USA > Arizona > History of Arizona, Vol. II > Part 6
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"Arizona Copper Mining Company ;- the bad administration and the difficulties of transporta- tion have been the main causes why this mine, so rich, and which created so much excitement in California two or three years ago, has not given any good results. Its oxides and copper sul- phurets are excessively rich, the extraction ex- ceedingly easy, and the veins are numerous. Works at this present moment are suspended. This mine is situated 120 miles southeast from Fort Yuma. It was opened in 1855, and the company was incorporated in San Francisco.
"Arizona Land and Mining Company ;- this mine is situated north of the Rancho of Sopori. This company owns a large tract of land, of thirty-two leagues square, on which is situated the old silver mine of San Xavier, which was worked during the time of the Jesuits, and which appears exceedingly rich; other veins, equally rich, are to be found in the center of the prop- erty, on the Sierra Tinaja. The company was incorporated in Providence, R. I., with a capital of $2,000,000. The Honorable S. G. Arnold is the president. The treasurer is Mr. Alfred
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HISTORY OF ARIZONA.
Anthony, President of the Jackson Bank of Providence. Colonel Colt, Lieutenant Mowry, and other rich capitalists of the East are the actual owners. Mr. Mowry is the holder of more than one-half of the stock of the company. N. Richmond Jones, Jr., is the engineer-in-chief of this mine, as also of the Sopori Mine.
"Colorado River Copper Mine ;- about three years ago a Mr. Halstead, well known in the Colorado districts as an indefatigable pros- pector, discovered this mine on the shores of the river, at about forty miles from Fort Yuma. Having been examined and tested by experts from New York, they found it to be very exten- sive and very rich. Several tons sent to San Francisco last year were also admitted to be of uncommon richness. Consequently laborers were engaged in Sonora, and preparations made to work the mine on an extensive scale. Difficul- ties, however, eventually arose which prevented the completion of the works. The mine is owned by Messrs. Wilcox, Johnson and Hartshorn, owners of the steamer navigating the Colorado, by Mr. Hooper principal merchant at Fort Yuma, and by Lieutenant Mowry.
"Stevenson Mining Company ;- this mine has been worked during several years by Mr. Stevenson, according to the Mexican process, and vielded him from $40,000 to $50,000. After- ward Mr. Stevenson sold his mine to Major Sprague of the U. S. Army, who organized a company in New York, to which belong General Clarke, Doctor Mills, Mr. Russell of the Pony Express and Missouri bonds notoriety, and sev- eral other persons. The mine appears to be
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very rich in silver and lead, but it has been wretchedly administered. The Stevenson Mine is situated on the Rio Grande, not far from Mesilla.
"Harris Mine ;- the mine belonging to this company was discovered several years ago. It was recently purchased by Lieutenant Mowry of Judge Hoppin, Mr. Cuniff and Mr. Bull. This mine is also on the Rio Grande, six miles from the Stevenson mine. The ore is composed of lead and silver.
"St. Augustin Mining Company ;- this mine is also situated on the Rio Grande, and the ores are like the above.
"Several other silver veins supposed to be very rich, have been discovered on the same river, but have not yet been worked. All these mines of the Rio Grande are to be found in the hills at the foot of the Organ Mountains. Besides silver, copper and lead mines, coal mines are also to be found near the Rio Grande in the Organ Mountains, in Arizona Territory. There are also mines of plumbago in the Sierra Rita, and some of iron in different localities.
"Traces of quicksilver have been found in the Heintzelman Mine, belonging to the Sonora Company, but they own particularly rich gold placers and veins of auriferous quartz. The new district of Pino Alto, whose placer diggings were discovered in May last, and which have yielded fine results in gold of a fine quality, is also rich in quartz veins.
"One of the main ones is the one known by the name of Jackson Quartz Vein, owned by G. A. Oury, of Tucson, P. T. Herbert and others.
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The vein was discovered in July, 1860, by J. J. Jackson, on Bear Creek, about thirty miles from the Overland Mail Station on the Mimbres River, and twenty-five miles from the Gila River. The vein is two feet in thickness and promises to become exceedingly rich. Specimens taken from a depth of ten feet and which were handed to me by Mr Oury, have yielded more than $600 of pure gold to the ton. The persons who have visited the Pino Alto district, speak of it as a section of country exceedingly healthy, well wooded, but quite barren in the summer months. A population of 800 to 1000 souls inhabit already the district and the town bearing its name. An express, connecting the district with that of Wells, Fargo & Co., runs between that town and Mesilla.
"Another mine of auriferous quartz, which is stated to be quite rich, was lately discovered ninety miles from Fort Yuma on the Colorado. The owners are Messrs. Halstead and Jaeger, residents of Fort Yuma.
"On the Mimbres River, ninety miles from the Rio Grande, are to be found the renowned mines of Santa Rita del Cobre, worked by Mexicans many years ago, and well known for their rich- ness. These mines and the Hanover Copper Mines, situated in the same locality, were profit- ably worked a long time ago. The copper, worked into bars, is sent to New York by way of Port Lavaca in Texas. Two new towns, Mowry City and Burchville, are also built on the Mimbres River.
"Auriferous deposits of some importance are also to be found on the shores of the Gila, not
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only at its source, but all along its course. When we passed by Gila City, three weeks ago, nothing was spoken of but the discovery of rich deposits of gold on the river. It was stated that Mexicans were gathering from ten to fifteen dol- lars per day. Besides, at the junction of the Gila and the Colorado, about 300 Mexicans are constantly at work, and obtain excellent pay. The greater part of this gold is forwarded by Mr. Hooper of Fort Yuma.
"The particulars I have just given you, al- though already quite lengthy, are far from con- taining all that might be stated in regard to the mineral wealth of the Territory ; but I must stop here, as I only intend to give you statements entirely correct."
The withdrawal of the troops from Arizona meant the destruction not only of valuable min- ing properties, but also of ranches, that here and there had sprung up in all directions, which it took years thereafter to replace. The popula- tion, which had grown to several thousand, sought safety in flight. Those who could, left for their old stamping grounds in the East and West. Those who could not afford to leave, were gathered together in Old Tucson.
Of these conditions, Sylvester Mowry says: "Many lives were lost; property of all descrip- tion was abandoned; crops to an enormous amount were left standing in the fields; never to be gathered. Never was desolation so sudden, so complete. In my late journey from Tucson to Guaymas, I passed over one hundred and fifty miles of beautiful country, studded with ranches and farms, where at every step were found com-
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fortable houses, outbuildings, fences and tilled fields utterly abandoned and tenantless. The mining interest suffered at the same time. Partly through the cowardice of agents and superintendents, partly through the fault of Eastern directors, the various silver mines in Central Arizona were temporarily abandoned, and I was left with a handful of men who were willing to share my fortunes, and, if fate so willed it, be the last Americans in the Territory to fall by the lance or arrow of the Apache. We not only survived, but we built up a great work in the heart of the country; thoroughly demon- strated the great value of the mines, and, what is more and better, proved conclusively that the Apaches are no obstacle to working in the Terri- tory, compared to the great result to be accom- plished. It is sufficient proof of this that I did not lose two hours' work in ten months on ac- count of the Indians. Some valuable lives were lost, but it was by recklessly disregarding my repeated injunctions and directions."
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CONFEDERATE AND FEDERAL OCCUPATION.
CHAPTER IV.
CONFEDERATE AND FEDERAL OCCUPATION.
PEONAGE IN NEW MEXICO-SLAVE TERRITORY-
ABOLISHMENT OF SLAVERY IN NEW MEXICO- ATTEMPT TO ATTACH NEW MEXICAN TROOPS TO CONFEDERATE CAUSE-ARRIVAL OF LIEUT .- COL. JOHN R. BAYLOR, C. S. A .- ORGANIZA- TION OF MILITARY GOVERNMENT BY HIM- OFFICIALS-SURRENDER OF UNION TROOPS TO BAYLOR-CONFEDERATE CONVENTION AT TUC- SON-GRANVILLE H. OURY ELECTED DELE- GATE TO CONFEDERATE CONGRESS-BAYLOR DEPRIVED OF POSITION IN CONFEDERATE ARMY-CONFEDERATE TEXANS TAKE POSSES- SION OF TUCSON-ARRIVAL OF CALIFORNIA COLUMN-FIGHT BETWEEN CONFEDERATES UNDER LIEUT. JACK SWILLING AND FEDERALS UNDER LIEUT. JAMES BARRETT-KILLING OF LIEUT. BARRETT-STARS AND STRIPES RAISED AT TUCSON-EVACUATION OF TERRITORY BY CONFEDERATES-FORT BARRETT ESTABLISHED -FORTS BUCHANAN AND BRECKENRIDGE RE- OCCUPIED-CAMP LOWELL ESTABLISHED AND TERRITORY DECLARED UNDER MARTIAL LAW- HISTORY OF FORMATION OF CALIFORNIA COL- UMN-REPORT OF OPERATIONS OF CAPTAIN S. HUNTER OF THE CONFEDERATES-CONFED- ERATE ENABLING ACT-PROCLAMATION OF JEFF DAVIS DECLARING ENABLING ACT IN FORCE AND TERRITORY ORGANIZED UNDER CONFEDERACY - GRANVILLE H. OURY AND
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MARCUS H. MCWILLIE DELEGATES TO CON- FEDERATE CONGRESS-COL. BAYLOR AUTHOR- IZED TO RAISE CONFEDERATE TROOPS IN ARIZONA-HIS SCHEME TO RECOVER ARIZONA AND NEW MEXICO FOR THE CONFEDERACY.
From the time of the organization of the Ter- ritory of New Mexico, which embraced Arizona, up to 1867, when it was abolished by act of Con- gress, peonage prevailed in that Territory. Peonage was one of the worst forms of slavery and it is described fully by W. W. H. Davis in his work entitled "El Gringo" as follows:
"Another peculiar feature of New Mexico is the system of domestic servitude called peonage, that has existed and still exists in all the Spanish American colonies. It seems to have been an in- stitution of the civil law, and in New Mexico, is yet recognized by statute, (about 1855). The only practical difference between it and negro slavery is that the peons are not bought and sold in the market as chattels; but in other respects I believe the difference is in favor of the negro. The average of intelligence among the peons is lower than among the slaves of the Southern States; they are not so well cared for, nor do they enjoy so many of the blessings and comforts of domestic life. In truth, peonism is but a more charming name for a species of slavery as abject and oppressive as any found upon the American continent.
"The statutory law recognizing its existence in the Territory is dignified with the title of 'Law regulating contracts between master and servants.' This is all well enough on paper, as far as it goes, but the statute is found to be all
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upon the side of the master. The wages paid is the nominal sum of about five dollars per month, out of which the peon has to support himself and family. The act provides, among other things, that if the servant does not wish to continue in the service of the master, he may leave him upon paying all that he owes him; this the poor peon is not able to do and the consequence is that he and his family remain in servitude all their lives. Among the proprietors in the country, the mas- ter generally keeps a store, where the servant is obliged to purchase every article he wants, and thus it is an easy matter to keep him always in debt. The master is required to furnish the peon with goods at the market value, and may advance him two-thirds the amount of his monthly wages. But these provisions, made for the benefit of the peon, are in most instances dis- regarded, and he is obliged to pay an enormous price for everything he buys, and is allowed to run in debt beyond the amount of his wages, in order to prevent him leaving his master. When parents are, as the statutes term it, 'driven into a state of slavery' they have the right to bind their children out as peons, and with this begin- ning, they become slaves for life. When a slave runs away from his master, the latter goes after a justice of the peace, or some other civil magis- trate, and takes out a 'warrant of the debt,' which authorizes the arrest of the peon in any part of the Territory. One of the most objec- tionable features in the system is, that the master is not obliged to maintain the peon in sickness or old age. When he becomes too old to work any longer, like an old horse who is turned out
6
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to die, he can be cast adrift to provide for him- self. These are the leading features of peonism, and, in spite of the new name it bears, the im- partial reader will not be able to make anything else out of it than slavery."
New Mexico was considered slave territory. The Organic Act had provided that New Mexico should eventually be admitted as a slave or free state as its people in their constitution might decide. The New Mexicans had no slaves, and desired none. The few that were introduced into the territory were mostly as body servants. The Territory being under the control, to a great extent, of Southern men and Southern influences, which controlled the legislation, a law was passed in 1857, prohibiting, under penalty of fine and hard labor in the penitentiary, the residence of free negroes or mulattoes in the Territory for a period exceeding thirty days. And, in 1859, an act was passed 'to provide for the protection of property in slaves in this territory.' It pro- vided punishment for the enticing away or aid- ing the escape of a slave, making it a felony punishable with imprisonment from four to ten years; it prohibited the furnishing or sale of arms to slaves, and all trade with them except with the master's written consent. It provided stringent and detailed regulations for the return of fugitive slaves, including his sale if not claimed. It forbade masters giving their slaves the use of their time; permitted stripes for inso- lence and disorderly conduct, and branding for crime; declared that slaves could not testify in court against free persons. It prohibited and annulled all marriages between whites and
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blacks; forbade emancipation; required slaves to have passports when absent from their mas- ters' premises, and expressly provided that this law should not apply to peonage, but only to African slavery.
A resolution was adopted in Congress to an- nul all the acts of the New Mexican Legislature authorizing involuntary servitude except for crime, which passed the house, but not the Sen- ate. This, however, was repealed in December, 1861. In 1865-6 the act of 1857 against free negroes was repealed and in 1866-7 an act was passed abolishing all involuntary servitude in the Territory.
It was generally supposed that public opinion among the natives of New Mexico favored negro slavery and that their sympathies were all with the secession movement, but when the test came it was found that the masses favored the Union cause, and five thousand or six thousand of troops, volunteers and militia, rallied to the support of the Union. They could not, how- ever, be considered as ardent Unionists. This act was inspired more from hatred of the Tex- ans who composed the Confederate invasion. Arizona was thought to be controlled entirely by Secessionists, and the Apaches, and Navajos, while not regarded as partisans of the South, yet it was thought they would be a potent factor in the defeat of the Union forces. Troops in the Territory of New Mexico were barely suffi- cient for defensive warfare against the Indians, besides there were military stores in New Mex- ican forts worthy of capture, to say nothing of the excellent opportunity for the display of
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Texan patriotism, for it was fully expected that Southern California and Colorado would rally to the Southern cause. It failed because the enterprise was entrusted to Texans alone, whose resources were limited, and New Mexican sym- pathy for the South and animosity for the National Government proved less potent than their Union proclivities, prejudice against Afri- can slavery, and hatred of Texas. California not only remained true to the Union, but sent a column of volunteer troops to drive the rebels out of Arizona; and Colorado, under energetic Union management, was able to control the strong Secession element within her border, and to send a regiment which struck the decisive blow in ridding her Southern neighbor of the invaders.
"It is stated," says Bancroft, "on authority not very clearly defined, that attempts were made in the Autumn of 1860 and spring of 1861 by Colonel W. H. Loring of the mounted rifles, of later fame in Egypt as Loring Pasha, tempo- rarily in command of the Department, with the aid of Colonel George B. Crittenden, command- ing an expedition against the Apaches, both officers having been sent to the territory for that special purpose, to attach the New Mexican troops, through the influence of Southern officers, to the Confederate cause; also that this plan was defeated by the efforts of Lieutenant- Colonel B. S. Roberts. However, this may have been, the rank and file remained true to their allegiance, with the exception of a single soldier, and even he is not known to have joined the enemy. Many of the officers, however, made
CONFEDERATE AND FEDERAL OCCUPATION. 85
haste to espouse the Confederate cause, includ- ing Loring-succeeded by Canby in the com- mand-Crittenden, and Major W. H. Sibley. This was in June, 1861, about the same time the territorial secretary, Alexander M. Jackson, re- signed his office to go South; and the project of invasion began to assume definite shape.
"Major Sibley was made brigadier-general, and ordered to Texas in July to organize and command the expedition; ex-secretary Jackson became his assistant adjutant-general of the Army of New Mexico, and the order for the bri- gade to advance was given on November 16th. Before Sibley's arrival, however, operations had begun. Lieutenant-Colonel John R. Baylor, second mounted rifles, C. S. A., occupied Fort Bliss on the Texas side in July, crossing into New Mexico, and occupying Mesilla on the 25th. On the 1st of August he issued a proclamation as Governor, taking possession in the name of the Confederate States. He declared all offices vacant, organized a military government, fixed the capital at Mesilla, divided the territory into two judicial districts, the first being all east of Apache Pass, and in a proclamation of August 2nd, appointed civil officers, including Jas. A. Lucas as secretary, M. H. McWillie as attorney- general, E. Angerstein as treasurer, and Geo. M. Frazier as marshal; with H. C. Cook and Frank Higgins as judges, and J. A. Roberts as sheriff of the first or eastern judicial district.
"Major Isaac Lynde of the seventh infantry, in command of the southern district of New Mexico, had a force of about 700 men at Fort Fillmore. He was a northern man, whether a
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traitor or a coward is not quite clear, but in a few days, perhaps on July 27th, he surrendered his whole force as prisoners of war to Baylor. A little earlier, orders had been sent to the Ari- zona commandants to abandon Forts Buchanan and Breckenridge, which they did, destroying all property that could not be removed. On the march these garrisons heard of the surrender of Lynde, and directed their course, about 450 strong, to Fort Craig. In December, Baylor's Confederate force was estimated by Canby at 800 Texans, besides 200 or 300 volunteers from the floating Mexican population of Mesilla Valley."
In 1861 a convention was held in Tucson, which formally declared the territory of Ari- zona a part of the Confederacy, and in August of that year, Granville H. Oury, was elected delegate to the Southern Congress. Baylor, in his proclamation of August 1st, declared the territory of Arizona to comprise all that part of New Mexico south of latitude 34°, and all offices under the laws of "the late United States" or of the territory, vacant, but all laws not incon- sistent with those of the Confederate States, were continued in force. He made Mesilla the capital and organized a military government with himself as governor. This act of Baylor's was approved by the Confederate Congress, and Arizona was admitted as a part of the Confed- eracy, with Granville H. Oury as delegate.
Baylor, in one of his fights with the Indians, poisoned a sack of flour, which killed some fifty or sixty savages. Upon learning of this, Jeff Davis deprived him of his position in the Con-
CONFEDERATE AND FEDERAL OCCUPATION. 87
federate Army, and also of his title of Governor of Arizona. Thereupon Baylor went back to Texas, and was elected to the Confederate Con- gress in his old district. These facts were told me by a relative of Colonel Baylor's, who is now one of the prominent citizens of this State.
Early in 1862 a force of two or three hundred Texans under Captain Hunter, marched west- ward from Mesilla, and in February, took pos- session of Tucson for the Confederacy. There was no opposition. If there were any Union men left they sought safety in flight across the border to Sonora. The details of Hunter's ex- pedition into Arizona are lacking. There is no record that he ever attempted to confiscate any private property belonging to the Unionists. He sent a portion of his command to the Pima Villages, and had it not been for the California troops, 1800 strong, which about that time had arrived at Fort Yuma, there is little doubt but what he would have continued his march to Fort Yuma, and taken possession of the entire territory.
Lieutenant-Colonel West, commanding the advance of General Carleton's California column, sent out parties from Fort Yuma and these were the only troops that came into con- tact with the Confederates. In February, 1862, Jones was sent with dispatches to Tucson, and fell into the hands of Hunter, who released him and sent him back by another road, bearing the first definite news that Tucson had been occu- pied by the Confederates. Captain William McCleave, of Company A, First Cavalry, being sent out to look for Jones, was captured with
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HISTORY OF ARIZONA.
three men at the Pima Villages on the 6th of April, and was carried to Mesilla, but soon after- wards was exchanged. Captain William P. Calloway was sent up the Gila with a strong force to rescue Captain McCleave. At the Pima Villages, he heard of a Confederate detachment of 16 men said to be under Lieutenant Jack Swil- ling, and sent Lieutenant James Barrett with twelve men to cut them off. Pursuing the enemy into a chaparral, Barret was killed with two of his men, one or two of the foe being also killed, and three taken prisoners. This was the only skirmish of the campaign with Confederates. It occurred on the 5th of April on the spot known as El Picacho, and it was the only fight between the Confederates and the Union troops on Arizona soil.
On May 20th, Lieutenant-Colonel West, with the advance of the California Column, raised the Stars and Stripes over Tucson. Captain Hunter had retreated to the Rio Grande, losing several men and much property on the way in a fight with the Apaches. A fort was estab- lished at the Pima Villages by the Californians, and called Fort Barrett in honor of the only officer killed by Confederate bullets in Arizona. Forts Buchanan and Breckenridge were re- occupied, the latter being named Fort Stanford, but both positions were soon abandoned as the sites were undesirable, and the buildings had been destroyed. A post was also established seven miles from Tucson, at what was later called Camp Lowell. Early in June General Carleton arrived in Tucson, and declared the territory under martial law.
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When the California troops were first raised it contemplated landing them at Guaymas, and marching them overland through Chihuahua and Sonora, the consent of the Mexican Govern- ment having been obtained for this purpose, but the appearance of Confederate troops in New Mexico and Arizona and their first successes in this territory, caused the authorities to fear that they would establish themselves securely in New Mexico and Arizona, and these territories be used as a base of supplies and lead them to organize a force for the invasion of California, consequently it was decided to reinforce the troops of New Mexico with a force from Cali- fornia, and thus prevent them from obtaining a foothold in New Mexico; hence the formation of the California Column. The following is General Wright's suggestion to the War De- partment for the organization of this expedi- tion and the indorsement of Major-General Mc- Clellan approving the same:
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