With an escort of twelve men we headed for Los Angeles,
expecting to be able to procure the horses there, which we did,
and were back at Yuma in a little more than a month preparing to
give Apaches more of our warm social attention. In this campaign
Lieut. Jackson was to take the lead with two companies of cavalry
and one of infantry, and take the same route as the season before.
Gen. Crook was to follow in a month, taking no wagons, but a pack-
train of one hundred animals. Only Mexicans were employed this
time as packers, and the captain of our train was named Angel, but
he didn't look it.
It was arranged between Gen. Crook and I that I was to have twelve
scouts and select them myself. The General sent a sergeant with me
to take the names of the men I wished to secure, and then he gave
me permission to go into the corrall and select two horses for
each of my men, taking anything that did not belong to a
commissioned officer. In the afternoon of the same day Lieut.
Jackson came to me and said: "Captain, I have a present for you if
you will accept it. I want to give you Black Bess."
This was the beautiful mare that he rode the year before and of
which I spoke previously.
It was a very acceptable present indeed, and I was surprised to
learn that he would part with her, but he walked down to the
stable and turned her over to me.
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