Democratic Sentinel, Volume 7, Number 21, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 June 1883 — CROOK’S VICTORY. [ARTICLE]

CROOK’S VICTORY.

1 M t i KsmlAh (mum M- - w I A fflUUcSl &#»9}Kfttvfl infill lII™ UvDvl ft* ■ nitAl tfk AlftM UiA la 1 ■ gwugami JU Announcing ms ouvucss* * „ - The March to the Stronghold of the Chiricahuaa in the Sierra Madm. Excellent Work Done by the Apache Scouts Undo: Capt. Crawford. Under date of Silver Creek, Arizona, Gen. Crook furnishes the following brief and modest account of his successful campaign against the Apache hostiles: I left here May 1 with 198 Apaohe scouts under Crawford and Wood Mackey, with Chaffee’s company of forty-two men of the Sixth cavalry, and rations tor two months on mules we followed the hostile Chiracahuasto a country of indescribab'.e roughness. A number of multi lost their footing, stepping from the trail, fell down the precSioes and were'killed. The stronghold of ,e Chiricahuas was in the very heart of the Sierra Madres. The position is finely watered, and has a dense growth of timber and plenty of. grass. They had been camped for months near the head of Barispe, occupying prominent elevated peaks affording a fine lookout for miles, rendering a surprise tiniest impossible, and making their retreat? secure through the rough adjacent canyons Capt Crawford, with the Indian soouts, early on the morning of May 15 surprised the village of Ohata, the chief who led the recent raid into Arizona and NeW Mexico The fight lasted all day, and the village was wiped out The damage done cannot be estimated. A number of dead bodies were found, but the indeaoribable roughness of the country prevented a count being made The entire camp, with the stock and everything belonging to It, was captured. It was learned from the prisoners that the Chiricahuas were unanimous for peace and had already sent two messengers to try to reach Ban Carlos On the 17th they began to surrender. They said their people were much frightened by our sudden appearance in their fastnesses and h&d scattered like quail. They asked me to remain until they could gather all the bands together, when they would go back to the reservation. By the terms of the treaty my operations were limited to the time of the fight, and I told the Chiricahuas to gather up their women aad*chlldren without delay. They answered that they pould npt get them to respdnd to signals, the fugitives fearing they might be set by our Apache scouts to entrap them. They told us they had a white hoy, who was in the village lumped by our scouts. He had run off with the squaws who escaped and who had pot yet been heard from. They assured me every one of the band should oome in if I would remain a short time The terms of the treaty embarrassed me greatly, and, being ih thalr rough region and rations rapidly disappearing—there being between SCO »and 400 Chiricahuas to feed—l was compelled to return with the Chirioahuos. We round six Mexican captives, five women and one child, taken in Chihuahua early in May. They are now with the command. These women say they were captured near the Mexican Central Railroad, at a place Called Carmen. They further state that when the Chiricahuas discovered the Apache scouts were in the country they became greatly alarmed, and abandoned on the trail the »00 head of cattle they were driving away from points in Western Chihuahua The cattle were afterward picked up and driven off by a body of Mexicans. We marched back as rapidly as the condition of the stock and the strength of the women and children would permit, and found the country depopulated for a distance of 100 pdles from the Apache stronghold The Ohi] icahuaa insist that they have always lived in the Sierra Madres; that even when the main body went on the reservation some remained behind in the mountains Of these now out there are a number who they state have never been on the reservation. I have strong hopes of being able to clear the mountains of the last of thesa Now with ns are Loco and Nana, so often reported killed, and the families of other prominent chiefs I saw no Mexican troops, and after leaving the settlements in Northeast Sonora did not see a Mexican other than the captives rescued I have suoh assurances from the Indians that the white boy will be brought baok alive that I am looking.for him every moment, and will 1» form you by courier.