our first
camp was close to Sugar Loaf
the wagon road was finished to Sun
flower Valley. Moving our camp
there, we remained till Sycamore
was reached by the working party
This was our last camp before We
came to Tonto Valley and the site
selected for Camp Reno.
1T must not be supposed that this
expedition was in the nature of
picnic. Lieut.. George w. Chilson.
who was a competant engineer and
his subordinates were kept busy To-
eating the best route. The working
party dug and shoveled and blasted.
meantime cussing Arizona and
everybody connected with the road
making scheme. My job being TO
Keep plenty of grub on hand. not
forgetting the powder and fuse, and
issue it as needed. For some time
things went smoothly. then the
Apaches went out" and gave some
trouble trying to pick off the road
workers and some few fools who
would straggle, but as the lieutenant
in charge kept pickets out, they did
but little damage; but as only a few
were left TO guard the camp and
stores, we who kept the stuff were
little uneasy.
"Tnen Del Shay and One eyed
Riley took a hand. A treaty had
been made-I never knew when or
by whom-and the Apaches We're
again on our hands to feed. Ugh.
but that one eyed cuss looked like
bad little Injun, and he didn't belle
his looks. Del Shay looked and was
fighter, but One-eye looked like
and was a loathful reptile Even
now l shudder as l think of him.
The Indians loafed around and ate
our grub for quite q while. Then
General Mcdowell and other army
officers came to our camp on Syca-
more creek for a pow-wow. While
they We're there an Apache who was
a prisoner in the guard house tried
to escape and was killed by the
sentry. Del Shay raised his war
cry and in two minutes the Indians
were all gone. The last saw of
Del Shay he was shouting and
swinging a tin bucket as he crossed
lile CREEK OIt lOE. NAClHtI tlt
was hit or not l don't know, but he
lost his bucket.
From that time on we saw few
Apaches. However, we saw many
signs of their devilment: An herder
killed and his body mutilated and
fairly bristling with arrows; mail
riders jumped and driven back to
Mcdowell or camps enroute TO Reno;
government herd stampeded and cat
tie driven off. And so vigilant
were they in their espionage of the
roads that it became impossible to
hire anyone as mail riders. In con-
sequence of such conditions, Major
Mills, who commanded at Mcdowell,
issued orders to the commander of
Co. f., 1st Cavalry to furnish a de-
tail as escort to the mail carrier
This arrangement, however, did not
prove satisfactory. on the second
trip the party was jumped, the SER
geant in charge and three men were
killed and the mail captured. One
man by great good luck escaped TO
tell the tragical tale. Conditions con-
tinued about the same until in
August, 1868. having completed nay
term of service, / was discharged
and shook the dust of the Tonic
basin off my feet. Having been dis
charged at Camp Mcdowell, l drifted
down the ella, buying the ella City
and Oroville stage stations. My
partners in this venture being Bill
and Sam Bell. In 1870 we sold out