The advance company was under command of an orderly sergeant, who
was instructed that if we met no Indians before reaching our old
quarters we were to stay there until the command came up. On the
third evening, just as our company was going into camp, and Jones
and I were taking a survey from the hill near by, we saw a band of
Indians coming leisurely along and evidently bound for the same
camp ground that the soldiers were. Jones hurried down to inform
the sergeant of the situation, I tarrying long enough to become
positively convinced that the reds might get their camp fixings
mixed with ours. So I put spurs to my horse and rode down to camp
as quickly as I could. During this time the sergeant was flying
around like a chicken with his head cut off to have his company
ready to meet the Indians, and he barely had time to get his men
all mounted when the reds came in sight, not forty rods away.
George and I had ridden our horses very hard all day, consequently
took no hand in this engagement, but rode to the top of a little
hill close by where we could see the whole affair.
In this fight the Apaches showed their blood by standing their
ground better than any Indians I have ever seen in a battle. They
did not offer to retreat until the soldiers were right up among
them, there being some sixty Indians and one hundred soldiers.
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