USA > Arizona > History of Arizona, Vol. V > Part 17
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"I call attention, also, in this connection, to the fact that the health of the troops in southern Arizona will soon render it necessary to ex- change them for those at more northerly posts, say in California and Oregon. But to make this exchange will require several months, and, in the meantime, many posts would be so re- duced as to be unsafe, and all would be too weak for any field operations against the hostile In- dians. If an additional regiment of infantry be sent to the division, these changes can be effected gradually and without serious detri- ment to the service.
"The law authorizing the employment of In- dian scouts limits the number to 1,000, of which only 200 are assigned to this division. If this number could be doubled, at least on the coast, it would greatly facilitate military operations in Arizona. Officers are unanimous as to the value and usefulness of these scouts in the field.
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"I beg leave to reproduce the following ex- tracts from my annual report of last year :
" 'The Apaches and cognate tribes in Arizona and northern Sonora are the natural and heredi- tary enemies of the whites, of whatsoever nation or character. They have successfully expelled from that Territory the Aztecs, the Spaniards and the Mexicans; and they will yield to our people only when compelled to do so by the rifle and the revolver. They probably resemble the African Bedouins more than any other people; and murder and robbery constitute almost the sole occupation of the Apaches. These Indians do not fight in masses, like most of the tribes of the Rocky Mountains, but more stealthily in small bands over the greater portions of Ari- zona and the northern part of Sonora and Chihuahua, waylaying and murdering travelers on the roads, and plundering and destroying unprotected agricultural and mining settle- ments. This mode of warfare, combined with the rough and desert character of the country, and the want of practicable roads, renders it very difficult to operate successfully against them, or to give adequate protection to the small and scattered settlements in that exten- sive but sparsely populated Territory.
" 'It is useless to negotiate with these Apache Indians. They will observe no treaties, agree- ments, or truces. With them there is no alter- native but active and vigorous war, till they are completely destroyed, or forced to surrender as prisoners of war.
"Another year's experience has confirmed the correctness of these remarks. But what is to
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be done with these Indians when captured or surrendered as prisoners of war? The agents of the Indian bureau, as a general rule, refuse to receive them, and the military have no funds or authority to establish special military 'reser- vations' for them. To keep and to guard them at military posts will require the whole force of the garrison, and prevent the troops from operating in the field. We have no available funds with which to purchase seeds and agri- cultural implements, so that they can be made to contribute to their own support; and to keep them in idleness for any length of time has a most injurious effect. If permitted to hunt and fish for their own support, they are certain to desert and resume hostilities. It is hoped that some steps may be taken to modify our Indian system, at least in Arizona, so as to ob- viate these very serious difficulties in the re- duction of the Apaches and the pacification of the Territory. I respectfully repeat my recommendations of March last, that Arizona, with the three most southerly counties of Cali- fornia, be made a separate military department. I believe this change to be essential to the dis- cipline of the troops and the proper direction of military operations there. The present depart- ment of California is of so great a geographical extent, with so many posts distant from each other, and connected by roads and mountain trails difficult to travel, that the department commander cannot make the personal inspec- tions and give to its affairs that personal super- vision which are absolutely required. Making Arizona a separate department will not only be
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of advantage to that Territory, but will give a better supervision to military affairs in Cali- fornia and Nevada. General Ord fully concurs with me in this recommendation.
"It gives me pleasure to report that the open- ing of new roads and the settlement and cultiva- tion of land in the vicinity of the military posts have greatly reduced the cost and transporta- tion of army supplies in the division generally. Still further reductions may be hoped in the future.
"The locations of the several military posts in the division are designated on the accompanying maps.
"Very respectfully, your obedient servant. "H. W. HALLECK, "Major General Commanding."
During this year several expeditions were car- ried out against the hostiles, in which a few Indians were killed and rancherias destroyed, the particulars of which are not given in Gen- eral Halleck's report. General Ord, in his re- port dated September 27th, 1868, calls attention to the frequent desertions, saying :
"In Arizona the men have been occupied in pursuit of the Indians, scouting, and on escort dutv. They have been but in few cases able to build quarters; at some of the forts the troops are yet living in tents, or under earthen roofs and mud walls. Timber is so scarce in many parts of the State of Nevada, and in Arizona Territory, that at some posts it has been at times impossible to procure a sufficient number of boards to make coffins for the dead.
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"The consequences of these discomforts, and the want of vegetables, is many desertions, es- pecially from the posts where commanders were careless of the comfort of their men, and failed to make use of such means as the country af- forded in providing for them such necessaries as vegetable gardens, airy rooms, though built of adobes, and plenty of good water. Every effort has been made by me to remedy these wants, and some additional expense incurred which will, by increasing the comfort of the troops in quarters, diminish the number of de- sertions, and make them more healthy and effi- cient in the field. At one post inspected by me I found that its garrison of 86 men had lost 54 men by desertion, and every deserter had car- ried off a good horse and repeating rifle, worth together from $150 to $300 at the post. These horses and arms are generally sold to the citi- zens in the vicinity for half or a third of their value, so that the citizen finds more profit in encouraging desertion by buying the deserter's arms, horse and clothing, than in arresting him for the small reward of about $20 in gold. Commanding officers would prosecute such citi- zens in many cases if they were authorized to employ counsel, for there is scarcely ever in the vicinity of such remote posts a United States district attorney, or other person to act as such.
"I would recommend as some preventive to this wholesale purchase of deserters' clothing, arms and horses, that whenever a citizen, or sol- dier returned a deserter, or his horse, arms or clothing, the person making the return should be paid the value of such articles as might be
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returned, and the actual cost of apprehension in addition to the $30 now paid, all of which money should be paid on delivery of the man or his property, and upon a certificate to that effect from the officer to whom he or it may be delivered; at present many officers refuse to give the certificates of delivery until the man is convicted, which acts as a bar to the zeal of persons who might be otherwise disposed to arrest deserters."
The most important progress made by the military during this year is contained in the following report made by Brigadier General Thomas E. Devin who commanded the Sub- District of Prescott, which report is dated June 12th, 1868:
"Headquarters Sub-District of Prescott.
"Fort Whipple, A. T., June 12, 1868.
"Colonel: I have the honor to report my re- turn from a 45 days' scout into the Apache coun- try, to the east of this post, in pursuance of instructions from headquarters district of Ari- zona, directing me to move with my available force in a southeast course from Camp Lincoln towards Goodwin, and as far as the headwaters of the San Carlos, on which I would find the hostile Pinal Apaches, who now appeared disposed to fight, and give us a favorable op- portunity to punish them. No operative move- ments would be made from other points.
"The above instructions were received at this post April 25, and at the time my largest cavalry company was on a 15 days' scout in the
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Havenna (probably Harcuvar) mountains, 100 miles westward. On the morning of the 26th I started my wagons with 30 days' rations, and company B, 8th cavalry, en route to the Rio Verde. On the 28th, company L returned from its scout, and I at once followed with that com- mand. On the 30th I left Camp Lincoln with the troops, and my pack train of 60 mules, carry- ing 30 days' rations and crossing Clear Creek six miles from its mouth, ascended the Mogollon mountains (erroneously called the ' High Mesa'). My force consisted of one hundred (100) cavalry, and fifty (50) infantry, and the four guides from the district posts.
"Crossing the divide to the southern crest of the mountains I descended into Tonto basin near the head of the east fork of the Verde, at a point where the mountain rises about 2,500 feet above the basin. The first 500 feet being nearly a perpendicular cliff, I was obliged to cut a zigzag path down the face, after which the breaking of a trail was comparatively easy. The same night my camp was fired into by Indians, killing one horse. At midnight, company L, with a guide, was sent out to look for 'smokes' seen from the mountain. As the column pushed on, detachments were sent out from the front and right flank to scour the country, many rancherias were found, but all had been abandoned-some of them quite lately, others for months.
"On reaching the main fork of Tonto creek, a number of small farms were found, just pre- pared for planting, ground hoed, etc., but no crops yet in. The Indians had evidently left in
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haste fleeing southward. At this point I found that from the appearance of the country and probable obstacles in front, I would not be able to reach the San Carlos, and return with the rations on hand. Before starting I had been assured that the pack animals would carry 250
pounds anywhere the cavalry could go. This I found to be an error as they could not average 200 pounds, and with that could not make over 10 miles a day in a mountain country. In en- deavoring to accomplish even that several gave out, others were killed falling over precipices and some of the rations were lost. The work was also telling on my cavalry horses. I therefore selected a camp on the head of Tonto creek, and sending my pack train back to Camp Lin- coln for 20 days' rations I occupied the interval in scouting with mounted and dismounted par- ties the country between Salinas and the Mo- gollones. On the return of the train, I, for the second time, attempted to push my southward way, but was again repelled by impassable can- yons. I finally succeeded in crossing the Salinas at a point where the banks rise nearly to the height of 1,000 feet, and are very steep. Other crossings were afterwards found, and the troops crossed and recrossed the Salinas at four different points between its source and the big Bend, while operating in the basin. During one of the scouts one rancheria was found in- habited, and four Indians were killed while escaping across the river. On another occa- sion a party exploring a trail to the San Carlos were ambushed but the Indians were repulsed ;
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two fell but were carried off by their comrades ; one soldier and two animals were wounded. The pack train, while on its return for the ra- tions, was ambushed near the top of the 'jump- off' I had constructed down the mountain, and the pack master, Mr. Baker, was killed. The Indians fled before the troops could reach the summit, though they dashed forward with all the speed the steep ascent would admit.
"The section of country north and west of the Salinas having been pretty well scouted, I en- camped on one of the east forks of the Salinas, and taking 60 cavalry, all that I had left that were serviceable for a hard march, I pushed on to the San Carlos, which stream I reached after crossing three of its forks. The character of the country here is widely different from that west of the Salinas, the mountains easier of access, and the divides easier crossed. The scenery is very beautiful, land fertile, and river bottoms wide and filled with nutritious grasses, but no signs of recent occupation by Indians, as far as could be seen. A well beaten trail from the southwest, on which the tracks of women and children were very evident, led towards the head of the Little Colorado, or val- ley of the Prieta, and showed that their families had been moved east, but the shoes of my horses were worn out, and many of the men likewise. I had but rations enough to carry me back at a much faster rate than I had advanced, and from the highest peak not an Indian 'smoke' could be seen. I had with difficulty, and through a country hitherto unknown, and inter-
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sected in every direction by impassable canyons, penetrated to the point designated by my orders. I had four of the best guides in the Territory, though none of them had ever been in this sec- tion previously (nor could I find or hear of any one who had), but all were excellent mountain men, and brave and expert in following Indian trails, but I could not get a fight. The Indians have (with the exception of a few predatory bands), either left the country west of the San Carlos, or have sent their families beyond, and gone on some grand stealing raid to Sonora.
"The men were eager for a fight, and I was willing, and it had been prophesied that I would meet a thousand warriors before I reached San Carlos; bnt I can truly say that I can at any time find more fresh Indian signs within 50 miles of this post than I found at 200 miles dis- tant.
"I concluded to return across the mountains and try to explore a road by which I might for- ward supplies by wagons along the crests of the divide between the waters running to the Colo- rado, and those running to the Salinas and Gila, thus enabling me to establish temporary depots, from whence I could make descents either into the valley of the Prieta, the Sierra Blancas, or the Little Colorado, with detachments supplied with five to ten days' rations, and thus obviate the necessity of large pack trains. I succeeded in finding such routes.
"Returning from San Carlos to camp near the Salinas, I ascended the Mogollones, and, following the general course of the divide, reached Camp Lincoln in eight days, from a
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point at the head of Salt River. Grass and water in plenty until after crossing the head of east fork. From this point to Clear Creek, water is scarce from May 14th until the summer rains, about July 1. Very little Indian signs were found on the mountain, though the game was far more plentiful than in the valley.
"It may be proper here to refer to the ex- pedition I was organizing to start about May 15 by this very route, and turning the head of the San Carlos, return by the Salinas to Camp Reno. I would thus have taken the Indians from the rear, with perhaps greater success ; but military necessity ordained that the move- ment should be made earlier, and there was too much melting snow on May 1 to allow my ani- mals to travel on the divide, and I had to descend into the basin.
"At the time of the receipt of General Crit- tenden's order I had nearly completed a road from Clear creek to the summit of the Mo- gollones (for wagons). As soon as the summer rains set in I will recommence the work, and continue it to the southern crests, after which the road, though crooked, can be easily worked. My impression is that the most effectual mode of holding the Indians in check, next to fighting them, is to open roads and trails through their country, so that the troops can readily track and follow them. This policy I have followed since my assignment to duty here, and the district has been very quiet.
"Tonto basin is now very well chequered with our trails and officers and men are well ac- quainted with the country. The basin includes
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the district of country south of the high mesa, west and north of the Salinas, and east of the Mazatzal mountains, and has heretofore been properly supposed to be the home of the Apaches, where they had their farms, families and stock. It has probably contained a large population, as we found rancherias sufficient for hundreds of families, but all abandoned.
"Two sets of shoes were prepared for the animals, and three for the infantry; nearly all were worn out before our return, and the feet of a number of the horses had to be encased in leather in order to enable them to return the last 60 miles to Lincoln, the country being cov- ered with broken lava. For 40 days they had not a grain of forage. None of the large herd of cattle stolen by the Indians near Tucson could have been brought into Tonto basin, as at first supposed. Major Clendenin, who skirted the southern edge, could find no trail, and I re- peatedly crossed his trail. No stock had passed over my route subsequent to the snow melting with the exception of two horses. The health of the men in general was excellent.
"As soon as a map of the country scouted can be compiled, it will be forwarded, together with journal.
"Very respectfully, your obedient servant, "THOMAS C. DEVIN,
"Lieutenant Colonel and Brevet Brig. Gen. Commanding."
From this report it will be seen that the result of the scout was the establishment of new trails through the Indian country and its mapping, so
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that the military thereafter might intelligently locate their camps where water and feed could be obtained.
It will also be seen that, according to the mili- tary reports for the years 1866, 1867 and 1868, very little was accomplished in the way of sub- duing the hostile Apaches. Had Congress au- thorized the raising of a volunteer regiment in Arizona, such a body of men, under the com- mand of an experienced frontiersman like King Woolsey, Townsend, or Genung, would have done more in one year for the protection of the settlers on the frontier and towards the conquer- ing of the hostile Apaches, than all the soldiers furnished by the Government did up to the time Crook assumed command. Such, at least, was and is, the consensus of opinion among old time residents of this State. As it was, there were more Indians killed by settlers than by the troops.
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CHAPTER XIII. INDIAN TROUBLES.
ATTACK ON T. LAMBERTSON-KILLING OF HENRY TWADDLE-KILLING OF GONZALES-ATTACK ON LE ROY JAY AND WILLIAM TREHAN- FIGHT WITH FRENCHMEN ON HASSAYAMPA -ATTACKS IN AND AROUND WICKENBURG -- JACKASS SMITH - EXPEDITION OF LIEUT. CRADLEBAUGH AGAINST INDIANS-JACKSON MCCRACKEN'S PLIGHT-KILLING OF GEORGE BOWERS-EXPERIENCE OF "JEFF" DAVIS- ORICK JACKSON DESCRIBES CONDITIONS- THOMAS THOMPSON HUNTER'S DESCRIPTION OF CONDITIONS-HOSTILITIES AT FORT BOWIE -KILLING OF COMMANDER OF POST-MURDER OF COL. STONE AND ESCORT-DUEL BETWEEN KEEPER OF STATION AND ONE OF COCHISE'S BAND-MURDER OF MAIL CARRIER FISHER -. ATTACK ON W. A. SMITH AND COMPANIONS -DEPREDATIONS AROUND TUCSON - CAMP GRANT MASSACRE - MRS. STEPHENS' FIGHT WITH INDIANS -"MINER" EDITORIAL ON SITUATION-W. M. SAXTON KILLED.
The following are some of the outrages com- mitted by the Indians up to and including the year 1868:
In Hamilton's "Resources of Arizona," are given the following:
"T. Lambertson, of Walnut Grove, was one of the first settlers who brought cattle into that valley. He had seven or eight cows and watched
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them continually. He was driving them home one evening in 1867, when he was ambushed by the redskins within half a mile of his house. The old man was badly wounded in his side at the first fire and fell to the ground. The In- dians rushed upon him from the brush, but Lambertson had a Henry repeating rifle, and as he lay on the ground killed three of them, when the rest retreated and he made his way home with the cows. He never entirely recovered from the effects of the wound, though he lived for several years afterwards.
"Harvey Twaddle, a pioneer prospector, was waylaid on a trail in Walnut Grove and shot in the heart, but drove off the Indians who at- tacked him. Assistance arriving shortly, he was carried home and lived eight days. A post- mortem examination showed the bullet im- bedded in his heart a half an inch from its lower point. This is one of the most extraordinary instances of vitality on record.
"In 1866 a marauding band of Tontos sur- prised a Mexican named Gonzales between the Agua Fria Valley and Prescott, killed and stripped him, set the body up with the knees, elbows and head resting on the ground, and then shot seventeen arrows into it, and left it in that position.
"In 1867 two well known citizens, Le Roy Jay and William Trehan, while escorting a wagon- load of provisions from Prescott to the Bully Bueno mining camp, fell into an ambush and were killed between Big Bug and Turkey Creek. The driver escaped, the Indians getting away with the provisions and animals. The B. B.
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Mining Company, from 1866 to 1869, lost by In- dians 240 mules and horses, five of their em- ployees were killed and four badly wounded and their ten stamp quartz mill burned.
"In 1867, two Frenchmen mining in Hassa- yampa Creek owned two burros and lived in a stone cabin with a log roof covered with earth. One afternoon they observed three Indians on a hill near the creek. Immediately they got the donkeys, took them into the cabin, and shut the heavy plank door. In five minutes there were twenty Indians around the house. At first they tried to break in the door by throwing heavy rocks against it, but as one of the attacking party advanced with a heavy boulder in his hands he was shot through the heart from a crack in the door and fell dead in front of it. That was the only shot the Frenchmen fired. The reds then went behind the house, which was built against a high rocky bank, and tried to break it down by throwing great rocks upon it from the bluff above and kept that game up well into the night, but the roof withstood all assaults. The inmates remained in the house until the middle of the next forenoon, when a mining neighbor named Wallace came along and found the dead Indian at the door. Seeing smoke ris- ing from the chimney, he hailed the inmates and the badly scared Frenchmen opened the door. They stated that they had plenty of provisions and thought they would wait and let the Indians go away.
"Wickenburg was a town on the Hassayampa, built by those who worked quartz from the Vul- ture mine in 1864 to 1865.
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"Many men were killed in those years in that neighborhood, and hundreds of animals stolen. In 1865 there were thirty-three arrastras in the town running on Vulture ore. In the summer, on moonlight nights, many of them were run all night. Bigelow & Smith were running three arrastras day and night, having six animals. One night in June, as Smith (known as 'Ore- gon Smith') was on duty, he saw a suspicious object moving in the tall grass near the arrastra. He aroused his partner, saying: 'The Indians are here.' Both went out, Smith with a rifle, Bigelow with a shotgun. Smith said: 'Lay low, Big, and you'll see the cuss raise up his head above the grass out there,' pointing where he had seen him. In less than two minutes a head raised, and Smith fired. A groan followed, and all was still. Smith reloaded and both cau- tiously approached the supposed dead Indian, and found a young donkey lying dead in the brush; it was shot in the throat and its neck broken. The slayer, after that, was known as 'Jackass Smith.'
"In 1867 or 1868, Lieut. Cradlebaugh was sent out from Camp Verde with a detachment of men to the Black Hills, for the purpose of having a talk with a band of Indians who signified a will- ingness to make peace and come into the post. He camped the first night in a small flat below a high ledge of rocks, the horses being fas- tened to a picket rope in front of the camp. Towards morning the slumbering troopers were awakened by the most unearthly yells and showers of arrows and bullets. Every horse at the picket line was soon shot down. The troops
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huddled closely under the rocky cliff. One man was killed, and several wounded, including a doctor, who had his arm broken and afterwards amputated at the post. Jackson McCracken, afterwards the discoverer of the famous mine which bears his name, was with the party. When the attack began, he was sound asleep with his head against a small pine tree about eight inches in diameter. He was in full range of the fire, and when the leaden hail became fast and furious he hugged the protection of that small tree with praiseworthy pertinacity. Be- ing a large, fat man, the little sapling was in- sufficient to cover his whole body, and years afterwards, in telling the story, he used to say that as he heard the arrows whiz by and the bullets strike the tree near his head he thought he would give all of Arizona to have that tree six inches larger.
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