Today in History:

418 Series I Volume L-I Serial 105 - Pacific Part I

Page 418 OPERATINS ON THE PACIFIC COAST. Chapter LXII.

Canon, into the plain. About six miles below the canon I found twenty- seven head of cattle. The Indians herding had dicovered my and run up on the opposite side of the cottonwoods and gve the alarm. It was nearly dark by the time the cattle had been got together. I moved out into th eplain, killed one of the cattle for my command, grazed the anumals, and got supper. This canon is a rendezvous for the Indians, heavy trails leading to it. A great deal of stock has been kept there, and those mountains in that vicinity are the permanent home for a number of hundred wariors.

At dark on the 4th of July I started with the cattle nearly direct for the Dos Cabezas. Distance preceding night, twenty- five miles. I traveled until 3. 30 a. m. July 5; rested until 5 a. m,. then continiued on, and at 2. 30 p. m. arrived at Camp Numbers 2, crossng this time from the west to the east, going southeast. my object was to show the mountians to my men so they would know them, particularly as Company L was to be stationed at Fort Bowie, and also to see which side of the mountains was preferable in going southeast. My object was to show the mountins to my men so they would know them, particularly as Company Lwas to the stationed at Fort Bowie, and also to see which side of the mountians was prefereble in going from Fort Bowie to the Dos Cabezas. At dark I resumed the march, having marched thirty- five miles to Camp Numbers 2. Traveled until 12 o'clock. My men and horses were exhausted. I stopped until daylight. Moved into the fort in the mornng. Distance from Camp Numbers 2, twenty- five miles. Turned over twenty- six head of cattle to Lieutenant Thomas Coghlan, First Infantry New Mexico Volunmteers, acting commissary of subsistence at Fort Bowie. It was rainy during my trip, and the grund being soft I made a deep, well- defined trail. The men learned the mountins, as I made a thorough reconnanissance of the Chiricahua Range between Apache Pass and Goodwin. The men performed their duty cheerfully and well, and were enthusiastic to be kept on this service of hunting and punishing these long- time murderers. The numerous trails well beaten, lately used, leading through the passes and into the many canons, indicate a large number of Indins. The cartridges, made of envelope paoer, issued to the men of my command would break, and finally it became necessary at each halt to replace broken cartridges. The average loss from this cause was from one to four per man a day. The large cartridge- boxes. Th cloth cartridges do not break in carryin g; none have thus far. The McClellan saddles int he heavy rain- stroms [were damaged]. The rawhide soaked and became slack, the wood swwelled, and many of the saddles spread and hurt the backs of horses. The hot sun drying the rawhide rapidly over the swelled wood cracked the rawhide. The saddles are old and well worn, and will many of them have to be replaced by new ones. on such a trip the wear and tear on clothing is very great. on my return the distance ffrom Fort Goodwin to Fort Bowie [was] 125 miles, but not a few miles of this was out of the direct line of march. The trail from Fort Bowie to Dos Cabezas is far preferable on the east side of the mountains. In my opinion, vigorous efforts should be made to annihilate the bands of Cohise and Francisco and the other Indians infesting those muntains west of Fort Goodwin. On this scout I took every possible precaution to insure success, and under the circumstances I think I did as well as possibly could have been done. I of winter is upon them. Housed int he canons with their winter stores, then they cannot escape so easily. The deep snows and bitter cold on the mountains will be far different from this pleasant summer breeze. The trails that I followed as a geenral thing were excellent.


Page 418 OPERATINS ON THE PACIFIC COAST. Chapter LXII.