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Show 66 REPORT OF THE BOARD OF INDIAN COMMISSIONERS. prove satisfactory. Upon this the squaws went out and reported to the chiefs of several small bands, who came in under flag of truce with their people. The three who came in first were as follows : Es- khn- en- zee, Chiquita Capitan, aud Santo. Upon arrival of these chiefs, a conference was held, at which conference I was present, as also those subsequent, up to the llth of April. Many of the Indians of the three bands were also present, but the chief of each band was the representative for his people, express-ing their wishes for them. I am unable to quote the precise language of the chiefs, but the purport of their words was as follows, viz : That they were tired of war with the whites, and wished permanent peace ; that this section oi' the country, stretching along the Aravapa Creek from the Rio San Pedro to the Aravapa or Galinra Mountains, they had always considered as their homes, aud that they wished now to come in and be allowed to plant in the valley of the Aravapa Creek ; also that they might be supplied with farming utensils and the necessary provisions to sustain life until they could raise crops. After hearing their propositions, Lieutenant Whitman informed them that he thought their requests would be granted, but that he had no authority to establish a reservation for them and make permanent peace without the approval of higher authority, telling them he would report without, delay for instruc-tions from the department commander, and, until he received further instructions, would furnish them with what provisions he was allowed to issue, viz, one pound of beef and one pound of corn or flour per day to each Indian. They expressed themselves satisfied with this, but stated that it would be necessary for them to go out occasionally a short distance from the post, on the side- slopes of the adjacent mountains, for the purpose of gathering mescal, as they considered it a necessary article of their diet, and were told by Lieutenant Whitman that this permission would be granted when con-sidered necessary. At this period it was supposed that the department commander, Colonel George Stoneman, Twenty- first Infantry, would soon be at the post, and the Indians expressed themselves very anxious to see him as soon as possible, that they might get authority to commence planting. Lieutenant Whitman immediately reported the matter by letter bearing date February 24, 1871, and his second, February 28, 1871. Of these letters I understand you are to receive official copies, so that it is unnecessary for me to mention them, except to refer to that dated February 28. This latter was written in considerable haste, and, to expedite matters as much as possible, a special messenger was sent to accompany the mail to Florence settlement, on the Gila, with instructions to procure a horse there and carry the letter to Sacaton, the first mail-station on the regular line betAveen Tucson and department headquarters, the latter then being at Drum Barracks, California. In the haste of preparing this letter, the proper briefing, as required on the outer fold, was unintentionally neglected, and this tact served to delay the instructions which Lieutenant Whitman required, as the letter came back in about the usual time necessary for a communication to pass to and from. Drum Barracks, with an indorsement calling attention to the neglected briefing, but giving no instructions in regard to the Indians. During this period nothing had oc-curred at the post to cause any one to doubt the sincerity of the Indians. At all times they behaved themselves in a perfectly orderly manner, and obeyed implicitly the orders of the post commander. They had requested, upon their arrival, to be given a camping- ground, and had been placed inside the reservation on the Aravapa, about one mile from the post; however, as the water in the Aravapa soon disappeared, it was necessary for them to follow the stream up, and for this reason they were allowed to change their camp several times, until finally they established it, when the so- called Camp Grant massacre took place on the 30th of April last. Whether or not this latter camp was inside the military reservations of this post I consider as of little importance, for, at all events, the Indians were allowed by the post commander to establish it there, and he in my presence had told them repeatedly that, so long as they behaved them-selves properly, and remained subject to his orders, they should and would be protected; and, in referring to the life which' they were now leading as compared with that which they had led, he told them they could sleep at night in their camp in as perfect security as could we, the officers of the garrison, inside our quarters. They were allowed, at this time, to sell hay to the Government at the contract price, aud, with the proceeds of such sale, were able to clothe themselves very decently. Repeatedly they expressed them-selves contented, but often asked when the department commander would come, and when they would be allowed to plant. Discontent appearing to prevail with a portion of the people of Southern Arizona, and certain articles of censure appearing in one or . two of the journals at this time, Lieutenant Whitman was very particular to warn all of the Indians that in no manner should they lay themselves liable to suspicion, telling them that if ever one or two of them should go out and engage in hostilities, all would sutf'er the consequences. They were made to understand that, by making peace with the military at this post, they had made peace with the citizens of the Territory as well, and with us, as with them they was no distinction of tribes. They were also told, and made to understai. d, that they would not b( 5 permitted to depredate in Sonora, and expressed themselves as anxious for peace with all. You have asked me, sir, to state to the best of niy knowledge the general character |
