History Apachescouts

ApacheApacheApache ScoutsScoutsScouts A GUIDE TO STUDYING HISTORY AT FORT HUACHUCA General Crook aboard his mule, White Mountain scout Alchesay on the right, and an unknown Apache scout on the left. Taken in Apache Pass near Fort Bowie. U.S. Army photo. he American Army had used in operations against these Indians, Scouts in the U.S. Army. By the time Indians as guides ever since its unless Indian scouts were used. These of the 1885-6 Geronimo campaigns, inception, but they were em- Chiricahua scouts...were of more that number had dropped to 200. T value in hunting down and compel- ployed as civilians. It was not until First Lieutenant Augustin Gabriel an Act of Congress in July 1866 that ling the surrender of the renegades Tassin was a commander of Indian Indians were actually enlisted and be- than all other troops...combined. The Scouts at Huachuca in 1879. He had came an official unit of the U.S. use of Indian scouts was dictated by led a company of White Mountain Army. Brig. Gen. George Crook the soundest of military policy.” Apaches on a scout with the unlikely made extensive use of Apache scouts Apache Scout companies were dual mission of finding the renegade in Arizona territory to track down made up of twenty-five Indians with chief Juh, while at the same time pre- Apache renegades. Crook would a white officer in command and of- paring an illustrated report for the emphasize their worth in his official ten direction was given by a civilian Smithsonian on the flora and fauna report: “I cannot too strongly assert chief of scouts. In 1877 and 1878 of Arizona. Later he wrote about the that there has never been any success there were as many as 600 Indian qualities and methods of Apache 2 Call (520) 533-3638, DSN 821-3638, FAX (520) 533-5736. APACHE SCOUTS scouts on the trail. so that I was afraid of them myself. being packed and ready for the start, ...I marched, knee-deep in the * * * the chief of scouts gives a short, jerky Gila sands, ...to Camp Thomas, On a trail, hot or cold, the scouts order, ...”Get,” and the Apaches start thirty-five miles above the agency, go first in single file, Indian fashion, as if shot from a gun, rapidly cover- presented each man [scout] with a followed by the rest of the com- ing the ground in a rough, shambling Springfield rifle of the latest pattern mand.... gait, which in the long run abolishes and forty rounds of ammunition on Generally, however, the distance in a manner wonderful to behalf of the United States, and put Apaches march with no semblance of behold. They go by twos, by threes, the whole concern into military regularity; individual fancy alone gov- scattered by clumps and groups to uniform by purchasing twenty-five erns. To the trained soldier, accus- every point of the compass; but yards of coarse red flannel from the tomed to the tactics of civilized war- whether singly or in clusters, they post trader, which, being divided fare, the loose, straggling, war-path move onward indefatigably, with vi- among them, they wrapped turban- methods of the Apache scouts appear sion as keen as a hawk’s tread as untir- wise around their foreheads in such at first sight startling, if not contempt- ing and stealthy as a panther, and ears an artistic, business-like manner, ible; but he soon realized that a more so sensitive that nothing escapes that it transformed them with perfect eclaireur does not exist. them. almost miraculous rapidity from a On breaking up a bivouac to * * * set of rather mild-mannered cut- take up the march there is no falling- Each wore a loosely fitting shirt of throats into as hard-looking a set of in single or double ranks, no break- red, white, or gray stuff, generally of blood-thirsty scoundrels as probably ing of arms-stacks, roll-call, or other calico, in some gaudy figure, or the the world had ever seen, —so much delaying formalities. The last mule woolen one issued to white soldiers. Company “G,” White Mountain Apache Scouts. Photo taken about 1882. Apache Scouts enlisted for six months service. Signal Corps Photo 111-SC-85773. Write Fort Huachuca Museums; U.S. Army Intelligence Center and Fort Huachuca; ATTN: ATZS-PAM; Fort Huachuca, AZ 85613-6000. 3 A GUIDE TO STUDYING HISTORY AT FORT HUACHUCA This came down outside a pair of ground, while a companion traces In addition to his rifle the Indian loose cotton drawers, reaching to the with a sharp knife the outlines of the scout carries a canteen full of water, a moccasins, which last are the most sole of his foot upon a piece of raw- butcher knife, an awl in leather case, important articles of Apache apparel. hide. The legging is made of soft and a pair of tweezers; and a leather In a fight or on a long march they buckskin attached to the sole and belt holding forty rounds of metallic discard all else, but always retain the reaching to mid-thigh. For conve- ammunition encircles his waist. The moccasins. Before leaving [Fort] Tho- nience in marching it is allowed to awl is used for sewing moccasins or mas I had procured a lot of fresh raw- hang in folds below the knee. The work of that kind, and he uses the hides from the agency, and my scouts rawhide sole is prolonged beyond the tweezers to pick out each and every had been hard at work at the great toe, and turned upward in a hair appearing upon his face. shoemaking business. The Indian to shield, which protects from cactus Many among them carry, strapped be fitted stands erect upon the and sharp stones. at the waist, little buckskin bags of Apache Indian scouts at Huachuca in 1879. At the extreme left is sergeant Edward Murphy. Photo courtesy Mr. and Mrs. Leng. 4 Call (520) 533-3638, DSN 821-3638, FAX (520) 533-5736. APACHE SCOUTS Troop I, 4th Cavalry, with their Indian Scouts in the mouth of Bisbee Canyon, 1884. Sgt. Emil Pauly is standing on the right with stripes on arm. Photo courtesy Lt. Col. John H. Healy. had-dentin, or sacred meal, with emy or warding off arrows and bul- teen miles, at the end of which dis- which to offer morning and evening lets in the heat of action, —from tance, if water be encountered, and no sacrifice to the sun or other deity. which may be inferred that the idea enemy be sighted, they congregate in Others are provided with amulets of of a personal God is pre-eminent in bands of some ten or fifteen each, hide lightning-riven twigs, pieces of quartz Apache mythology, for each has one in some convenient ravine, sit down, crystal, petrified wood, concretionary personal to himself. smoke cigarettes, chat and joke, and sandstone, galena, or chalchihuitls, or The rate of speed attained by the stretch out in the sunlight, basking fetiches, representing some of their Apaches in marching is about an even like lizards. countless planetary gods of kan, four miles an hour on foot, or not * * * which are regarded as “dead medicine” quite fast enough to make a horse All the scouts paint their faces while for frustrating the designs of the en- trot. They keep this up for about fif- on the march with red ocker, deer’s Write Fort Huachuca Museums; U.S. Army Intelligence Center and Fort Huachuca; ATTN: ATZS-PAM; Fort Huachuca, AZ 85613-6000. 5 A GUIDE TO STUDYING HISTORY AT FORT HUACHUCA Indian Scouts at Fort Apache in March 1918. From left to right: Jess Billy, Alejo Quintero, Ka-Gethl, Ka-Gethl’s baby, and wife. Photo courtesy Lt. H. B. Wharfield, 10th Cavalry, Indian Scout Commander in 1918. blood, or the juice of roasted mescal, and with him in many instances grease of willow or cottonwood saplings; for the double purpose of protecting takes the place of clothing, for he others less fortunate, improvise do- them from the wind and sun, as well knows the necessity of an equality of miciles of branches covered with as distinctive ornamentation. The or- the activity of the skin and the calls grass, or of stones and boards covered namentation is a matter of taste and upon it, and why, when exposure is with gunny sacks. Before these are tribal obligation. The other part of very great, the pores should be de- finished, smoke curls gracefully to- the operation is one of necessity, for fended. wards the sky from crackling embers, it is a well known fact that dirt and When the command reaches camp, in front of which, transfixed on grease protect the skin against inclem- the scouts build in a trice all kinds of wooden spits, are the heads, hearts, ent weather. An Indian seldom washes rude shelter. Those that have the army and livers of the choddi (deer) killed unless he can grease himself afterwards; dog tents up them upon frameworks on the march. 6 Call (520) 533-3638, DSN 821-3638, FAX (520) 533-5736. APACHE SCOUTS * * * The stunted oak growing on moun- was always suspicious. There were ...My scouts were occupied in pre- tain slopes furnishes acorns; the Span- two women and three men who were paring their beds for the night. Grass ish bayonet a fruit that, when roasted, secret service agents for Lieutenant was pulled by handfuls, laid upon the looks and tastes something like the Davis. They were Western Apache. ground, and covered with one blan- banana.

Load more