On the Border with Crook by John G Bourke

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Title: On the Border with Crook

Author: John G. Bourke

Release Date: July 18, 2021 [eBook #65863]

Language: English

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GENERAL GEORGE CROOK.

ON THE BORDER WITH CROOK

BY

JOHN G. BOURKE

CAPTAIN THIRD CAVALRY, U. S. A.

ILLUSTRATED

NEW YORK

CHARLES SCRIBNER’S SONS

1891

Copyright, 1891, by

CHARLES SCRIBNER’S SONS

Press of J. J. Little & Co.
Astor Place, New York

TO FRANCIS PARKMAN,

whose learned and graceful pen has illustrated the History, Traditions, Wonders and Resources of the Great West,
this volume,—descriptive of the trials and tribulations, hopes and fears of brave officers and enlisted men of the
regular Army, who did so much to conquer and develop the empire beyond the Missouri,—is affectionately
inscribed by his admirer and friend,

JOHN G. BOURKE.

Omaha, Nebraska,

August 12, 1891.

I

PREFACE.

There is an old saw in the army which teaches that you can never know a man until after having made a scout with him in

bad weather. All the good qualities and bad in the human makeup force their way to the surface under the stimulus of
privation and danger, and it not infrequently happens that the comrade who at the military post was most popular, by
reason of charm of manner and geniality, returns from this trial sadly lowered in the estimation of his fellows, and that he
who in the garrison was most retiring, self-composed, and least anxious to make a display of glittering uniform, has swept
all before him by the evidence he has given of fortitude, equanimity, courage, coolness, and good judgment under
circumstances of danger and distress. But, whether the maxim be true or false, it is hardly too much for me to claim a
hearing while I recall all that I know of a man with whom for more than fifteen years, it was my fortune to be intimately
associated in all the changing vicissitudes which constituted service on the “border” of yesterday, which has vanished never
to return.

It is not my purpose to write a biography of my late friend and commander—such a task I leave for others to whom it

may be more congenial; speaking for myself, I am compelled to say that it is always difficult for me to peruse biography of
any kind, especially military, and that which I do not care to read I do not care to ask others to read. In the present
volume, there will be found collected descriptions of the regions in which the major portion of General Crook’s Indian
work was carried on; the people, both red and white, with whom he was brought into contact; the difficulties with which he
had to contend, and the manner in which he overcame them; and a short sketch of the principles guiding him in his justly
famous intercourse with the various tribes—from British America to Mexico, from the Missouri River to the Pacific Ocean
—subjugated by him and afterwards placed under his charge.

A military service of nearly forty consecutive years—all of which, excepting the portion spent in the civil war, had been

face to face with the most difficult problems of the Indian question, and with the fiercest and most astute of all the tribes of
savages encountered by the Caucasian in his conquering advance across the continent—made General Crook in every
way worthy of the eulogy pronounced upon him by the grizzled old veteran, General William T. Sherman, upon hearing of
his death, that he was the greatest Indian-fighter and manager the army of the United States ever had.

In all the campaigns which made the name of George Crook a beacon of hope to the settler and a terror to the tribes in

hostility, as well as in all the efforts which he so successfully made for the elevation of the red man in the path of civilization
and which showed that Crook was not a brutal soldier with no instincts save those for slaughter, but possessed of
wonderful tenderness and commiseration for the vanquished as well as a most intelligent appreciation of the needs and
capabilities of the aborigines, I was by his side, a member of his military staff, and thus obtained an insight into the charms
and powers of a character which equalled that of any of the noble sons of whom our country is so justly proud.

v

vi

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER I.

PAGE

OLD CAMP GRANT ON THE RIO SAN PEDRO—DAILY ROUTINE OF LIFE—

ARCHITECTURE OF THE GILA—SOLDIERS AS LABORERS—THE MESCAL AND ITS
USES—DRINK AND GAMBLING—RATTLESNAKE BITES AND THE GOLONDRINA
WEED—SODA LAKE AND THE DEATH VALLEY—FELMER AND HIS RANCH.

1

CHAPTER II.

STRANGE VISITORS—SOME APACHE CUSTOMS—MEXICAN CAPTIVES—SPEEDY

AND THE GHOST—THE ATTACK UPON KENNEDY AND ISRAEL’S TRAIN—
FINDING THE BODIES—THE DEAD APACHE—A FRONTIER BURIAL—HOW
LIEUTENANT YEATON RECEIVED HIS DEATH WOUND—ON THE TRAIL WITH
LIEUTENANT CUSHING—REVENGE IS SWEET.

17

CHAPTER III.

THE RETURN TO CAMP GRANT—LANCED TO DEATH BY APACHES—THE KILLING

OF MILLER AND TAPPAN—COMPANY QUARTERS—APACHE CAPTIVES—THE
CLOUD-BURST—APACHE CORN-FIELDS—MEETING COLONEL SANFORD—
ENTRAPPED IN AN APACHE AMBUSCADE—AN OLD-TIMER’S REMINISCENCES
OF TUCSON—FUNERAL CROSSES ON THE ROADSIDE—PADRE EUSEBIO KINO—
FIRST VIEW OF TUCSON—THE “SHOO FLY” RESTAURANT.

34

CHAPTER IV.

SOME OF THE FRIENDS MET IN OLD TUCSON—JACK LONG—HIS DIVORCE—

MARSHAL DUFFIELD AND “WACO BILL”—“THEM ’ERE’S MEE VISITIN’ KEE-
YARD”—JUDGE TITUS AND CHARLES O. BROWN—HOW DUFFIELD WAS KILLED
—UNCLE BILLY N—— AND HIS THREE GLASS EYES—AL. GARRETT—DOCTOR
SEMIG AND LIEUTENANT SHERWOOD—DON ESTEVAN OCHOA—BISHOP
SALPOINTE—PETE KITCHEN AND HIS RANCH.

66

CHAPTER V.

THE DIVERSIONS OF TUCSON—THE GAMBLING SALOONS—BOB CRANDALL AND

HIS DIAMOND—“SLAP-JACK BILLY”—TIGHT-ROPE WALKERS—THE THEATRE—
THE DUEÑAS—BAILES—THE NEWSPAPERS—STAGE-DRIVERS.

80

CHAPTER VI.

TUCSON INCIDENTS—THE “FIESTAS”—THE RUINED MISSION CHURCH OF SAN

XAVIER DEL BAC—GOVERNOR SAFFORD—ARIZONA MINES—APACHE RAIDS—
CAMP GRANT MASSACRE—THE KILLING OF LIEUTENANT CUSHING.

96

CHAPTER VII.

vii

viii

GENERAL CROOK AND THE APACHES—CROOK’S PERSONAL APPEARANCE AND

CHARACTERISTICS—POINTS IN THE HISTORY OF THE APACHES—THEIR SKILL
IN WAR—FOODS AND MODES OF COOKING—MEDICINE MEN—THEIR POWER
AND INFLUENCE.

108

CHAPTER VIII.

CROOK’S FIRST MOVEMENTS AGAINST THE APACHES—THE SCOUTS—MIRAGES

—THE FLORAL WEALTH OF ARIZONA—RUNNING IN UPON THE HOSTILE
APACHES—AN ADVENTURE WITH BEARS—CROOK’S TALK WITH THE APACHES
—THE GREAT MOGOLLON PLATEAU—THE TONTO BASIN—MONTEZUMA’S
WELL—CLIFF DWELLINGS—THE PACK TRAINS.

136

CHAPTER IX.

THE PICTURESQUE TOWN OF PRESCOTT—THE APACHES ACTIVE NEAR PRESCOTT

—“TOMMY” BYRNE AND THE HUALPAIS—THIEVING INDIAN AGENTS—THE
MOJAVES, PI-UTES AND AVA-SUPAIS—THE TRAVELS OF FATHERS ESCALANTE
AND GARCES—THE GODS OF THE HUALPAIS—THE LORING MASSACRE—HOW
PHIL DWYER DIED AND WAS BURIED—THE INDIAN MURDERERS AT CAMP DATE
CREEK PLAN TO KILL CROOK—MASON JUMPS THE RENEGADES AT THE
“MUCHOS CAÑONES”—DELT-CHE AND CHA-LIPUN GIVE TROUBLE—THE
KILLING OF BOB WHITNEY.

158

CHAPTER X.

CROOK BEGINS HIS CAMPAIGN—THE WINTER MARCH ACROSS THE MOGOLLON

PLATEAU—THE GREAT PINE BELT—BOBBY-DOKLINNY, THE MEDICINE MAN—
COOLEY AND HIS APACHE WIFE—THE APACHE CHIEF ESQUINOS-QUIZN—THE
APACHE GUIDE NANAAJE—THE FEAST OF DEAD-MULE MEAT—THE FIGHT IN
THE CAVE IN THE SALT RIVER CAÑON—THE DEATH-CHANT—THE CHARGE—
THE DYING MEDICINE MAN—THE SCENE IN THE CAVE.

176

CHAPTER XI.

THE CAMPAIGN RESUMED—EFFICIENCY OF APACHE SCOUTS—JACK LONG

BREAKS DOWN—A BAND OF APACHES SURRENDER IN THE MOUNTAINS—THE
EPIZOOTIC—THE TAYLOR MASSACRE AND ITS AVENGING—THE ARIZONA ROLL
OF HONOR, OFFICERS, MEN, SURGEONS, SCOUTS, GUIDES, AND PACKERS—THE
STRANGE RUIN IN THE VERDE VALLEY—DEATH OF PRESILIANO MONJE—THE
APACHES SURRENDER UNCONDITIONALLY TO CROOK AT CAMP VERDE.

202

CHAPTER XII.

THE PROBLEM OF CIVILIZING THE APACHES—THE WORK PERFORMED BY

MASON, SCHUYLER, RANDALL, RICE, AND BABCOCK—TUCSON RING
INFLUENCE AT WASHINGTON—THE WOUNDING OF LIEUTENANT CHARLES
KING—THE KILLING OF LIEUTENANT JACOB ALMY—THE SEVEN APACHE
HEADS LAID ON THE SAN CARLOS PARADE GROUND—CROOK’S CASH MARKET
FOR THE FRUITS OF APACHE INDUSTRY—HIS METHOD OF DEALING WITH
INDIANS.

215

CHAPTER XIII.

ix

THE CLOSING DAYS OF CROOK’S FIRST TOUR IN ARIZONA—VISIT TO THE MOQUI

VILLAGES—THE PAINTED DESERT—THE PETRIFIED FORESTS—THE GRAND
CAÑON—THE CATARACT CAÑON
—BUILDING THE TELEGRAPH LINE—THE

APACHES USING THE TELEGRAPH LINE—MAPPING ARIZONA—AN HONEST
INDIAN AGENT—THE CHIRICAHUA APACHE CHIEF, COCHEIS—THE “HANGING”
IN TUCSON—A FRONTIER DANIEL—CROOK’S DEPARTURE FROM ARIZONA—
DEATH VALLEY—THE FAIRY LAND OF LOS ANGELES—ARRIVAL AT OMAHA.

230

CHAPTER XIV.

THE DEPARTMENT OF THE PLATTE—THE BLACK HILLS DIFFICULTY—THE

ALLISON COMMISSION—CRAZY HORSE AND SITTING BULL—THE FIRST
WINTER CAMPAIGN—CLOTHING WORN BY THE TROOPS—THE START FOR THE
BIG HORN—FRANK GRUARD, LOUIS RICHAUD, BIG BAT, LOUIS CHANGRAU,
AND OTHER GUIDES.

241

CHAPTER XV.

MOVING INTO THE BIG HORN COUNTRY IN WINTER—THE HERD STAMPEDED—A

NIGHT ATTACK—“JEFF’S” OOZING COURAGE—THE GRAVE-YARD AT OLD FORT
RENO—IN A MONTANA BLIZZARD—THE MERCURY FROZEN IN THE BULB—
KILLING BUFFALO—INDIAN GRAVES—HOW CROOK LOOKED WHILE ON THIS
CAMPAIGN—FINDING A DEAD INDIAN’S ARM—INDIAN PICTURES.

256

CHAPTER XVI.

THE ATTACK UPON CRAZY HORSE’S VILLAGE—THE BLEAK NIGHT MARCH

ACROSS THE MOUNTAINS—EGAN’S CHARGE THROUGH THE VILLAGE—
STANTON AND MILLS AND SIBLEY TO THE RESCUE—THE BURNING LODGES—
MEN FROZEN—THE WEALTH OF THE VILLAGE—RETREATING TO LODGE POLE
CREEK—CROOK REJOINS US—CUTTING THE THROATS OF CAPTURED PONIES.

270

CHAPTER XVII.

THE SUMMER CAMPAIGN OF 1876—THE SIOUX AND CHEYENNES GETTING UGLY

—RAIDING THE SETTLEMENTS—ATTEMPT TO AMBUSCADE CROOK—KILLING
THE MAIL-RIDER—THE STORY OF THE FETTERMAN MASSACRE—LAKE DE SMET
—OUR FIRST THUNDERSTORM—A SOLDIER’S BURIAL—THE SIOUX ATTACK
OUR CAMP—TROUT-FISHING—BEAR-HUNTING—CALAMITY JANE—THE CROW
AND SHOSHONE ALLIES JOIN THE COMMAND—THE WAR DANCE AND
MEDICINE SONG.

283

CHAPTER XVIII.

THE COLUMN IN MOTION—RUNNING INTO A GREAT HERD OF BUFFALOES—THE

SIGNAL CRY OF THE SCOUTS—THE FIGHT ON THE ROSEBUD—HOW THE KILLED
WERE BURIED—SCALP DANCE—BUTCHERING A CHEYENNE—LIEUTENANT
SCHUYLER ARRIVES—SENDING BACK THE WOUNDED.

307

CHAPTER XIX.

x

KILLING DULL CARE IN CAMP—EXPLORING THE SNOW-CRESTED BIG HORN

MOUNTAINS—FINERTY KILLS HIS FIRST BUFFALO—THE SWIMMING POOLS—A
BIG TROUT—SIBLEY’S SCOUT—A NARROW ESCAPE—NEWS OF THE CUSTER
MASSACRE—THE SIOUX TRY TO BURN US OUT—THE THREE MESSENGERS
FROM TERRY—WASHAKIE DRILLS HIS SHOSHONES—KELLY THE COURIER
STARTS TO FIND TERRY—CROW INDIANS BEARING DESPATCHES—THE SIGN-
LANGUAGE—A PONY RACE—INDIAN SERENADES—HOW THE SHOSHONES
FISHED—A FIRE IN CAMP—THE UTES JOIN US.

323

CHAPTER XX.

THE JUNCTION WITH MERRITT AND THE MARCH TO MEET TERRY—THE COUNTRY

ON FIRE—MERRITT AND HIS COMMAND—MR. “GRAPHIC”—STANTON AND HIS
“IRREGULARS”—“UTE JOHN”—THE SITE OF THE HOSTILE CAMP—A SIOUX
CEMETERY—MEETING TERRY’S COMMAND—FINDING TWO SKELETONS—IN
THE BAD LANDS—LANCING RATTLESNAKES—BATHING IN THE YELLOWSTONE
—MACKINAW BOATS AND “BULL” BOATS—THE REES HAVE A PONY DANCE—
SOME TERRIBLE STORMS—LIEUTENANT WILLIAM P. CLARKE.

344

CHAPTER XXI.

CROOK AND TERRY SEPARATE—THE PICTURESQUE LITTLE MISSOURI—THE

“HORSE MEAT MARCH” FROM THE HEAD OF THE HEART RIVER TO DEADWOOD
—ON
THE
SIOUX
TRAIL—MAKING
COFFEE
UNDER
DIFFICULTIES—

SLAUGHTERING WORN-OUT CAVALRY HORSES FOR FOOD—THE FIGHT AT SLIM
BUTTES—LIEUTENANT VON LEUTTEWITZ LOSES A LEG—THE DYING CHIEF,
AMERICAN HORSE, SURRENDERS—RELICS OF THE CUSTER MASSACRE—CRAZY
HORSE ATTACKS OUR LINES—SUNSHINE AND RATIONS.

362

CHAPTER XXII.

TO AND THROUGH THE BLACK HILLS—HOW DEADWOOD LOOKED IN 1876—THE

DEADWOOD “ACADEMY OF MUSIC”—THE SECOND WINTER CAMPAIGN—THE
NAMES OF THE INDIAN SCOUTS—WIPING OUT THE CHEYENNE VILLAGE—
LIEUTENANT MCKINNEY KILLED—FOURTEEN CHEYENNE BABIES FROZEN TO
DEATH IN THEIR MOTHERS’ ARMS—THE CUSTER MASSACRE AGAIN—THE
TERRIBLE EXPERIENCE OF RANDALL AND THE CROW SCOUTS.

381

CHAPTER XXIII.

STRANGE
MESS-MATES—THE
JOURNEY
TO
THE
AGENCIES—GENERAL

SHERIDAN’S VISIT—SPOTTED TAIL—THE STORY OF HIS DEAD DAUGHTER’S
BONES—WHITE THUNDER—RED CLOUD—DULL KNIFE—BIG WOLF—THE
NECKLACE OF HUMAN FINGERS—THE MEDICINE MAN AND THE ELECTRIC
BATTERY—WASHINGTON—FRIDAY—INDIAN BROTHERS—SORREL HORSE—
THREE BEARS—YOUNG MAN AFRAID OF HIS HORSES—ROCKY BEAR—RED
CLOUD’S LETTER—INDIAN DANCES—THE BAD LANDS—HOW THE CHEYENNES
FIRST GOT HORSES.

397

CHAPTER XXIV.

xi

THE SURRENDER OF CRAZY HORSE—SELLING AMMUNITION TO HOSTILE

INDIANS—PLUNDERING UNARMED, PEACEABLE INDIANS—SUPPER WITH
CRAZY HORSE—CHARACTER OF THIS CHIEF—HIS BRAVERY AND GENEROSITY
—THE STORY OF THE CUSTER MASSACRE AS TOLD BY HORNY HORSE—
LIEUTENANT REILLY’S RING—THE DEATH OF CRAZY HORSE—LITTLE BIG MAN.

412

CHAPTER XXV.

THE MANAGEMENT OF THE INDIAN AGENCIES—AGENT MACGILLICUDDY’S

WONDERFUL WORK—CROOK’S REMAINING DAYS IN THE DEPARTMENT OF
THE PLATTE—THE BANNOCK, UTE, NEZ PERCÉ, AND CHEYENNE OUTBREAKS—
THE KILLING OF MAJOR THORNBURGH AND CAPTAIN WEIR—MERRITT’S
FAMOUS MARCH AGAINST TIME—HOW THE DEAD CAME TO LIFE AND WALKED
—THE CASE OF THE PONCAS—CROOK’S HUNTS AND EXPLORATIONS; NEARLY
FROZEN TO DEATH IN A BLIZZARD—A NARROW ESCAPE FROM AN ANGRY SHE-
BEAR—CATCHING NEBRASKA HORSE-THIEVES—“DOC” MIDDLETON’S GANG.

424

CHAPTER XXVI.

CROOK RE-ASSIGNED TO THE DEPARTMENT OF ARIZONA—ALL THE APACHES ON

THE WAR-PATH—LIEUTENANTS MORGAN AND CONVERSE WOUNDED—
CAPTAIN HENTIG KILLED—CROOK GOES ALONE TO SEE THE HOSTILES—
CONFERENCES WITH THE APACHES—WHAT THE ARIZONA GRAND JURY SAID
OF AN INDIAN AGENT—CONDITION OF AFFAIRS AT THE SAN CARLOS AGENCY
—WHISKEY SOLD TO THE CHIRICAHUA APACHES—APACHE TRIALS BY JURY—
ARIZONA IN 1882—PHŒNIX, PRESCOTT, AND TUCSON—INDIAN SCHOOLS.

433

CHAPTER XXVII.

THE SIERRA MADRE CAMPAIGN AND THE CHIRICAHUAS—CHATO’S RAID—

CROOK’S EXPEDITION OF FORTY-SIX WHITE MEN AND ONE HUNDRED AND
NINETY-THREE INDIAN SCOUTS—THE SURPRISE OF THE APACHE STRONGHOLD
—THE “TOMBSTONE TOUGHS”—THE MANAGEMENT OF THE CHIRICAHUAS—
HOW INDIANS WILL WORK IF ENCOURAGED—GIVING THE FRANCHISE TO
INDIANS; CROOK’S VIEWS—THE CRAWFORD COURT OF INQUIRY—KA-E-TEN-
NA’S ARREST ORDERED BY MAJOR BARBER —TROUBLE ARISES BETWEEN THE
WAR AND INTERIOR DEPARTMENTS—CROOK ASKS TO BE RELIEVED FROM THE
RESPONSIBILITY FOR INDIAN AFFAIRS—SOME OF THE CHIRICAHUAS RETURN
TO THE WAR-PATH.

452

CHAPTER XXVIII.

THE CAMPAIGN AGAINST GERONIMO—THE CROPS RAISED BY THE APACHES—

THE PURSUIT OF THE HOSTILES—THE HARD WORK OF THE TROOPS—EFFICIENT
AND FAITHFUL SERVICE OF THE CHIRICAHUA SCOUTS—WAR DANCES AND
SPIRIT DANCES—CAPTAIN CRAWFORD KILLED—A VISIT TO THE HOSTILE
STRONGHOLD—A “NERVY” PHOTOGRAPHER—A WHITE BOY CAPTIVE AMONG
THE APACHES—ALCHISE’S AND KA-E-TEN-NA’S GOOD WORK—GERONIMO
SURRENDERS TO CROOK.

465

CHAPTER XXIX.

xii

THE EFFECTS OF BAD WHISKEY UPON SAVAGE INDIANS—THE WRETCH

TRIBOLLET—SOME OF THE CHIRICAHUAS SLIP AWAY FROM MAUS DURING A
RAINY NIGHT—THE BURIAL OF CAPTAIN CRAWFORD—CROOK’S TERMS
DISAPPROVED IN WASHINGTON—CROOK ASKS TO BE RELIEVED FROM
COMMAND IN ARIZONA—GERONIMO INDUCED TO COME IN BY THE
CHIRICAHUA AMBASSADORS, KI-E-TA AND MARTINEZ—TREACHERY SHOWN
IN THE TREATMENT OF THE WELL-BEHAVED MEMBERS OF THE CHIRICAHUA
APACHE BAND.

480

CHAPTER XXX.

CROOK’S CLOSING YEARS—HE AVERTS A WAR WITH THE UTES—A MEMBER OF

THE COMMISSION WHICH SECURED A CESSION OF ELEVEN MILLIONS OF
ACRES FROM THE SIOUX—HIS INTEREST IN GAME LAWS—HIS DEATH—WHAT
THE APACHES DID—WHAT RED CLOUD SAID—HIS FUNERAL IN CHICAGO—
BURIAL IN OAKLAND, MARYLAND—RE-INTERMENT IN ARLINGTON CEMETERY,
VIRGINIA.

486

xiii

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.

General George Crook
Frontispiece

An Apache Rancheria
Face page 48

Spotted Tail
96

Sharp Nose
192

General Crook and the Friendly Apache, Alchise
240

Chato
304

Conference between General Crook and Geronimo
416

GRAVE OF CRAZY HORSE—“THE EBB-TIDE OF OUR INDIAN WARS.”

xiv

ON THE BORDER WITH CROOK
1