USA > Arizona > History of Arizona, Vol. II > Part 11
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twenty miles from Old Fort Breckenridge. He was told on starting: "All grown males are fair game; the women and children capture and bring here." His company consisted of twenty- five picked men, ten citizens, thirty-two Mexi- cans and twenty Papagoes. Jesus Maria Elias accompanied him as guide. Captain Tidball marched five nights, hiding by day to avoid being seen. He thus managed to fall upon the Indians unawares, and killed over fifty, besides wounding many more. He took ten prisoners and captured sixty-six head of stock. He lost one man, a civilian by the name of Thomas C. McClellan, who accompanied the expedition. This was a heavy blow to the Apaches of that vicinity. Although the year opened with many fights with the Indians, little was done in that direction during the Summer.
J. Ross Browne, in his work "The Apache Country" contributes an interesting story of Apache attacks. He says :
"As an illustration of the hazards of life in Arizona, tending to show the causes which have hitherto retarded the development of the mines in that region, a brief narrative of Mr. Butter- worth's adventure will not be uninteresting. The positions of honor and trust occupied by this gentleman as United States District Attorney of Mississippi, and more recently as Treasurer of the United States at New York, together with his recognized financial abilities, and his eminent services in the adjustment of the great Almaden difficulty, have rendered his name familiar to the public throughout the United States. Upon the completion of his business as
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President of the New Almaden Quicksilver Mines, he received, before his departure from the Pacific Coast, an urgent request from some prominent capitalists in New York to visit the silver regions of Arizona, and report upon their condition and prospects. At the same time he was appointed President of the Arizona Mining Company, and every facility was tendered him for the prosecution of his inquiries in the new Territory. A spirit of adventure and a desire to see something of a country which was be- ginning to attract so much attention, with a laudable ambition to aid in its development, in- duced Mr. Butterworth to accept these flattering propositions; and on or about the 1st of Decem- ber, (probably 1863) he left San Francisco by steamer for Guaymas. His party consisted of Mr. Kustel, metallurgist, and Mr. Higgins and Mr. Janin, two young gentlemen of scientific attainments.
"Nothing of particular interest occurred be- tween Guaymas and Santa Cruz. On their ar- rival there, Mr. Kustel and Mr. Higgins pro- ceeded to the Patagonia Mines with instructions to cross over by the way of Santa Rita, and meet Mr. Butterworth and Mr. Janin at Tubac.
"On the same day of the massacre of Mills and Stevens (December 29th) about five or six hours later, Mr. Butterworth's party, which consisted of Mr. Janin, five Mexicans, an American driver and himself, were proceeding along the road a little way beyond the deserted ranch of Santa Barbara, when a band of Apaches, numbering some twenty-five or thirty, made an attack upon them from the brushwood fringing the bed of the
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Santa Cruz river. As soon as the Indians ap- peared they commenced yelling like devils, and firing their guns and bows and arrows, evidently with a view of producing confusion at the first shock of the attack. Mr. Butterworth called upon his men to stand by the wagons, and ex- pressed his belief that they could easily whip the Apaches. The ambulance and baggage-wagons were driven up to a mesquite three a little to the right of the road, where the animals could be secured. Meantime the Indians had come out of their ambush and set fire to the grass, which was tall and dry. The flames swept down upon the wagons so rapidly that it was found necessary to abandon the shelter of the tree, and make for a rise of ground about two hundred yards dis- tant, where the position would be advantageous for a fight. Just as they reached this point, the Indians, shouting and yelling, all around them, the grass was again fired to windward, and the flames swept down toward them with fearful
rapidity. Mr. Butterworth stood by the ambu- lance, armed with a double-barrelled shot-gun, with which he kept the Indians at bay for some time. Young Janin had one of Henry's rifles, and fired five or six shots at them, with what effect it was impossible to tell. While these two were making vigorous battle, the five Mexicans were making tracks over the hills, so that when Butterworth undertook to muster his men, he was unable to see any of them. The last he saw of his American driver, who, up to this period, was a great Indian fighter, that valiant indi- vidual had unhitched one of the mules, and was riding full tilt after the Mexicans-doubtless
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with a firm determination to bring them back, if he overtook them. But neither he nor they appeared on the battleground again. The In- dians, perceiving their advantage, began to press in rather forcibly. Young Janin behaved with great coolness. Turning to Butterworth, who had reserved his fire for the last desperate struggle, he said, 'Colonel, I can't see them very well-lend me your specs!' But the Colonel saw no speculation in that, and merely observed- 'No; you had better save yourself, Janin.' 'I won't desert you,' said Janin, 'but they's get- ting rather too many for us, Colonel, and I think we had both better leave.' By this time there were between twenty and thirty of the red devils yelling and shooting at rather close quarters. Under cover of the smoke, they retired a short distance from the wagons, where they became separated. Janin made his escape into a ravine, where he lay concealed for some time; and But- terworth took his stand behind a mesquite tree, about a couple of hundred yards from the wagons, where he resolved to make as good a fight as possible.
"The Indians set fire to the grass again, and the flames swept toward him with fearful rapid- ity, compelling him to climb the tree for secur- ity, and even then burning part of the leg off his pantaloons. Two bullet holes which we found in the tree indicated that his position was by no means a pleasant one. Upon further ex- amination of the spot where the wagons stood, we found various fragments of the plunder scat- tered around, such as sardine boxes, broken can- dle boxes, cartridges, patent medicines, and a
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bottle inscribed 'Philip Roach, San Francisco.' This was one of a number bearing a similiar brand, containing some brandy reputed to be fifty years old. Mr. Butterworth, I have been informed, said it went harder with him to see these brutal wretches drink up his choice brandy than all the rest of the disaster put together. Plunder was evidently their chief object, for as soon as they had gutted the wagons of their con- tents, they retired across the Santa Cruz River, where they held a grand carousal over their booty. They had succeeded in getting $1700 in gold coin and other property, amounting in the aggregate to about $3,000. It is gratifying to know that this band of Apaches has since met with summary vengeance at the hands of the Cal- ifornia Volunteers. Most, if not all of them, have been killed, and $700 of the money taken from their dead bodies. Had there been two resolute men with our unlucky friend, when he heard them carousing across the river, during the night, he could have had a more prompt and satisfactory settlement. These were the same Indians who had killed Mills and Stevens a few hours before. They had crossed over with the rifles of these unfortunate men from the Pata- gonia Canon by the San Antonio Pass; and, flushed with success, and seeing a small party ap- proaching along the road, again lay in ambush, and made this new attack. It is supposed by some that there were Mexicans among them from Santa Cruz, and that they were in collusion with the escort; but of this I could find no proof, nor is it sustained by subsequent developments. The same band of Indians next day attacked a party
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of Mexicans on the Tubutama road, and killed four of the number, putting the rest to flight.
"Butterworth was entirely unacquainted with the country, and in attempting to reach Santa Cruz lost his way. Janin and a small Yaqui boy, who had escaped during the fight, reached Santa Cruz without difficulty. Here a relief party was immediately gotten up by Senor Com- modoran. Janin was apprehensive that his com- rade might have been killed, but still had hopes of his safety, and sent a note by Commodoran announcing his own safe arrival.
"Not very far above the Calabasas Ranch we reached the spot where Mr. Butterworth had camped after two days and nights of exposure and extreme suffering from cold, and where he was first seen by Commodoran. The nights were intensely sharp. He had no blankets and deemed it imprudent to light a fire, until he found it impossible to bear with the cold any longer. What his sufferings were in this wild region, surrounded by lurking foes, without food, without blankets, and beyond the reach, as he supposed, of all human aid, no man who has not travelled in Arizona can conceive. Two days and nights of such suffering as would have caused most men to despair had left their marks upon him. His throat was wrapped with straw, and he was evidently in a very bad condition. Up to this time he could not have wandered much less than fifty miles up and down the valley of the Santa Cruz. On the approach of Commo- doran, supposing him to be a Sonoranian ma- rauder, he raised his gun and was about to kill him, when the frightened Mexican cried out, 'No
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tira! No tira! Yo Amigo! Amigo!' Still Butterworth kept his gun pointed at him. 'Vamos!' was all he could say in Spanish. Com- modoran, with great sagacity, jerked up his horse's head so as to keep it between him and the muzzle of the gun, and slowly approaching, held out Janin's note, shouting, 'No tira! Yo Amigo! Patagonia! Patagonia!' The last was a lucky hit. The word 'Patagonia' was familiar and partially solved the mystery. Janin's note did the rest, and the most cordial greeting fol- lowed the inhospitable reception.
"The return of Mr. Butterworth to Santa Cruz, where he procured a new outfit, the recov- ery of his ambulance and wagon, meeting with his friends, Kustel and Higgins at Tubac, visit to the Cerro Colorado, and subsequent adven- tures on the road to Guaymas; safe arrival at San Francisco; return to New York; continu- ance in the presidency, with entire control as resident manager of the New Almaden Quick- silver Mines, as well as of the Arizona Silver Mines, at Cerro Colorado, would furnish in de- tail an interesting sequel to his adventure with the Apaches."
11
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CHAPTER VIII. THE NAVAJOS.
NAVAJOS ATTACK FORT DEFIANCE-EXPEDITION AGAINST NAVAJOS BY GENERAL CANBY-NA- VAJOS RIDE ROUGHSHOD OVER COUNTRY- GENERAL CARLETON'S REPORT ON CONDITIONS -NAVAJOS' COUNTRY-COLONEL "KIT" CAR- SON'S EXPEDITION AGAINST THEM-NOTIFIED TO SURRENDER BY GENERAL CARLETON - CANYON DE CHELLY-STRONGHOLD OF NA- VAJOS - DESCRIPTION OF - CAMPAIGN IN - SURRENDER OF NAVAJOS AND PLACING THEM ON RESERVATION AT BOSQUE REDONDO-NUM- BER OF NAVAJOS-CLASH WITH MESCALERO APACHES AT BOSQUE REDONDO-FAILURE OF CROPS AT BOSQUE REDONDO-MISERABLE CON- DITIONS - GENERAL CARLETON'S MISTAKEN POLICY-GENERAL SHERMAN AND COLONEL TAPPAN, PEACE COMMISSIONERS, VISIT RES- ERVATION-ESTABLISHMENT OF RESERVATION IN NAVAJO COUNTRY AND NAVAJOS RE- MOVED TO IT-PROSPERITY OF NAVAJOS IN OWN COUNTRY-RESERVATION ENLARGED- CONDITIONS IN 1884 - NAVAJOS SELF-SUP- PORTING AND FRIENDLY TO WHITES.
In the first volume of this work, the expedi- tion against the Navajos down to December 25th, 1858, when the last treaty was made with them, has been recited. There only remains now to give the history of the expeditions under the di- rections of General Canby and General Carle- ton by which the tribe was finally subdued.
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In 1859, war again broke out, and in 1860, the Navajos attacked Fort Defiance. Finally Gen- eral Canby made a long campaign against them, leading his troops in person. After General Canby's campaign against the Navajos, when the soldiers were employed to repel the Texas inva- sion, the Navajos, as well as the Apaches, rode roughshod over the country. This was in the winter of 1861 and the spring and summer of 1862. The Navajos and Apaches in 1862, when General Canby was relieved by General Carle- ton, were united in war against the Americans.
General Carleton, in his testimony in 1865 be- fore the Committee on investigation into Indian affairs, says :
"The Indian difficulties in New Mexico, since the treaty with New Mexico, have obliged the United States to keep in that territory a force whose average strength has been at least three thousand men, employees and all reckoned in. This covers a period of eighteen years. A large proportion of these troops have been cavalry, the most expensive arm in the military service, especially in New Mexico, where forage is very expensive. The horses required as remounts for this cavalry have to be brought across the plains from the States at great risk and expense. Sometimes large numbers have been stampeded en route and have never been heard from since. Many die before they reach this country. Those which arrive here it takes at least a year to acclimate, and after this the loss of horses by death, by being broken down, and lost on scouts, and killed in action, and stolen by Indians, is enormous, compared with losses of cavalry
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horses in any other country. The same holds true of mules, more numerous necessarily than cavalry horses, by reason of the extent of coun- try over which supplies have to be hauled to sub- sist and clothe the troops."
In reference to the peonage system, the Gen- eral says :
"The number of Indians, men, women and children, who have been captured or bought from the Utes, and who live in the families of the Ter- ritory, may be safely set down as at least three thousand. So far as my observation has gone, the Mexicans treat them with great kindness. After a while they became conversant with the language, became attached to the families they live in, and very seldom care to run away.
they should attempt to run away, I believe they
If would be captured by the owners. They are held as servants; as 'hewers of wood and drawers of water.' These servants do not intermarry much with the Mexicans, just the women bear children from illicit intercourse. The offspring of this intercourse are considered peons. The Indians upon the reservation, if properly cared for by the military commander, run no risk of being stolen or attacked."
The Navajos inhabited a wide expanse of country, portions of which, by nature, were almost impregnable to attacking forces. Their complete subjugation, their removal from their native haunts, and the gathering in of the tribe so that they could be placed upon a reservation, became an absolute necessity. With this object in view, General Carleton organized an expedi- tion against them under Colonel "Kit" Carson.
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It was composed of two thousand picked men from the Coloradans and Californians.
At that time the Navajo reservation was sup- posed to be very rich in minerals, and General Carleton suggested in one of his communica- tions to the Government, that the opening up of this rich mineral country, would more than re- imburse the Government for the expense attend- ing it. In speaking of the Navajos, he says :
"They have no government to make treaties; they are a patriarchal people. One set of families may make promises but the other set will not heed them. They understand the direct application of force as a law; if its application be removed, that moment they become lawless. This has been tried over and over again, and at great expense. The purpose now is, never to re- lax the application of force with a people that can no more be trusted than the wolves that run through the mountains. To collect them to- gether, little by little, on to a reservation, away from the haunts and hills and hiding places of their country; there to be kind to them; there teach their children how to read and write ; teach them the arts of peace; teach them the truths of Christianity."
The Navajos were given ample warning of General Carleton's intention. He personally notified some of the chiefs, and sent messengers to others informing them that unless before the 20th day of July, 1863, they came in and sur- rendered, "after that day every Navajo that is seen will be considered hostile, and treated accordingly."
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A few Navajos accepted the proffered terms and against the others the troops were kept oper- ating from Forts Stanton, Craig, Canby, Defi- ance and the post of Los Pinos. Prowling bands of Navajos appeared in all directions. They went everywhere in their expeditions. One band of one hundred and thirty warriors pene- trated the Mescalero country, and, passing north, drove off cattle and sheep from the Bosque Re- dondo. They were pursued by a few troops and some Mescaleros, and the property was retaken, with other stolen goods. Orders were given to the soldiers everywhere to kill every male Na- vajo capable of bearing arms, wherever he might be found. Women and children were to be cap- tured and held as prisoners. These orders were often repeated in their prosecution. The fol- lowing, issued to Colonel Rigg, commanding at Fort Craig, on August 4, 1863, is a sample of the general instructions :
"I have been informed that there is a spring called Ojo de Cibolo, about fifteen miles west of Limitar, where the Navajos drive their stolen cattle and 'jerk' the flesh at their leisure. Can- not you make arrangements for a party of reso- lute men from your command to be stationed there for say, thirty days, and kill every Navajo and Apache they can find ? A cautious, wary commander, hiding his men and moving about at night, might kill off a good many Indians near that point."
These orders were harsh, and, to the refined ear, may seem the very essence of cruelty and barbarism, but it was the only course to pursue in order to bring about a permanent peace with
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the Navajos. Separated in small bands, they were constantly on the move through a country with which they were thoroughly acquainted, and in this way they were able to avoid the soldiers for whom they kept a vigilant watch. After a few weeks of this desultory fighting, the soldiers were stimulated to a further activity by the offer of twenty dollars for each good horse turned over to the quartermaster's department, and one dollar for each sheep.
Colonel Carson's force was the principal one operating against the Navajos, he having taken the offensive from Fort Canby, but although he was known as the greatest Indian fighter of his time, his energy and activity never for a moment being questioned, yet, during the summer of 1863, the results attained were not important. Carleton consoled the Colonel with the hope that "As winter approaches you will have better luck." But with the approach of winter the success of the expedition was not in accordance with the expectations, so it was decided to attack the Navajos in the Canyon de Chelly, which was their greatest stronghold. Colonel Carson was ordered to prepare for this movement, which was to be made in January, 1864. The Canyon de Chelly was the home of only a small portion of the tribe. There was not sufficient grass to sup- port the flocks of a larger tribe, but it was a place remarkable from the fact that it was naturally impregnable. A general description of this Canyon at that time is to be found in Dunn's "Massacres of the Mountains, " and is as follows :
"The Canyon de Chelly is one of the most re- markable works of nature in the United States.
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The Rio Chelly may be found, not very accu- rately traced, on any fair-sized map of Arizona in the northeastern corner of that territory. Its headwaters are in the Sierra Tunicha of North- western New Mexico, and it flows thence almost due west, for some thirty miles, then swings abruptly to the north, and empties into the Rio San Juan near the northern line of Arizona. The line of its western flow indicates the posi- tion of the Canyon, which extends throughout that district, the northward bend of the river being just beyond its mouth. The main canyon is counted as beginning at the union of three small streams, each of which has a canyon of its own. They are the Cienega Negra (Black Meadow) or Estrella (Star) on the southeast, the Palo Negro (Black Timber) or Chelly Creek, on the east, and the Cienega Juanica or Juanita, on the northwest. The most easterly entrance used by the Indians is near the head of Chelly Creek ; by it, the bottom of that stream is reached above the junction of the others. It is not acces- sible for animals. The Cienega Negra enters it about three miles below the head of the Chelly proper, and the Juanica half a mile lower. At places above the entrance of the last-named stream the chasm is so narrow that one might almost leap across it, but the beholder involun- tarily recoils from the dizzy view of over one thousand feet of unbroken descent to the yellow floor beneath. About half a mile below the Juanica there is another descent, where the wall of the canyon, there only seven hundred feet high, is broken and sufficiently sloping to permit a zigzag descent to pack animals. Below this
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point the walls increase in height to fifteen hun- dred feet, and the width of the canyon from two hundred to three hundred and fifty yards. The next approach is by a side canyon that enters on the south side, about eleven miles below the Juanica; it is commonly known as Bat Canyon, but the Indians and the Mexicans call it Canyon Alsada, or Canyon of the High Rock, from a natural obelisk, one thousand feet high, with a base of one hundred and fifty feet, that rises majestically at the mouth of the Canyon, a hun- dred feet distant from the wall. This needle leans so much that it seems about to topple over. The Alsada entrance is the one commonly used in approaching from Fort Defiance, and the trail is cut deep in the sandstone by thousands of feet of men and animals that in past generations have followed it. The descent here is along ledges on the canyon wall, so narrow that animals are always driven ahead, for fear they may slip and carry the owner over. Occasionally, below this point, there are lateral openings in the canyon walls, but none of them extends more than a few hundred yards back, and there is no other en- trance until about three miles above the mouth where the Canyon del Trigo (Wheat Canyon), enters from the north. Below the Trigo, the walls sink rapidly, and the canyon opens out into a rolling country, barren and unprepossessing."
Colonel Carson started from Fort Canby on January 6, 1864, with a force of three hundred and ninety officers and men for the mouth of the Canyon. Before starting, he sent Captain Pfeiffer, with one company, to operate from the eastern end. His command was three days
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marching from Fort Canby to the Pueblo Colo- rado on account of snow, a distance usually accomplished in one day. The supply train, which started on the 3rd, had taken five days to make this distance of twenty-five miles, and had lost twenty-seven oxen. He left a part of the train at the Pueblo Colorado, and pushed on to the Canyon, which he reached on the 12th, about six miles above the mouth. On the night of the 11th, Sergeant Andres Herrara, with fifty men, was sent out upon a scouting expedition. The following morning, this party found a fresh trail, and, following it rapidly, overtook the Indians just as they were entering the Canyon. They killed eleven, captured two women and two children, with one hundred and thirty sheep and goats. On the 13th, Carson divided his force into two commands, one, under Captain Barney, was sent up the north side of the canyon, and the other, under Captain Carey, accompanied by Carson himself, moved up the south side with a view to ascertaining the topography of the coun- try, and the position of the Navajo if they had undertaken to make a stand. The latter party captured five wounded Indians at the scene of Herrara's fight. On the 14th they returned to the mouth of the canyon and found Pfeiffer there he having marched successfully through the canyon without any casualty to his command. He had killed three Indians and brought in nine- teen women and children.
Three Indians, under a flag of truce, entered Carson's camp and asked if they might come in with their families and surrender. They were told that they could provided they came in be-
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fore ten o'clock the next morning, but not later. About sixty came in by the appointed time and acceded to the terms of surrender and removal to the Bosque. Carson says: "They declared that, owing to the operations of my command, they are in a complete state of starvation, and that many of their women and children have already died from this cause. They also stated that they would have come in long ago, but that they believed it was a war of extermination, and that they were equally surprised and delighted to learn the contrary from an old captive whom I had sent back to them for the purpose. I issued them some meat, and as they asked per- mission to return to their haunts and collect the remainder of their people, I directed them to meet me at this post (Fort Canby) in ten days. They have all arrived here according to promise, and many of them, with others, joining and travelling in with Captain Carey's command. This command of seventy-five men I conferred upon Captain Carey at his own request, he being desirous of passing through this stupendous canyon. I sent the party to return through the Canyon from west to east, that all the peach orchards, of which there are many, might be de- stroyed, as well as the dwellings of the Indians."
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