As soon as we were back at headquarters he told me that if any of
the horses belonging to the scouts had shoes that needed resetting
to have it attended to at once, and also told me to have the
scouts pick out the very best horses for the trip.
During the time that these preparations were in progress, Lieut.
Jackson in a private conversation told me that Gen. Crook was
going to move up with a portion of the command near Black canyon
and try to get into it. I told him that he could get in there easy
enough, but had my doubts whether or not he would be able to get
out with half the men he took in.
After having completed our preparations we pulled out for the Camp
on the Mountain, this being the name given the camp by some of our
men when we were out before, and I am told that the springs where
we camped still go by that name. We started with two companies of
cavalry and one of infantry, taking a pack-train to carry the
supplies.
The first night at Camp on the Mountain Gen. Crook threw out a
strong picket guard, and the next morning he told me to place my
men both above and below the trail that they were to travel in
descending the mountain into the canyon. I had examined this part
of the country and was thoroughly posted in all the ways and by-
ways of the Black canyon, which I knew the General was not, and I
told him that there was no danger from above, from the fact that
it was at least six miles to the next place where the Indians
could climb the bluff, but this didn't seem to satisfy him, so I
placed my scouts according to his directions.
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