USA > Arizona > History of Arizona and New Mexico, 1530-1888, Volume XVII > Part 60
USA > New Mexico > History of Arizona and New Mexico, 1530-1888, Volume XVII > Part 60
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561
THE PEACE COMMISSION.
movement being warmly supported by President Grant and many other prominent military men and civilians throughout the nation. The feeling that led to this movement, and that actuated the board in its operations, namely, the desire to protect the Indian from injustice, and to establish a uniform and benevo- lent policy for his improvement, was worthy of all praise, and of the hearty support it received from all Americans of the better class. The movement re- sulted, moreover, in great good throughout the Indian country of the far west. Yet in some phases of its practical application, and notably in the theory that the Arizona Apaches could be subdued by kindness or influenced by other motives than those of fear and self-interest, the new 'peace policy' was a sad mis- take.15 The commission had exerted an influence in the setting-apart of temporary reservations during Stoneman's command; but its first direct interference in Arizona was marked by unfortunate blunders on
15 In 1867 a joint special committee of congress, appointed by act of 1865, had made an elaborate report on the condition of the tribes and their treat- ment by civil and military authorities, though this report contained very little on Arizona. Ind. Af. Rept Joint Spec. Com., 1867, Svo, 532 p. Says Dunn, Massacres, 717, referring to the operations of the later commission: 'Unfortunately for the Indian, the feeling in his favor wandered off into the channel of abstract compliment. From a demon, he was raised to the posi- tion of a temporal deity by the extremists, who were now given an opportu- nity to aid him. The gentlemen who wrote the reports of the commissioners revelled in riotous imaginations and discarded facts as a part of the old and offensive régime which was henceforth to be abandoned.' I think that Dunn, however, is inclined to draw too sharp a distinction between the 'extermina- tion ' policy of 1864-9 and the 'peace' policy of later years. Instead of any sudden change of policy in which the people of Arizona and the military were compelled to acquiesce somewhat unwillingly, there was simply a gradual awakening on the part of the government and people of the U. S. to the truth, as realized in Ariz. from the first, that the Apaches must be forced upon reservations and then protected. The 'extermination' talk of certain classes, and the ultra 'persuasion' rot of certain others, were mere excres- cences that never had much real weight with practical men of any class. And indeed, Dunn wisely remarks of the earlier period: 'Although extermi- nation was not being satisfactorily accomplished in Arizona, the legitimate object of war was being obtained. The Apaches were gradually being brought to a realization that peace was a better mode of life than war. They were learning that their enemies could invade their homes, destroy their property, and kecp them in constant apprehension of death. Some of them were ready to live peaceably at places where they could be protected, but for this result, which ought to have heen the primary object of the war, there had been no adequate preparation.'
HIST. ARIZ. AND N. MEX. 36
562
INDIAN AFFAIRS IN ARIZONA.
both sides, at a time when prospects were brighter than ever before. On the one side was the Camp Grant massacre; on the other-though prompted largely by that outrage-the sending of Vincent Col- yer of the commissioners, an ultra fanatic, with full powers to settle the Apache question.
Colyer, who had visited New Mexico, and even reached the Moqui towns in 1869, arrived in August 1871. Cook, in obedience to his orders, suspended military operations, and Governor Safford issued orders for the commissioner's protection, with a view to re- strain the popular fury. Colyer came fully imbued with the belief that the Apaches were innocent vic- tims of oppression, and the whites wholly to blame for past hostilities; and he would listen to nothing not confirmatory of his preconceived views, scorning to seek information from the rascally citizens, the bloody- minded officers, or anybody else who knew anything about the real state of affairs. Protected by an escort, he visited the posts and met several bands of Apaches, just then disposed by the destitution arising from past reverses to come in, make peace, and be fed. From them he got all the testimony he desired on their peaceful and harmless disposition. He approved or selected temporary reservations or asylums at camps Grant, Apache, Verde, McDowell, Beale Spring, and Date Creek; then he went on to California in Octo- ber, followed by the curses of Arizonans, but fully convinced that the Apache question was settled. If let alone, the Indians would gladly come upon the reservations, eager for peace and civilization. Should there be new troubles, the whites might quit the country, or, staying, comfort themselves for the mur- der of their families and loss of their property with the thought that all these evils were due to ancient or modern aggressions of their own race. Colyer's mission did perhaps some good by calling attention in the east to Arizona; its harm was the suspension of Crook's operations for a long time, and the encourage-
563
COLYER'S MISSION.
ment of Apache hopes that a new era of protection for their great industry of plunder had dawned.16
Within a year from Colyer's arrival, the Apaches are known to have made 54 raids, and killed 41 citi- zens. The absurdities of his report were somewhat apparent even at Washington; and though his acts were approved, orders were sent to Crook through General Schofield in November 1871, not only to en- force strict measures on the reservations, but to wage war on all who refused to submit. February 1872 was fixed as the date before which all must come in, or take the consequences. In April, however, General O. O. Howard came as a special commissioner to pro- tect the Indians, persuade them to submit, and ad- vance the reservation work in general. While he was not to interfere directly with Crook's operations, his mission had practically the effect to postpone the campaign till late in the year. Remembering Colyer, the Arizonans were prejudiced against Howard; but
16 Colyer's preliminary report of 1869 is found in Ind. Aff. Rept, 1870, p. 70 et seq .; and that of 1871 in Id., 1871, p. 41-95, with much matter bearing on the general subject in other parts of the same vol. Dunn, Massacres, 726, thinks that while Colyer 'was notoriously ultra in his peace theories, and evidently did not understand the situation in Ariz.,' yet 'he was quite as correct as his assailants.' 'His changes of the location of the Ind. were rather extensive, and none of them produced good results.' The reference is mainly to the change from Canada Alamosa to the Tularosa val. in N. Mex., where some of the Mimbrenos and Chiricahuas went unwillingly, the latter soon returning to their old home. The rest were later moved to Ojo Caliente, whence the name Hot Spring Apaches.
Notwithstanding my slighting allusions to Colyer's mission, it must be understood that I do not deny the truth of his allegations that the Apaches had often been grossly wronged. Many such instances have been recorded by me. Much may be urged, moreover, against the right of a foreign race to take from the Indians their country, and very little in defence of Spanish or English treatment of the aborigines from the beginning. A white man's reservation, under Apache control, would be somewhat more iu accordance with the eternal principles of justice than the present state of affairs. I do not blame the Apaches for defending their homes and liberties in their own way. But as there was no proposition or possibility in the case of Arizona to turn back to the first page and begin a new record, I am disposed to doubt that a consideration of the ancient or modern short-comings of their race re- quired the Arizona settlers to submit to plunder and murder, or even to quit the country, to believe that they were entitled to the protection of their gov- ernment, and to deny that there was ever a time, in this century at least, when the Apaches could be controlled by kindness and justice. As Dunn says, 'no warlike Indians ever submitted to reservations until he had been whipped.' There was ample room for the application of our limited supply of benevolence and fair treatment after forcing the Indians to submission.
564
INDIAN AFFAIRS IN ARIZONA.
the latter was a very different man, his peace theories being strongly tinged with common sense. He con- sulted the people freely, and found them reasonable, if not very strong in faith, respecting reservation and treaty success. Mutual respect, if not entire agree- ment of opinion on certain phases of the Apache ques- tion, was developed by the intercourse. Howard visited the posts; did much to encourage the submis- sive bands; made treaties between Apaches and their Pima and Pápago foes; changed the Camp Grant reservation to the Gila, naming it San Carlos; and carried away some chiefs on a visit to Washington. In the autumn he came back to complete his work, making several changes. He abolished the asylums at McDowell, Date Creek, and Beale Spring, permit- ting the Indians to choose homes at the other reser- vations. But his principal achievement, though as it proved an unfortunate one, was to visit Cochise at his mountain home, receive that chief's submission, and establish the Chiricahua reservation in the south- eastern corner of the territory.
Then, in 1872-4, General Crook waged a continuous and effective war on the hostiles. For the first time all departments were working in harmony under a definite policy. As the governor put it in his message, Howard had offered the olive-branch, and Crook, with the sword, was enforcing its acceptance. Half-sub- dued bands often left their reservations to resume their raids, but such were hard pressed, not only by the troops, but by Apache warriors, whose submission was evidently not all pretence, and whose services were most profitably utilized. As before, I attempt no record of the campaign in its complications. By the middle of 1873, the last of the Tontos, Hualapais, and Yavapais had submitted; and in 1874, with the defeat of several renegade bands, the war was regarded as at an end. In a sense, and for large portions of the ter- ritory, the peace proved lasting. The great mass of the Apaches was now under military control on the
565
GENERAL CROOK'S SUCCESS.
reservations. The people and territorial authorities regarded Indian troubles as practically at an end. General Crook was deservedly the hero of the time.17
Notwithstanding this peace, which in a sense, as already remarked, was permanent in the north and west, the south-eastern frontier region in Arizona and New Mexico, after a few years, was for another de- cade to be the scene of Apache warfare, several times devastated with deadly results by renegade bands from the reservations. This result was due, not only to the savage instincts and ineradicable hostility of some of the worst Apache tribes, but also and largely to mismanagement. An outline of reservation annals is given in the appended note, including brief mention of the principal outbreaks.18 In 1874 control of the
17 Some details respecting the final campaigns, for which I have no space, may be found in Hamilton's work and others of recent years. Crook's merits, which were very great, have doubtless been exaggerated in view of his success by those who have forgotten the similar if less brilliant efforts of his pre- decessors. He was the best Indian-fighter of all, but by no means the only one. He had a firm grasp of both branches of his task. His energy and skill in carrying on a military expedition were not more marked than his tact in managing Indians in council, and gaining their confidence, or his earnest efforts in behalf of justice and fairness on the part of both races. He fully understood the Indian character, exercised practical good sense in all he un- dertook, being unaffected by sickly sentimentalism on one side, or extermi- nating vengeance on the other. Yet in earlier years his success might have been much less complete; and for a comparative failure on one later occasion, he was condemned by Arizonans much as other commanders had been in earlier times.
18 Apache reservations. The White Mountain reserv. had its origin when Maj. John Green in 1869 found a band of friendly Coyoteros there. In June 1870 he established Camp Ord (later called Ft Apache), and gathered 1,043 Ind. His favorable reports led to a corresp. between the peace com. and mil. authorities; and in April 1871 the reserv. was set apart hy Gen. Stoneman, heing approved by Colyer, and confirmed by exec. order of Dec. 14, 1872, which also added a tract s. of the Gila, and abolished the C. Grant reserv., thus creating the S. Carlos agency. (There were thus two agencies, S. Cár- los and Ft Apache on the White Mt reserv., but as the northern agency was later discontinued, the name S. Carlos came to be commonly applied to the whole reserv.) In 1872 Gen. Howard found and caused to be recalled an order suspending rations, and appointed Dr Milan Soulé to succeed Maj. Dallas in charge. In 1873 4 James E. Robert was agent, and the population increased to 1,800. The Ind. behaved and worked well, being apparently content and showing some interest in their fields and ditches. In Oct. came an order for their removal to S. Carlos, which was effected much against their wishes, but without the use of force, in July 1875. A considerable number, however, re- mained behind; and in 1881 some 500 were living on Cibicu Cr. in the ex- treme N. w. of the reserv. The arrest of a medicine-man who professed to bring dead warriors to life caused an outhreak in June, 10 soldiers and 8 cit- izens being killed, and Ft Apache being once attacked. The friendly scouts joined the foe, for which three were hanged and two sent to Cal. as prisoners.
566
INDIAN AFFAIRS IN ARIZONA.
reservations passed from the war department to the Indian bureau, with unfortunate results. General
Before Sept. 21st, the hostiles came in and surrendered in small parties. (See notes on S. Carlos below.)
At Camp Date Creek in July 1870, there were gathered 225 Ind., mostly Yavapais, who for a year were allowed to get a living by hunting, etc., but from June 1871 were given rations, though not subject to much control so long as they kept the peace. In Sept. 1872 the number had increased to 750, including some rather turbulent characters. Lieut. F. H. E. Ebstein in charge was succeeded, in July 1872, by Dr Josephus Williams. At the end of 1872, by advice of the agent and others, Gen. Howard discontinued this feeding station, and the Ind. were transferred in May 1873 to the C. Verde reserv., which had been set apart by Colyer in 1871, and where a large num- ber of Tontos had been gathered. Williams became agent at Verde, and the highest number of Ind. in 1873 was 2,000, 900 running away in Aug., but 400 returning in Sept. W. S. Schuyler succeeded Williams; there was much sickness, and the site of the agency was changed more than once; in Feb. 1874 there were 1,078 Ind., but the soldiers brought in more till in June there were 1,544. Later in the year much progress had been made in agric., buildings, etc .; the Ind. seemed well disposed, and prospects were considered good. But to the great displeasure of the natives and against the protest of Gen. Crook they were removed in March 1875, in charge of Special Commis- sioner Dudley to the S. Carlos reserv., the Tontos and Yavapais having on the way a fight among themselves, in which five were killed.
The Chiricahua reserv., including approximately that portion of Cochise co. lying east of the Dragoon Mts, was estab. in Oct. 1872 by Gen. Howard, on the conclusion of a treaty with the chief Cochise, and the failure of all attempts to induce this tribe to leave their old homes. The reserv. was set apart by exec. order of Dec. 14th, and by the end of the year over 1,000 Apaches were being fed according to the report of the agent, Thos T. Jeffords. The agency was at Sulphur Spring, Cienega de S. Simon, Pinery Canon, and Apache Pass successively. Cochise remained faithful to his death in June 1874, and was succeeded by his son Taza, though neither had full control of all the bands. There was no farming land, but the Chiricahuas were not farmers, and did not care to learn the business. The reserv. being on the Mexican border, there was much raiding across the line; but Agent Jeffords insisted that these depredations were committed by Ind. from S. Carlos and Hot Spring, and Mexico, and never by his Chiricahuas, a statement not im- plicitly believed outside the reserv. Jeffords admitted, however, some slight troubles with visiting and renegade Apaches and Mex. traders and soldiers. Supt L. E. Dudley of N. Mex. endeavored to have the Chiricahuas removed to Hot Spring, but they refused to go. Finally, in April 1876, serious trouble arose from the sale of whiskey by one Rogers at Sulphur Spring station, the druuken Ind. fighting among themselves, killing the liquor-dealer and his assistant, going on the war-path, and committing many depredations. Ac- cordingly, by the influence of Gov. Safford and against the advice of Gen. Kautz then in command, the removal of all the Ind. was ordered. A band of 140 went to Hot Spring; 325 under Taza were sent to S. Carlos in June; and the rest-400 according to Jeffords' figures, the accuracy of which has been questioned-ran away to commit depredations on the frontier. The reserv. was restored to the public domain by exec. order of Oct. 30, 1876.
The S. Carlos division of the White Mt reserv. originated in 1872 with the abolishment of the C. Grant reserv. (which also seems to have been moved to the region of the mouth of the S. Pedro at first). Records of the change, which was not completed till Feb. 1873, are not very clear. The successive agents in 1872-4 were Ed. C. Jacobs, Geo. H. Stevens, H. R. Wilbur, C. F. Larrabee, W. H. Brown, J. E. Roberts, and John P. Clumn. There were from 900 to 1,800 Ind. on the rolls, but from some mismanagement or frequent change of agents there were constant troubles, desertions, and recaptures.
567
POLICY OF CONCENTRATION.
Crook should have been left for several years at least in full control. From 1875 the policy of concentrat-
In May 1873 there was a plot to kill all the whites. It was discovered in time, hut Lieut. Almy was shot, and three chiefs with their bands fled to the mountains. These Ind. were harassed for a year, and not permitted to re- turn till they had killed the three chiefs. In Jan. 1874 other serious troubles occurred, resulting in the flight of several bands, and in six months of war before all submitted. Still considerable progress in agric. was reported. There were 1,000 of the original S. Carlos Ind. in Sept. 1875, besides 1,400 who had come from C. Verde in March, and 1,800 from Ft Apache in July, or a total of 4,200, who got no rations except in payment for labor. In June 1876 the Chiricahuas, 325 strong, were brought in from the south; from Oct. the troops were removed, and reliance was placed on the native police, not only to preserve order, but also to pursue renegades; and Clum took 25 of his Apaches east to the centennial fair. In May 1877 the renegade Chiri- cahuas having joined the Hot Spring Ind. in depredations, it decided to break up the Hot Spring reserv., and 453 Ind were transferred to S. Carlos, Vic- torio and 40 warriors escaping to avoid the transfer, and 300 of the 453 escap- ing in Sept., though about 190 of them were perhaps brought back before the end of the year. The renegades did bloody work in N. Mex. Clum claimed that no depredations were committed by his reserv. Ind. proper, and that all was prosperous, but his reports may have been somewhat highly colored. Meanwhile the exec. order of Dec. 14, 1872, creating the reserv., was supple- mented by several new orders. That of Aug. 5, 1873, cut off all the Gila valley above old C. Goodwin, or about 110° 5', and that of July 21, 1874, all east of long. 109° 30' (the reserv. had at first extended to the N. Mex. line). That of April 27, 1876, cut off a strip on the east; that of Jan. 26, 1877, a tract of 7,421 acres in N. E. corner; and that of March 31, 1877, the s. w. cor- ner s. of the Gila. Rept Sec. Int., 1882, p. 309-11. As left, the reserv. contains 4,440 sq. miles. H. L. Hart was agent in 1877-8, Adna R. Chaffee in 1879-80, J. C. Tiffany in 1880-1, Phil. P. Wilcox in 1882-3, G. Ford in 1884. Though the presence of many different and mutually hostile bands necessitated their separation to some extent into distinct camps, there were no serious troubles with the masses; the native police rendered good service; and fair progress was reported in agriculture. In 1878 about 400 Apaches were absent, working in the mines, etc., and giving no cause for complaint. In the same year mining discoveries in the N. w. at McMillan's caused some complaint of en- croachment on the reserv. In 1879 the pop. was 4,652; there were 2,000 cattle and horses; and 5,000 lbs. of barley were sold. The taking of water from the Gila above the reserv. caused some fears. The Apaches were gen- erally disarmed, and the use of tiswin, the native liquor, was prevented. Apache women were as a rule chaste, but habits of prostitution, with result- ing disease, had been brought to some extent by the Colorado River bands. In 1880 the renegade chiefs Juh and Gerónimo, with 108 Chiricahuas, were brought in from Mexico. Another chief, Victorio, continued his raids on the border until killed by the Mexicans. In 1881 Nané, Victorio's associate, continued his depredations; and Juh and Nachez with a party of Chiricahuas ran away from the reserv. in Sept., and after a fight were driven into Mexico. Petty disturbances increased somewhat; whiskey sellers at Globe caused some trouble; but notwithstanding a flood, goods crops were raised, live-stock increased, good buildings were completed, and a school was taught by A. B. Ross and wife. The discovery of rich coal deposits this year introduced new complications for which no solution has yet been found, though there has been much discussion of the subject in Ariz. and in congress. The people are eager to have the mining tract restored to the public domain; while on the other hand is advocated either the working of the coal mines by the Ind., or a lease for their benefit. It should be stated, however, that serious doubts were finally thrown on the accuracy of Agent Tiffany's favorable reports on
568
INDIAN AFFAIRS IN ARIZONA.
ing all the Apaches at San Carlos was enforced. Those of forts Verde and Apache were transferred in March and July; the Chiricahuas in June 1876; and the Hot Spring bands in May 1877. While in a gen- eral way this policy of concentration may have been well founded, while some changes were probably neces- sary-notably at the Chiricahua reservation on the Mexican border-and while no policy would have en- tirely prevented the subsequent troubles, yet there can be no question that nearly all the later outbreaks and disasters may be traced directly to these transfers. The Indians were naturally unwilling to quit the re- gions in which they had been born or which they had chosen, which, as they understood it, the government had given them for permanent homes, and where in some instances they were making progress; many of them objected particularly to the San Carlos tract; besides their aversion to any change and their special objec- tions to the new home, there was much fear of their new neighbors; and the mingling or near approach of so many distinct and hostile bands-which had never agreed on any proposition except that of hostility to the whites-was sure to make serious trouble. With the special reasons assigned for the change, the mis- conduct of certain renegade bands or turbulent char- acters, the masses of the Apaches at each point had little to do; and in some cases the influence of whites coveting the reservation lands was a controlling mo- tive. General Crook protested earnestly against the first transfer, that of the Verde Indians; but he was removed to another department to fight the Sioux, and was succeeded in March 1875 by General August V. Kautz. This officer also opposed the changes, and in connection with the removal of the Chiricahuas and resulting depredations of renegades, he became in- volved in serious controversies with Governor Safford,
the condition of affairs. From 1882 the reservation was practically under control of the military commander; and the condition of affairs was for the most part satisfactory, but for the escape of renegade bands in 1885, and their depredations on the border.
569
VICTORIO AND GERÓNIMO.
which finally led to his removal in 1878, his successor being General O. B. Willcox.19
On the transfer of the Chiricahuas in June 1876, a considerable number escaped, went on the war-path, and in four months killed 20 persons. On the trans- fer of the Hot Spring bands in May 1877, Victorio and party escaped to Mexico; and in September 300 escaped from San Carlos. The ensuing pursuits, fights, surrenders, and reëscapes are too complicated for detailed record here; but large numbers of the renegades, while sometimes submitting in New Mexico, refused to be removed to San Carlos, and ran away every time it was attempted. Resulting depredations, sometimes exaggerated by the citizens and news- papers, and perhaps underrated by the military, were constant and serious on the border, especially in New Mexico; and for years the warfare was almost as deadly as ever. From this time the Indians were well armed with repeating rifles, and pursuits by the troops were generally fruitless. In 1879 Victorio came from the south, was reënforced by various renegade bands, and killed 73 victims before he could be driven back into Mexico. He was killed in 1880 by Mexicans, while Juh and Gerónimo, with 110 Chiricahuas, were brought in to the reservation. In 1881 occurred the Cibicu Creek outbreak, as mentioned elsewhere ; Nané, Victorio's successor, made a bloody raid from across the line, and part of the Chiricahuas, under Juh and Nachez, ran away from San Carlos. In April 1882 these were followed by Gerónimo and the rest of the renegade Chiricahuas, with Loco and his Hot Spring
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