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900 Series I Volume XLVIII-I Serial 101 - Powder River Expedition Part I

Page 900 LOUISIANA AND THE TRANS-MISSISSIPPI. Chapter LX.

Mr. Carillo, Mr. Whittemore, and twenty-five Apaches from the reservation. Captain Calloway and his company (I, First Infantry California Volunteers) was directed to follow the trail of the mounted party. Lieutenant Newbold encountered over 100 Navajoes, mounted and on foot, about twelve miles from the post. A sharp fight ensued, in which 9 Navajoes were left dead on the field. The Navajoes than broke into two parties and fled, and a running fight was kept up for about ten miles. Part of the force pursued one party to the Pecos River. Of this party only 8 escaped. Of the other party of Indians only 17 escaped, and some of these were wounded. Forty Indians are reported to have been left dead on the field and at least twenty-five wounded. It is believed that nearly all the Navajoes would have been killed had it not been for the extremely cold weather. The mercury was 10 deg. below zero. The men could with difficulty cap their pieces, their fingers being so numb. Some were frostbitten. About fifty head of horses and mules were recovered in this fight, all belonging to the Apaches. Major Wallen calls the attention of the general commanding to the handsome manner in which Lieutenant Newbold managed this successful engagement; also to the meritorious conduct of the soldiers, citizens, and Apaches engaged.

January 8. -Mr. George Cooler, wagon and forage master at Fort Arizona, N. Mex., with ten infantry soldiers and a party of Mexican boy, citizens, while on a scout after Indians, recovered 1 Mexican boy, named Vincente Ubano, who was stolen by the Indians near the Pecos River, 1 rifle, and 58 goats. On the 11th instant came upon a party of Indians and succeeded in killing 1 and capturing 1 squaw and 1 child. In this skirmish two of Cooler's party were wounded. One of them, Jose Garcia, died the next day. On the 12th found 7 horses and 1 mule and captured 2 Indian women.

January 12. -Captain Julius C. Shaw, First Cavalry New Mexico Volunteers, commanding Fort Wingate, reports that Lieutenant Jose M. Sanches, with a detachment of Company F, First Cavalry New Mexico Volunteers, attacked a party of Indians near the Datil Mountains and killed 3 men, captured 2 women and 1 boy, and 18 Navajo horses and 62 head of sheep and goats. The chief, Sordo, was killed in this fight. Captain Shaw also reports that sixty Navajoes have given themselves up at that post since the 1st instant.

January 14. -Sergt. Joseph Felmer, First Cavalry California Volunteers, reports that he recovered 7 head of cattle while in pursuit of a party of Indians, and turned them over to Don Pablo, of La Joya, N. Mex.

January 15. -Serafin Ramirez, a citizen of New Mexico, reports that the Navajo Indians drove off 12 head of cattle and 2 mules belonging to him between the 25th of December and 9th of January, and during the same time they killed 3 of his cattle.

January 21. -Captain Julius C. Shaw, commanding Fort Wingate, N. Mex., reports that twenty-three Navajo Indians have surrendered at that post since his last report. On the 6th instant, Colonel Christopher Carson, commanding the Navajo expedition, left Fort Canby, N. Mex., with 14 commissioned officers and 375 enlisted men, on an expedition to the Canon de Chelly. On the 8th instant 1 warrior was killed by the colonel's escort. On the 12th Sergt. Andreas Herrera, with fifty men, who was sent out the previous night, returned, bringing into camp 2 women and 2 children prisoners, and 130 head of sheep and goats, and reported that his command had killed 11 and wounded 5 Indians. On the 14th instant Captain Pfeiffer and party, who had been sent out from Fort Canby some days previous to operate in the east opening


Page 900 LOUISIANA AND THE TRANS-MISSISSIPPI. Chapter LX.