b'APACHE TERROR ONTHE GILA IN 1885By Bill Roberts Reprinted from The TravelerT HE SPRING AND SUMMER OF 1885 were hell along the Gila near Duncan, Clifton, and Solomonville. The Apache under Geronimo and several other chiefs had left the reservation at San Carlos and were sustaining themselves by raiding ranches along the border of Arizona Territory, in New Mexico, and on both sides of the international border. The renegade Apache were said to be only some 250 strong, but they managed to terrorize a wide area along the Gila that included the western border of New Mexico and the eastern border of Arizona Territory and the entire Gila Valley.The first large breakout of Geronimo and his followersin an unusually bold move, entering the livery stableraiders. They had been forced to flee their homes only was in May of 1885 from San Carlos. More left to joinand taking all of the horses boarded there. The possesix months earlier by raiding Apache bands, taking Geronimos band in June and more yet, some 35 to 40continued to track the Apache out of Solomonvillerefuge in Duncan.Apache, in November. Most of the small communitiesand onto the old trail that linked the Gila Valley and ranches along the Gila took precautions to defendto Ash Springs and Duncan. About 12 miles out ofHATRED FANNED BY KILLINGSthemselves. Posses, militia units, and National GuardSolomonville, the Indians spotted the posse and set upThe killing of whites in rapid-fire order by the Apache units were formed.an ambush in a brush-filled canyon. raiders spread fear and hatred throughout the small communities along the Gila. So it was that trapper The Apache, using hit-and-run tactics, had the advantageThe Wright brothers were riding lead for the posse.Charlie Montgomery, known to all as Shorty, rode up of surprise and dozens of hiding places on both sidesWhen they entered the canyon, both were dropped byto a ranch on the Frisco River some 15 miles out of of the international border and in the steep canyonsa barrage of Apache fire. This spooked the horses ofClifton with a gunny sack tied behind his saddle. He and rugged mountains along the Gila. They struck atthe posse members behind the Wrights and the horsesapproached Frank Ringgold and A.S. Hickey on their will, giving no warning, to steal stock for food. Often,began rearing and plunging in an attempt to shed theranch while they were out building a drift fence when they killed whites in the raids during the pursuits thatcontrol of their riders and run off. The Apache continuedShorty rode up.followed, and whites just as often killed Apache as theytheir barrage but failed to hit any of the posse members, pursued their elusive foe after the raids.probably because the fear-crazed horses kept the ridersThey asked Shorty to get down and stay awhile, but he from becoming steady targets. The posse escaped andexplained he was in a big hurry to get to Clifton. Shorty, A deep bitterness and hatred developed betweenmade it to Duncan, some 12 miles away. The nextarmed with a Colt .44 and a Winchester rifle with a Geronimos followers, who did not take to theday they returned to recover the bodies of the Wrightcartridge belt buckled around him, said he just stopped confinement and mistreatment on the San Carlosbrothers and found they had been terribly mutilated. to show the ranchers a new kind of game he just shot. Reservation, and the white pioneers who wereHe asked Ringgold to take down the gunny sack from attempting to carve a living out of the wilderness of theOne member of the posse could not control his horsebehind his saddle and look inside. Frank did and saw a Arizona Territory, formerly the exclusive range of theduring the attack and the animal took off with him inlot of black hair at the bottom of the bag. He reached in Indians. It was a bloody year along the Gila. Some 200a run. The man, whose name was Bolan, let the horseand pulled out the head of a young Apache warrior he whites fell in the clash between the two cultures and anrun and spurred him on. He was the first member of theguessed to be about 30 years of age. Shorty then told of unknown number of Apache. posse to reach the safety of Duncan, his horse havingbeing attacked by two Apache and killing one of them, covered the 12 miles in 45 minutes. The scene of thetaking his head as proof.DEATH LURKED EVERYWHERE ambush soon became known as Bolans Run and a rock CA Bar cowboy Dick May was one such victim. He andmonument was erected there in memory of Seth andIn Clifton, the citizens accepted his grisly proof and Matt Dry went out to pasture one morning to get theirLorenzo Wright. paid him $100 for killing the Apache. The citizens of mounts for the days work. As May was swinging his lariatClifton then hung the head on the gatepost of Pomeroys to rope his horse, an Apache lurking behind a pricklyTwo other brothers were attacked a few weeks laterLivery Stable. A few days later some CA Bar cowboys pear cactus shot him. The bullet hit May under the armby Indian raiders. Drew and Bob Windham owned arode into town and shot it down. Some Clifton citizens he was using to work the lariat and passed through hissmall farm and a bunch of cattle. Drew took care of thethen wanted to box up the head and send it to President chest, killing him instantly. The Apache sniper was with afarm and the cattle and Bob worked for a neighboringCleveland to let him know they disapproved of the raiding party that rode away after killing May and headedcattleman, Tom Jones. Three days before Christmas, Bobgovernments handling of the Indian problem in Arizona up the Gila. In a few miles, they ran upon a railroadasked Jones to stay with the women and children whileTerritory. More conservative citizens prevailed, arguing section crew and opened fire. The railroad men jumpedhe and Drew went out on the range to get a beef forthat such an act would be disgraceful.into a handcar and fled into Duncan.Christmas dinner.Pomeroy finally bought the head for $10. He sent it The raiders then rode to the small Mormon settlementThe range ran between the Gila River and Carlisle andto Dan Williamson in Bowie. Williamson was the of Layton where they found the populace at eveningthey were still on the range Christmas Eve, having a hardagent in Bowie for the Southern Pacific and ran a little services. The Apache slipped away into the night with thetime finding a beef that was fat enough to kill. Betweenmuseum on the station platform, where it was displayed. horses of the churchgoers. When the services ended andPine Cienaga and Carlisle, the Windham brothers wereWilliamson then received a request from a young lady the men found their horses had been stolen, a posse wasattacked by a band of Apache. Bob was fatally wounded,in San Francisco he knew. She asked him to send her formed and set out to track the Apache raiding party.and Drew was shot in the leg. Drew managed to getan Indian scalp. Williamson honored the request by The wide trail left by the Indians and stolen horses ledBob to a mining company doctor in Carlisle, some eightscalping the long-dead head of Shortys Apache and toward Solomonville. When the posse reached theremiles from the attack. Bob died a few hours later. A fewshipping it to her.they learned that the Apache had increased their herdsettlers around Pine Cienaga were prime targets for thecontinued on page 18ArizonaRealCountry.com June 2023 17'