Page 503

GENERAL NELSON A. MAVILES.
take any measures which would cause an outbreak among the Indians, or
put a large additional body on the warpath by allowing them to escape,
for there was a very large hostile element in the camp. It would have
resulted in the sacrifice of many innocent lives, as well as serious censure
upon the management of the affair. There are occasions when a com-
manding officer is obliged to trust the fortunes of the campaign, either
for
weal or woe, to his subordinate. This was
           IR1 * 1_ 1 £, I.IP   1
such a case. Ot course I
the selection of the subo
carry out his wishes, bul
selected, if the sunbordiu
fails the entire responsibi:
and blame must rest u]
the principal.
   In this case I felt the
utmost confidence that
the duty was left in
safe hands, yet so anx-
ious was I not to disturb
Colonel Wade by any
official inquiry or by
calling for official re-
ports, that I went down
to the telegraph office
and asked the operator
on duty, a bright and
intelligent young mnan,
if he would not open c(
munication with the op(
tor at Fort Apache, and
his own name, with
mentioning  my presence,
ask for the news of what
was going on.  He did so, and the operator at Fort Apache, whose
office occupied a high point so that he could overlook the whole scene
fronm his window, replied that he observed that all the Indians had
been gathered in to be counted as was the custom on Sunday.  Also,
as was their usual practice, the troops had gone through their Sun-
day inspection, and after they had performed their ordinary duties,
503