Captured by the Navajos

ome time he was within easy rifle range. They contented themselves

delay. He had hardly counted off when the report of the sentinel's rifle was hea

with great rapidity. They were gesticulating wildly to us. Frank Burton, who was st

s," I said. "The colonel told

mptly, and the two youngsters instantly p

e of ten rounds of ammunition, so I had a couple of boxes broken open with an axe, and cartridges were distribut

over three hundred Indians. They were charging down upon us,

fired by volleys, sheltering themsel

suddenly checked, and the Indians broke into two divisions. Part of the force swept along the

e men moved along the interior slopes, firing as they ran,

been in the front of the fight throughout, had the

fired, and one of the most famous chieftains of the Navajos rolled from his saddle. The beautiful black horse he had been riding ran on towards

ide, Private Tom Clary had the lobe of an ear cut, Privates Hoey and Evans were wound

cting that they would not be likely to repeat their attack immediately, I walked out with the first sergeant and a few o

ton leading a black pony, gently stroking his nose and talking soothingly to him,

!" exclaimed the boy-"isn't

king around him and taking in all his graces and points. "Take

le for me to own him, sir?" inqu

of war,

I was first to cap

hich was promptly answered by the black, and, looking in that direction, we saw a cream-

a friend of your

oo, sir! Can't we

ne. I see all the other loose ponies have joined the

o the prostrate bodies of the

y face upward, his resolute, handsome countenance still in the embrace of death. I told the men we would give him and h

ow the firmness and dash of white men our chances of repelling a resolute attack were small. C

any way out except the road by which we had entered. Should we leave the protection of

e were the forests and defiles, filled with natural ambuscades.

. Whatever was to be done in preparat

and all about twenty feet long. With drag ropes and by rolling we conveyed them to the p

ongue foreign to that with which the animals were familiar to approach and partake of it. Tired at last of what seemed a vain attempt, the young corporal set the box before the black, which at once began to munch the cra

enemy. They still continued well to the south on the western side of the brook

f the camp, beyond rifle range. They made gestures for us to come and take them-an invitation which, for obvious reasons, I declined to accept. I quite agreed with Private Tom Clary,

if ye did, Tom. I don't think the lutinint will r

division of our force, and the main body of the Navajos stood r

d to accomplish, as I heard years afterwar

to a point close against the forest on the eastern side of the valley and nearly opposite our camp. There

nds of the men and removing a bullet from Frank's shoulder, went to

Dun

what i

o name my po

o name mine Sanc

do with the animals you

e of the two we captu

general utilit

ht. Thank

the guard aroused me to report that strange n

with occasional pauses, fell upon my ears. I sent for the elder Cordova, and he listened long, wit

gham to wake the men without noise

rose over the mountains and bathe

the Indians, my field-glass revealed the fact that the raiders had departed. Ponies and riders were gone. In the

e body of El Ebano and the group of dead warriors which lay about him at nightfall had

s, but found nothing there except the horns, hoofs, and entrails of our captured cattle. The flesh had proba

the forest, which Cordova afterwards as

d its repulse, and despatched it by the Mexicans, who, taking cut-offs with which they were acqua

they came galloping into camp two evenings afterwards. As Captain

me out expecting to bury the

or rest after a forced march, did the honors to the best of my ability. On the day of their departure the w

o an agreement I had made with their father. Not being a West-Pointer, but a college graduate with a fair knowledge of Greek and Latin, and some other

n the Rio Jemez Valley, and representatives of the army seldom had occasion to visit our outposts. The mail arrived

e out of quarters at night, and there were no confinements to the guard-house for disorder. Evenings were spent over books

and became skilled in bringing down whatever they sighted. Henry, as well as Frank, shot his bear, and soon our floo

friend who took a conspicuous part in our scouting and hunting, and w

war in the Philippines-gave me a beautiful young setter named Victoriana, and called Vic for convenience. She was of canine aristoc

s branded upon the left shoulder of all government horses and mules, marked with a weak solution of nitrate of silver u

rals and I spent much time during the long evenings and on the days whe

en she saw me begin to remove my boots, to carry messages to the first sergeant or

und might bring an enemy upon us, and she would follow patiently at my heels or those

and guide, and he was of invaluable use to us. He was able to show me a mountain-trail into the valley of San Antonio besides the one through La Puerta, which I kept in reserv

fore reveille on a solitary hunting-trip in order to reach Los V

for reveille, when I was startled by the rapid approach of some one runn

uchos Navajos!" (Many Navajo

ey, and how m

g to the south. "They chased me from the Los

im to parade the company under arms without delay; then, taking my glass, I went to the top of the ridge. Lying down before reaching the crest, I looked through the screening g