No. 450.
Mr. Hunter
to Mr. Foster.
Department
of State,
Washington, October 1,
1879.
No. 682.]
Sir: The consul of the United States at Chihuahua
having, in a dispatch written in July last, stated that Indians from the
reservations of Arizona and New Mexico were in the habit of making predatory
raids into the State of Chihuahua, carrying off much stock, and murdering
citizens of Mexico, the Secretaries of the War and Interior Departments were
addressed upon the subject. In reply, a letter has been received from the
former, accompanied by a report from the commanding officer of the
Department of Missouri, copies of which are herewith inclosed for your
information. Embodied in the report of the Commanding General of the
Department of the Missouri is a communication of Colonel Hatch, Ninth
Cavalry, from which it appears that not only are the people of Mexico
occasionally afflicted by incursions of roving bands of Indians from the
United States, but that this country likewise suffers from the raids of
Indians domiciled in the States of Chihuahua and Sonora, who have taken up
their abode there from the United States, and Colonel Hatch suggests that
the Mexican authorities should co-operate with the officers of the United
States Army in returning these Indians to their proper reservations.
You are Instructed to take an early opportunity to urge upon the Government
of Mexico the propriety of co-operating with the military forces of the
United States in suppressing Indian raids upon the border, and returning to
their proper jurisdictions Indians who may have strayed from the territory
of one nation into that of the other, especially those referred to in the
letter of Colonel Hatch, now sojourning in the States of Chihuahua and
Sonora.
I am, &c.,
W. HUNTER,
Acting
Secretary.
[Inclosure 1 in No. 682.]
Mr. McCrary to Mr.
Evarts.
War
Department,
Washington
City, September 22,
1879.
Sir: Acknowledging the receipt of your letter
of the 13th ultimo, transmitting copy of dispatch, from the United
States consul at Chihuahua, relative to raids into
[Page 709]
Mexico by Indians from Arizona and New
Mexico, I have the honor in reply to inform you that the statement as
requested has been made the subject of an investigation, and to invite
your attention to the inclosed copy of report from Commanding General,
Department of the Missouri, and accompanying papers, in relation
thereto.
I have, &c.,
GEO. W. McCRARY,
Secretary of
War.
[Inclosure 2 in No. 682.]
General Pope to
Colonel Whipple.
Headquarters Department of the Missouri,
Fort Leavenworth, Kans.,
September 4, 1879.
Col. W. D. Whipple,
Assistant Adjutant-General, Chicago, Ill.:
Colonel: I have the honor to acknowledge the
receipt by reference from your office of copy of a letter from the
Secretary of State to the Secretary of War with indorsements thereon,
relative to alleged raids of reservation Indians in New Mexico and
Arizona into Mexico.
If the military authorities had charge of these reservations and control
of the Indians on them, this reference of the subject-matter of these
complaints would be quite just, and would properly be considered a
severe reproach to the military, but it is certainly not unknown to the
Secretary of State that Indian reservations and the Indians upon them
are in no manner under the control nor subject to the supervision of the
military authorities, and that unless the Indian agents in charge of
such Indians and their reservations choose to inform the military
officers of the absence or presence of their Indians, or of any purposes
they have in view, the military officials are wholly without information
until they hear of Indian raids and depredations from the parties
injured, and at points far distant from their posts.
The reservation of the Mescalero Apaches (the only Indians in this
department subject to this complaint) is 30 or 40 miles distant from
Fort Stanton, the nearest military post, the garrison of which, under
the orders of the President, has been occupied, for many months in
aiding the governor of the Territory to suppress disorders, amounting to
practical anarchy in several of the counties of that Territory adjacent
to this post.
Even, however, if no such duty had been imposed upon it, the garrison is
of necessity a small one, and being prohibited from demanding any
information of the condition of affairs on the Indian reservations; of
the passes and permits given by the agents; of the presence or absence
of the Indians under such authority; of the arms and ammunition
furnished them; of the amount or sufficiency of food given them; indeed,
of their necessities of any kind, it is hard and, I venture to say, not
entirely just, to hold the military responsible for the conduct of such
Indians so situated.
If the Army be given control of this reservation, security against raids
of any kind may be safely guaranteed. Under present circumstances this
is simply impossible, unless a line of sentinels be placed around this
great Indian reservation, with orders to permit no Indians to pass
outside with or without authority from the Indian agent, a process
manifestly impracticable with the small force of troops and the onerous
duties already imposed upon them, or in view of the orders and authority
of the military forces in the matter of Indian reservations.
The evils of this divided jurisdiction over Indians and Indian
reservations on the frontier have been sufficiently manifest for many
years, and great injury to the inhabitants of the whole frontier has
been largely occasioned thereby, which has been pointed out in official
communications almost as numerous as the outrages themselves.
The Indians and their reservations being exclusively under the control of
the Indian Department, it is not clearly understood why complaints
against them are not referred to the Indian Department, instead of the
War Department.
Everything that can be done has been and will be done by the military to
prevent these raids; but I would respectfully ask, what can be expected
of the military, who are prohibited from exacting any information
whatever of affairs on Indian reservations and from taking any
precautionary measures whatever to prevent such raids.
It is the practice in Texas to attribute every Indian raid into that
State to the few miserable Indians of the Mescalero reservation, and it
has been made a very convenient scapegoat for all the depredations not
prevented. It has been only recently (papers forwarded yesterday) that a
party of five Lipan Indians from Mexico were followed into this
reservation by a party of the Ninth Cavalry and one killed and the other
captured. It was immediately reported from Texas that this party of
Indians was
[Page 710]
from that
reservation and had been into Texas, whereas the Indians belong in
Mexico, and came from there through Texas, committing some depredations
on the way. They were followed so closely by the troops that they were
compelled to run into that reservation for safety. Nine-tenths of the
reports concerning this reservation have as little foundation as
this.
I will do, as indeed I have done, everything possible, considering the
very unfortunate and embarrassing relation the Indian reservations bear
to the military, to prevent such raids, and with the very insufficient
force in New Mexico I can do no more. If the Mescalero reservation and
the control of the Indians on it be turned over to the military
authorities I will put a stop to all raiding or any absence of the
Indian from his agency in very short order.
The letter of the Secretary of State above referred to will be sent at
once to the commanding officers in the section of the country concerned,
and every effort will be made to stop such raids if it be possible.
I would respectfully, however, here enter a protest against what I
conceive to be a grievous injustice to the Army, viz, the practice of
holding the military forces of the United States responsible in official
communications for the conduct or the movements of Indians over whom and
over whose reservations the military authorities have no more
jurisdiction nor even supervision than over the doings of the street
laborers of New York City.
In order that the subject, as it relates to the Mexican authorities may
be clearly understood, I inclose in this connection a report just
received from Colonel Hatch, commanding district of New Mexico.
Very respectfully, &c.,
JNO. POPE,
Brevet Major-General, U. S.
A., Commanding.
[Inclosure 3 in No. 682.]
Report of Colonel Hatch.
Headquarters District of New Mexico,
Santa Fé, N. Mex., August 14, 1879.
Sir: I have the honor to forward copy of
telegram from department commander of Arizona, requesting that the
Indians now on Mexican soil be returned to commanding officer of the
post most easily reached by Mexican authorities, or delivered to United
States troops at some point the Mexican Government may designate on the
frontier of New Mexico.
The band of Indians referred to are made up of renegade Indians from the
Warm Spring, Chiriquis, and White Mountain Indians, and have for some
years been domiciled in the States of Chihuahua and Sonora. They
repeatedly raid in New Mexico, Arizona, and Texas, and when closely
pursued by our troops take refuge in Mexico. If the troops were allowed
to follow them their capture or destruction would follow.
Concert of action with the Mexican troops at the time they are committing
depredations in New Mexico and escaping to the mountains of the State of
Chihuahua, would end in their destruction. At present no arrangement for
this end between the two countries, by concert of action, is probable,
and I am under the impression the suggestion contained in telegram
inclosed of General Willcox commanding department of Arizona, is the
proper way to dispose of these Indians. Prior to the survey marking the
boundaries of Mexico, the Apache Indian, looking upon the region on both
sides as his country, was the common enemy of all civilization of this
part of the continent. The country now being occupied by two nations has
given him the advantage of securing a home when pushed by one or the
other of the governments. John Ayers, referred to was long time Indian
agent of these Indians, and, therefore, could readily recognize
them.
The telegram is not distinct regarding L. H. Scott, American consul, but
presume he is a business partner of Macmanus, of Chihuahua. These
Indians were lately driven over the line by Major Morrow, commanding
Fort Bayard, who visited a town, in Mexico near the line, of which the
Mexican Government complained officially.
The Mexicans are sensitive regarding American troops following up hostile
Indians on their trail. Therefore I respectfully ask the Mexican
Government be requested to return these Indians as prisoners to United
States troops, when they can be turned over to their proper reservation
where the tribe is held.
Very respectfully, &c.,
EDWARD HATCH,
Colonel Ninth Cavalry,
Commanding.
[Page 711]
[Copy of telegram received.]
Headquarters Department of Arizona,
Prescott Barracks, August 9, 1879.
(Received at Santa Fé August 12, 10.30 a.m.)
General Hatch,
Commanding Department of New Mexico, Santa
Fé:
Following dispatch transmitted to you. General Willcox, now absent at San
Francisco, suggests that you make application direct through the United
States consul.
MARTIN,
Assistant
Adjutant-General.
“Camp
Thomas, August 9,
1879.
“Assistant
Adjutant-General,
Department Arizona,
Prescott:
“John Ayers, formerly agent of Gila Apaches, at Tularosa, N. Mex.,
has just returned from Chihuahua with a band of cattle for San
Cárlos, reports that he saw some Warm Spring Indians belonging to
Ahoo’s band at Casa Grande. Saw about 25. Was told there were about
80 in all.
“Believe Mexican authorities would be willing to arrest and turn
these Indians over to the United States officials, as they want them
out of the country, as they steal cattle and commit other
depredations.
“Additional particulars can be obtained from L. H. Scott, American
consul and of McManus, at Chihuahua. Ayers thinks these Indians will
cross the line and commit depredations upon our settlers residing in
Arizona and New Mexico.
[Indorsement.]
Headquarters Military Division, Missouri,
Chicago, September 8, 1879.
Respectfully forwarded to the adjutant-general of the army, inviting
attention to previous indorsements from these headquarters on papers
relating to this subject.
P. H. SHERIDAN,
Lieut. General,
Commanding.
