Captured by the Navajos

o Los Pinos, a town two hundred miles south, in the valley of the Rio Grande, and rep

an, a chief of the Navajos. He begged me to assist in his release, and I promised to do all I could, consistently with my military duty. Two days after arriving at Los Pinos, where I found a troop of California volunteer cavalry and also ano

edsteads, spreading mats before them, hanging a small mirror to the rear tent-pole, and arranging thei

nt pitched for our us

as placed here some days ago by the post commander, for the accommodation of

o have the ten

es

t just jol

ur saddles and saddle-blankets, two pegs in the tent-pole for b

ic here, too, si

e all alone?

mind it, wou

a bed for her, and we'll see which she wil

ir; we'll try

tched on the left of mine; you are to take your meals with the offi

nd horses like other soldiers, just as we always did in the valleys, you know. He says an officer who rides on a

; do as yo

arch I was conscious that the boys were having some difficulty in inducing Vic to remain with them. When at last all was quiet, except their regular and restful breathing, a soft nose was thrust up to my pillow, and I opened an aperture in the netting large enough to exchange affectionate greetings, and Vic cuddled down on her bed beside mine and went to sl

were again in possession of their beautiful horses. Grain, hay, and careful attendance had put new graces

g camp four miles beyond the opposite landing. There was a ferry-boat at Los Pinos,

way to the river. The two boy corporals joined me as I followed the last wagon. Mounted on their handsome animals, with carbines on their right

to camp, leaving the infantry and its officers to perform the labor of transferring, from one shore to the other, wagons and mules, a herd of th

YS PRESENTED A W

arge of fire-arms. In the river, less than a quarter of a mile distant, were several objects making their way towards the western shore. When near the bank, and in shoaling

rse on the embankment. He said: "Three Navajos have escaped from the guard. Send word to Captain Bayard to try to recaptur

k, and when the boat touched the western landing he

We found Frank awaiting our arrival, and learned from him that Captain Bayard had sent two detachments of

and to relate incidents of other marches. Captain Bayard took from his baggage a violin, and, retiring a little apart, sawed desperately at a difficult and apparently unc

march. He was further instructed that he was to conform his movements to mine, and act as my messenger between the train, the main body, and the

d start from the same point where it had turned from the main road into camp the previous day. He was to report the distance we had marched to the commanding officer at guard-mounting, which, on the march, always takes place in the evening inste

t of a sound sleep to wash and dress by starlight and sit down to a breakfast-table lighted by dim lanterns. There wa

although the men were marching at "route step," when they are not required to preserve silence, few of them spoke, and very rarely, and

ually,"

we go to-d

the scheduled dista

t do men

es an hour

lock. I don't see the sense of yanki

on for everything done in the army," o

whole distance can be done in six hours, and the sun

poral had not had his slee

se explain, si

is cool. Marches rarely exceed fifteen or twenty miles a day, except where the distance betw

served the sleepy Henry. "Fifteen and twenty miles a day,

nry?" suggested his brother. "It

your pony to the back of that wagon, and crawl

ut with a long and shiverin

the distance travelled to be 18.65 miles. He entered in his note-book that the Spanish name Puerco meant, as a noun, hog, and as an adjective, dirty. He thought the river well named. He also mentioned that on the eastern side of the st

can be no good reason for crossin

midnight-something like going into a wood-shed to rest on a wood-

gained nothing in distance in crossin

ery rarely, to be sure, but frequently enough to cause commanding officers to be on their guard. A rainfall fifty or seventy-five miles up-stream might send down a volume of

been caught b

d by a fine meadow on the lower side, in contrast to a rough place on the opposite side, to take my chances. I was compelled to remain there five days.

eon grumbling about the folly o

is their first marc

heard them, but did not expla

perience; the other is that our surgeon resents being cautioned or advised. Now, boys, after dinner you had

y have told us that a nap is the correct thing after

ored this morning. I will try to do as the soldiers do

prise to you; you will be

west. There we saw a mass of dark clouds rolling down upon us. Bolt after bolt of lightning zig