Memorandum of the recent escape of Loco’s band
of Chiricahua Indians from the San Carlos Reservation, Arizona,
and their pursuit into Mexico.
On the 17th of April last, Ju (the chief of the band of Chiricahuas
which broke out in September, 1881) returned secretly from Mexico
with some 60 of his band to the San Carlos Reservation, and
compelled the remainder of the Chiricahuas under Loco, consisting of
about 40 men and 300 women and children, to leave the
reservation.
They left on the night of April 18, 1882, killing the Indian chief of
police, Sterling, and the police sergeant.
They proceeded towards Fort Thomas, killing 10 men, women, and
children on Eagle Creek, and the murder of other citizens in the
same valley was reported.
Lieutenant-Colonel Schofield, Sixth Cavalry, with two troops of his
regiment from Fort Thomas, pursued the band, and part of the command
under Lieutenant Sands overtook the fugitives and pursued them for 3
miles, but, getting out of ammunition, returned.
On the 20th April, Captain Gordon, Sixth Cavalry, with 119 men
(including an Indian scout company) left Fort Grant to intercept the
band should they go out by Eagle Creek or Clifton.
The commanding officer District of New Mexico (Colonel Mackenzie)
having been advised of the trouble, Lieutenant-Colonel Forsyth with
four troops of the Fourth Cavalry, at Separ, N. Mex., were on the
alert to co-operate.
General McDowell ordered Harris’ troop of the First Cavalry to report
to General Willcox, and immediate steps were taken to use all the
troops in the Department of Arizona available.
On the 25th April, the General of the Army, then in San Francisco,
telegraphed suggesting that a regiment of infantry from Texas might
be ordered to report to Colonel Mackenzie to patrol the line of the
Southern Pacific Railroad so as to leave the troops in Arizona and
New Mexico free to take the field.
The General also instructed General McDowell that Loco’s band should
be attacked wherever found, without regard to relative numbers.
Alarming reports were received of the loss of life, &c., from the
depredation of the Chiricahuas, but many of the reports proved to be
considerably exaggerated.
On the 24th April, Lieutenant-Colonel Forsyth with his command found
the hostiles in an impregnable position in Stein’s Peak Range, New
Mexico, where he attacked and fought them, with a loss of five men
killed and five men wounded, killing two Indians and wounding a
number.
On the 26th April, General McDowell repeated a dispatch from General
Willcox stating that Captain Overton, Sixth Cavalry, reported the
Indians had killed many people along the Upper Gila, and that he was
pushing forward on trail of main body towards Doubtful Cañon, in
Stein’s Peak Range.
On the 26th, General Sheridan reported that Colonel Forsyth had a
force of about 500 men, Fourth Cavalry, and scouts, with him, and
that he and Captain Tupper with
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two troops Sixth Cavalry were close on trail
of the Indians. General Sheridan said he could send Third Cavalry at
any moment.
April 28th, General Willcox repeated by telegraph that the actual
outbreak could be handled with the force in the department, but that
as there were indications of fresh outbreaks reported, an additional
regiment of cavalry and one of infantry should be sent. He also on
the same day gave the strength of the troops in the Department of
Arizona as 613 cavalry and 487 infantry.
On the 28th April, Captain Tupper with troops G and M, Sixth Cavalry,
struck the Indians about 35 miles east of Cloverdale and had a
desperate fight with them, killing 12 or 15 Indians, including
Loco’s son, and capturing 70 head of stock. The fight lasted from
daybreak till noon. Captain Tupper lost one man killed and two
wounded.
Colonel Forsyth and Captain Tupper united, then continued the pursuit
of the Indians towards Mexico.
May 2d, General McDowell telegraphed that the governor of Arizona had
called upon General Willcox for protection for the settlements, and
that he therefore thought that General Willcox would need the
additional troops asked for.
The First Infantry and Third Cavalry were thereupon definitely
ordered to Arizona (General Orders of April 29 and May 1, from
Division of Missouri), and the Seventh Infantry in Department of
Dakota was ordered to be held in readiness.
May 3, 1882, General Sheridan telegraphed that 13 Indians were killed
in Captain Tupper’s fight; that the Indians had crossed into Mexico,
and that Colonel Garcia with a column of Mexican troops had attacked
the Indians, killing 78 and capturing 33. Colonel Forsyth returned
to Separ, N. Mex., from the pursuit of the Indians on the 4th of
May, having kept up the pursuit of Loco’s band until he received
reliable intelligence of the practical annihilation by the Mexican
troops under Garcia.
Colonel Forsyth reported the number of Indians killed from April 25
to 29 as 98 (including the 78 killed by the Mexicans).
June 3, General Sheridan telegraphed that a dispatch from General
Fuero (commanding the Mexican forces in Chihuahua) to General Pope,
informed him that Ju’s band of Apaches were defeated by the Mexican
forces at Bosque de Santiago May 25, with loss of 37 Indians killed
and 10 captured, and this, with the losses of Loco’s band in
previous fights, practically finishes up the renegades from San
Carlos.
June 5, General McDowell telegraphed that it was reported that
various small parties of Indians were in the Whitestone, Dragoon,
Huachuca, and Chiricahua Mountains, and that troops from Forts
Huachuca, Bowie, and Camp Price have been hunting them, while the
San Pedro Valley and crossing of the Gila towards the San Carlos
Reservation were guarded by troops from Forts Grant and Thomas.
No further disturbances at the San Carlos Reservation have been
reported.
Upon the arrival of the First Infantry and Third Cavalry, they were
distributed to the most exposed posts in Arizona.
On the 2d May (in response to a House resolution) the aggregate
number of troops available in the Department of Arizona, after the
arrival of the First Infantry and Third Cavalry, was stated to be
2,377 (approximate).
GEO. D. RUGGLES,
Acting
Adjutant-General.
Adjutant-General’s
Office, July 5, 1882.
