porphyry, conglomerate, shale, sandstone, and quartz,--and travel
was as difficult almost as it had been in the earlier days of the
march. We struck the head waters of Pitisco Creek, in a very rugged
cañon, then Elias Creek, going through another fine game region, and
lastly, after crossing a broad tableland mantled with grama grass,
mesquite, Spanish bayonet, and Palo Verde, mescal, and palmilla,
bivouacked on the San Bernardino river, close to a tule swamp of
blue, slimy mud.
The scouts plastered their heads with this mud, and dug up the bulbs
of the tule, which, when roasted, are quite palatable.
On the 15th of June the command recrossed the national boundary,
and reached Silver Springs, Arizona, the camp of the reserve under
Colonel Biddle, from whom and from all of whose officers and men we
received the warmest conceivable welcome. Every disaster had been
predicted and asserted regarding the column, from which no word had
come, directly or indirectly since May 5th. The Mexican captives were
returned to their own country and the Chiricahuas marched, under
Crawford, to the San Carlos Agency.
Unfortunately the papers received at Silver Springs were full of
inflammatory telegrams, stating that the intention of the government
was to hang all the Chiricahua men, without distinction, and to
parcel out the women and children among tribes in the Indian
Territory. This news, getting among the Chiricahuas, produced its
legitimate result. Several of the chiefs and many of the head men
hid back in the mountains until they could learn exactly what was to
be their fate. The Mexican troops went in after them, and had two or
three severe engagements, and were, of course, whipped each time.
When the road was clear the Chiricahuas kept their promises to the
letter, and brought to the San Carlos the last man, woman, and child
of their people.
They have been quietly scattered in small groups around the
reservation, the object being to effect tribal disintegration, to
bring individuals and families face to face with the progress made by
more peaceable Apaches, and at same time to enable trusted members of
the latter bands to maintain a more perfect surveillance over every
action of the Chiricahuas.
Charlie McComas was never found; the Chiricahuas insist, and I think
truthfully, that he was in the _ranchería_ destroyed by Crawford;
that he escaped, terror-stricken, to the depths of the mountains;
that the country was so rough, the timber and brush-wood so thick
that his tracks could not be followed, even had there not been such a
violent fall of rain during the succeeding nights. All accounts agree
in this.
Altogether the Chiricahuas delivered up thirteen captives,--women and
children,--held by them as hostages.
* * * * * *
Transcriber’s note:
Obvious typographical errors and punctuation errors have been
corrected after careful comparison with other occurrences within
the text and consultation of external sources.
Except for those changes noted below, all misspellings in the text,
and inconsistent or archaic usage, have been retained.
Pg 10: ‘one was suprised’ replaced by ‘one was surprised’.
Pg 11: ‘boldness, and sublety’ replaced by ‘boldness, and subtlety’.
Pg 14: ‘the Cayote saw’ replaced by ‘the Coyote saw’.
Pg 18: ‘the Amercan troops’ replaced by ‘the American troops’.
Pg 23: ‘not infreqently the’ replaced by ‘not infrequently the’.
Pg 24: ‘or millitary posts’ replaced by ‘or military posts’.
Pg 34: ‘like the cayote’ replaced by ‘like the coyote’.
Pg 51: ‘constantly patroled’ replaced by ‘constantly patrolled’.
Pg 76: ‘dead Chiracahuas’ replaced by ‘dead Chiricahuas’.
Pg 98: ‘and his beleagured’ replaced by ‘and his beleaguered’.