OCR Text |
Show REPORT OF THE BOARD OF INDIAN COMMISSIONERS. 51 over a distance of a quarter of a mile. We hope to see some of the Tontos here to- i light. Two companies of Third United States Cavalry, being part of Colonel Henry's and General Crook's command, are camped below here under waiting orders. 1 inclose copy of my official letter to General Dudley asking for detachment of sol-diers to open communications with the Tonto Apaches, and his reply thereto. ( A &, No. 22.) V. C. " CAMP MCDOWELL, ARIZONA TERRITORY, " September 27, 187111 p. m. " The party with the flag of truce, sent out at my request, by General Dudley, to try to open communications with the Tonto Apaches, returned this afternoon, having been only partially successful, as you will see by the report inclosed, ( marked A 6, No. 21) from Major Curtis. He had seen several Indians on the hills, exchanged friendly sig-nals with them, and alter spending a day immediately surrounded by them, had sepa-rated from them without any indications of ill- will, or molestation. It is very difficult to obtain their confidence so soon after they have been pursued by the soldiers, and as I am now dealing with another band of Apaches, different in their habits, and living quite apart from the Finals, Coyoteros, Aravapa, and the other bands with whom I so recently have held friendly intercourse. I am not in the least discouraged at Major Curtis not having brought in any of the tribe. As you will see by his report he is quite sanguine that they will come in soon. " In the event that they should come in I have provided that General Dudley, com-mandant of McDowell, should feed, protect, and otherwise care for them at this post, until such time as he may have a sufficient number, when he can remove them to Camp Grant. Meanwhile,* in order that they may be thus looked after, I was com-pelled to declare this military reservation, five miles square, a temporary Indian reser-vation, which I did with the advice of the military officers at this place. ( See Appendix A &, No. 22.) As soon as we can see how many of them come in, and learn their wishes as to a locality for their home, I have arranged with General Dudley that he should com-municate with the Department, and it can order their removal. For the present, I am only anxious to keep them in from the " war- path," and to get them to look upon the Government as their friend. Other things will follow. " That there may be no delay in this, and that every effort may be made to get them in, I requested Captain Thomas McGregor, who commands a detachment of troops in the iield, under marching orders ( temporarily suspended) from General Crook, to send out another flag of truce in another direction to the Tout, country. ( See Appen-dix A 1), No. 23.) " Although copies of your instructions of July 21, and order of War Department July 18 and 31, written at the suggestion of the President, Avere forwarded to General Crook from Camp Apache, September 7, and have been received there, and an express messenger arrived here from there yesterday, yet no copies were forwarded to the offi-cers here. They are much troubled about it and have written to the general. Fortu-nately it has made no difference in my progress, as I have gone right on with the work, and the officers here as well as at Cam}) Grant and Apache have not hesitated to carry out those orders. I mention it only that you may fully comprehend the situation. Probably General Crook's movements have disarranged his mail. " Altogether, I feel greatly encouraged and am confident that in Arizona, and among the Apaches, the President's policy of peace will be as successful as it has been in all other portions of the Indian country. " I leave for Camp Verde ( D. V.) to- morrow." V. C. Since rny return to Washington I have received the following report of the coming in of the Tonto Apaches to Camp McDowell, Arizona Territory : " CAMP MCDOWELL, ARIZONA TERRITORY, " November 2, 1871. " SIR : As you will remember, just before you left McDowell I sent Major Curtis out with a white Hag to old Fort Reno ; he was at the time unsuccessful in his attempt to open communication with them notwithstanding ho, saw several Indians in the bluffs and hills near him, none of whom showed any hostile demonstrations. He left his flag iu the old ruin of a chimney of the stockade, returning to McDowell. This expedition had its good results, as events since have proved. The Tontos saw the soldiers with an emblem of peace. It was a strange sight. Days passed and no Apaches visited the post; signal iires were constantly kept burning during the night at the garrison for some time. At last a party of four came in. I received them warmly, took them to my quarters, and had a long talk with the principal man among them, ' Oue- Eyed Riley.' He had been twice in at McDowell two or three years since, and was recognized by Lieutenant Grant, who had I think met him at Reno. He said the Tontos wanted |