OTHER RAIDS
When reading the foregoing chapters of Apache raids one not acquainted
with the lawlessness of the frontier might wonder how this tendency of
the Apaches was developed to such a marked degree; but one acquainted
with the real conditions--the disregard for law by both Mexicans and
white men along the border line of Old Mexico and Arizona in early
days--can readily understand where the Apache got his education in the
art of conducting lawless raids. In order, therefore, that those who are
unacquainted with the conditions as they were in southern Arizona during
the eighties, may understand the environment of the Apaches, this
chapter is given. The events herein narrated are taken by the author
from many accounts given him by reliable men who lived in this section
of country during the period mentioned.
[Illustration: APACHE CAMP]
_Raid by White Men_
In 1882 a company of six Mexican traders, who were known as "smugglers"
because they evaded duties on goods which they brought into United
States and sold in Arizona, were camped in Skeleton Cañon, ten miles
north of the north line of Old Mexico. They were known to carry large
sums of money, but as they were always armed and ready to defend their
possessions they were not often molested. However, on this occasion,
just as they were rising in the morning to prepare their breakfast, five
white men opened fire on them from ambush and all save one of the
Mexicans were killed. This one, though wounded, finally made his escape.
A few days after the killing some cowboys on a round-up camped at this
place and buried the remains (what the coyotes had left) of these five
Mexicans. Two years later, at the same place, a cowboy found a leather
bag containing seventy-two Mexican dollars, which small amount of money
had been overlooked by the robbers.
The men who did this killing lived in Arizona for many years afterwards,
and although it was known that they had committed the depredation, no
arrests followed, and no attempt was made by any of the Mexicans to
recover the property of their fellow citizens.
_Mexican Raid_
In 1884 a cattleman and four cowboys from his ranch started to drive
some fat cattle to market at Tombstone, Arizona. The route they took led
partly through Old Mexico and partly through Arizona. One night they
camped in a cañon just south of the Mexican border. Next morning at
daylight, the cowboy who had been on herd duty the last half of the
night had just come in and aroused the camp when the Mexicans opened
fire on them from ambush. The cattleman and one of the cowboys were
severely wounded at the first volley and took shelter behind the camp
wagon, from which position they fired as long as their ammunition
lasted. The other three were only slightly wounded and reached cover,
but only one escaped with his life. He remained in hiding for two days
before his comrades found him. He saw the Mexicans rob the bodies of the
dead and lead away their saddle horses, after having cooked breakfast
for themselves in the deserted camp. He was severely wounded and all his
ammunition was gone, hence he could only wait.
On the second day after this raid some of the cattle strayed back to the
old ranch, thereby giving notice to the cowboys that there had been foul
play. They found their wounded companions lying delirious near the
decaying bodies of their comrades. No arrests were ever made in Mexico
for these murders, and no attempt was made to recover damage or
prosecute the robbers. The two instances above narrated will serve to
show the reader what kind of an example was set for the Apaches by at
least a portion of the inhabitants of the two Christian nations with
whom they came in contact.
_Apache Raids_
It is thought well to give in this chapter some of the depredations of
the Apaches, not told by Geronimo. They are given as told by our own
citizens and from the white man's point of view.
In 1884 Judge McCormick and wife, accompanied by their young son, were
driving from Silver City to Lordsburg, when they were ambushed by
Apaches. The bodies of the adults were found soon afterward, but the
child's body was never recovered. Years afterwards, an Apache squaw told
some of the settlers in Arizona that the little boy (about eight years
old) cried so much and was so stubborn that they had to kill him,
although their original intention was to spare his life.
In 1882 a man named Hunt was wounded in a row in a saloon in Tombstone,
Arizona. During this row two other men had been killed, and, to avoid
arrest, Hunt and his brother went into the mountains and camped about
ten miles north of Willow Springs to await the healing of his wounds. A
few days after they came there, Apache Indians attacked them and killed
the wounded brother, but the other, by hard riding, made good his
escape.
In 1883 two Eastern boys went into Arizona to prospect. Their real
outing began at Willow Springs, where they had stayed two days with the
cowboys. These cowboys had warned them against the Apaches, but the
young men seemed entirely fearless, and pushed on into the mountains. On
the second morning after they left the settlement, one of the boys was
getting breakfast while the other went to bring in the pack horses that
had been hobbled and turned loose the night before to graze. Just about
the time he found his horses, two Apache warriors rode out from cover
toward him and he made a hasty retreat to camp, jumping off of a bluff
and in so doing breaking his leg.
A consultation was then held between the two Easterners and it was
decided that perhaps all the stories they had been told of the Apache
raids were true, and that it was advisable to surrender. Accordingly a
white handkerchief was tied to the end of a pole and raised cautiously
above the top of the bluff. In about ten minutes the two Indians--one a
very old warrior and the other a mere boy, evidently his son--rode into
camp and dismounted. The old warrior examined the broken limb, then
without a word proceeded to take off the shirt of the uninjured youth,
with strips of which he carefully bound up the broken leg. After this
the two Indians ate the prepared breakfast and remounted their ponies.
Then the old warrior, indicating the direction with his thumb, said
"Doctor--Lordsburg--three days," and silently rode away. The young men
rode twenty-five miles to Sansimone, where the cowboys fitted them out
with a wagon to continue their journey to Lordsburg, seventy-five miles
further, where a physician's services could be secured.
In 1883 two prospectors, Alberts and Reese by name, were driving a team,
consisting of a horse and a mule, through Turkey Creek bottoms, when
they were shot by the Indians. The wagon and harness were left in the
road, and the mule was found dead in the road two hundred yards from
that place. Evidently the Indians had not much use for him. The guns of
the prospectors were found later, but the horse they drove was not
recovered.
In none of the above-named instances were the bodies of the victims
mutilated. However, there are many recorded instances in which the
Apache Indians did mutilate the bodies of their victims, but it is
claimed by Geronimo that these were outlawed Indians, as his regular
warriors were instructed to scalp none except those killed in battle,
and to torture none except to make them reveal desired information.
In 1884 two cowboys in the employment of the Sansimone Cattle Company
were camped at Willow Springs, eighteen miles southwest of Skeleton
Cañon, and not far from Old Mexico. Just at sundown their camp was
surrounded by Apaches in war paint, who said that they had been at war
with the Mexicans and wished to return to the United States. There were
about seventy-five Indians in the whole tribe, the squaws and children
coming up later. They had with them about one hundred and fifty Mexican
horses. The Indians took possession of the camp and remained for about
ten days, getting their supplies of meat by killing cattle of the
company.
With this band of Indians was a white boy about fourteen years old, who
had evidently been with them from infancy, for he could not speak a word
of English, and did not understand much Spanish, but spoke the Apache
language readily.
They would allow but one of the cowboys to leave camp at a time, keeping
the other under guard. They had sentinels with spyglasses on all the
hills and peaks surrounding the camp.
One evening when one of the cowboys, William Berne, had been allowed to
pass out of the camp, he noticed an Indian dismounted and, as he
approached, discovered that the Indian had him under range of his rifle.
He immediately dismounted, and standing on the opposite side from the
redskin, threw his own Winchester across his horse's neck, when the
Indian sprang on his horse and galloped toward him at full speed,
making signs to him not to shoot, and when he approached him, dismounted
and pointing to the ground, showed Berne many fresh deer tracks. Then,
as an understanding had been established, the cowboy remounted and went
on his way, leaving the Apache to hunt the deer.
One day when this cowboy was about ten miles from camp, he found two
splendid horses of the Indians. These horses had strayed from the herd.
Thinking that they would in a way compensate for the cattle the Apaches
were eating, he drove them on for about five miles into a cañon where
there was plenty of grass and water and left them there, intending to
come back after the departure of the Indians and take possession of
them.
On the tenth day after the arrival of this band of Indians, United
States troops, accompanied by two Indians who had been sent to make the
arrangements, arrived in camp, paid for the cattle the Apaches had
eaten, took the Indians and their stock, and moved on toward Fort Bowie.
The cowboys immediately started for the cañon where the two horses had
been left, but had not gone far when they met two Indians driving these
horses in front of them as they pushed on to overtake the tribe.
[Illustration: APACHE MISSION
Valley of Medicine Creek, Fort Sill Military Reservation]
Evidently the shrewdness of the paleface had not outwitted the red man
that time.
Geronimo says he was in no wise connected with the events herein
mentioned, but refuses to state whether he knows anything about them. He
holds it unmanly to tell of any depredations of red men except those for
which he was responsible.
Such were the events transpiring in "Apache land" during the days when
Geronimo was leading his warriors to avenge the "wrongs" of his people.
This chapter will serve to show that the Apache had plenty of examples
of lawlessness furnished him, and also that he was a very apt scholar in
this school of savage lawlessness.