b'THREE GREAT APACHE CHIEFS OF ARIZONA/NEW MEXICO TERRITORIESPART 4, VICTORIO CONTINUED By Bill Roberts Reprinted from The TravelerColonel Grierson was camped at the spring by Tinajas de Las Palmas in Texas with only six men when he learned Victorio was camped only ten miles from him. He hurriedly sent to Eagle Springs and Fort Quitman for reinforcements. The commanding officer at Fort Quitman misunderstood Griersons message. He thought the colonel merely wanted an escort back to the fort and sent only a lieutenant and 15 men to Grierson. W hen this meager contingent arrived, Griersondetachment for Indians and immediately sent another courier to the fort,opened re on the hard-pressed explaining that Victorio was but ten miles fromtroops who had kept Grierson him with his full force and demanding a full detachmentfrom being surrounded. Finley of troops be sent to engage the chief and his force. retreated toward Griersons position at the springs.Grierson waited in an exposed position far out in the desert. The morning of July 31st, he saw Victorios advanceThe Apaches charged after guard approaching. The colonel had his 20 troopers in asFinley, hoping to keep the strong a defensive position as possible, which the Apachesreinforcements confused and quickly noted. Instead of attacking in force, the Apachesprevent them from joining scattered all over the desert in an attempt to surround theGrierson while defending Finley. troopers and pick them off slowly. Viele realized his mistake and sent his force charging among Grierson sent Lieutenant Finely with ten men to head offthe rocks after the Apaches, the Apaches and keep the force from being surrounded.sending Victorios men into Finley attacked the Apaches, engaging them before theyquick retreat. There were now could close a circle around Grieson and the rest of thesome 100 troopers pitted against detachment. Vastly outnumbered, Finley managed toVictorios nearly 200. VictorioGuadalupe Mountainskeep the pressure on the Apaches for more than an hour,still had the advantage and could have carried the day buying time until the reinforcements could arrive fromexcept for the arrival of yet another company of troopsHe had no place to go but into Mexico, where he Fort Quitman.from Fort Quitman under Captain Nicholas Nolan. retreated on August 18th.Ooooops! The ensuing battle lasted four hours, until Victorio, nowThe Last Battle Suddenly on the horizon, Captain Charles D. Vieleoutnumbered and outgunned retreated. Seven of hisVictorio and his people were being hunted like a pack appeared with a troop of cavalry. As Vieles troopswarriors had died and more than a dozen others wereof wild wolves all along the U.S. side of the border. The charged forward, they mistook Finelys advancewounded. It was an unusually heavy toll for Victoriosonly place they could rest and regroup was the Tres force. The Army lost one enlisted man in the battle. Castillos Mountains in northern Chihuahua, long a favorite campsite of Victorio. The great war chief was To Texas via Mexico tired. He was 60 years old. He spent September and Victorio ed across the Rio Grande and into Mexico. FourOctober in the Tres Castillos, resupplying his forces, days later he crossed back into Texas and headed into thefattening his horses, and resting his people. While he Van Horn Mountains. He eluded Griersons main columnwas tired and his people in need of the breathing spell and several detachments of soldiers on the way. from the battleeld, Victorios young warriors were not yet weary of battle.Grierson made a forced march of 65 miles in 24 hours in the summer desert heat to Rattlesnake Springs, aBreakawaysfavorite haunt of Victorio. The colonel was at the springsIn November a band of these young warriors went north far ahead of Victorio and he sent Captain Viele with twoagain and a smaller band, led by old Nana, a sub-chief in troops of cavalry into ambush positions. Early the nexthis 80s, raided in Mexico. Word quickly reached Colonel morning the Apaches arrived. Griersons force droveJoaquin Terrazas at Chihuahua that the Apaches were them from the springs, killing several warriors. back in Mexico and camped in the Tres Castillos. Victorio retreated to the Guadalupe Mountains andTerrazas organized a force of irregular troops from Bowen Springs. Grierson had anticipated Victorios movethe communities in the area. The men he called up and had sent Captain William B Kennedys force to thewere patterned after the Texas Rangers north of the springs. A brief battle occurred when Victorio came upborder and were all well trained. The Mexican colonel to Bowen Springs. Two Apaches and one enlisted manalso enlisted a band of Tarahumara Indians for scouts. died in the ght. Terrazas then sent a message north to Colonel Baylor of the Texas Rangers to cooperate with his attack on Harried and Weary Retreat Victorio in the Tres Castillos.Again Victorio ed, this time into the Sacramento Mountains. Grierson sent Captain Lebo with aAt the same time, Colonel Griersons troops were detachment of troops to meet him. Victorio waspursuing the band of young warriors who had moved again forced into retreat. All of his old refuges in theback into Texas to raid without Victorios leadership. Colonel Benjamin Grierson mountains on the U.S. side were swarming with troops. continued on page 2018 May 2019'