to the darkness and dense growth of underbrush it was possible to ascertain the size or location of the rancheria, and fearing that the continued barking of the dog would alarm the Indians and enable them to make their escape before if became light, the infantry w ordered to advance in line the thicket. We had proceeded but a few rods when we discovered a hut and opened fire upon it, wounding 1 Indiana, who, before death, informed the interpreted that there was another rancheria a short distance above on the river. There was but a single hut here, and 3 or 4 Indians had escaped int he darkness through the brush. We killed 1 Indiana and captured 1 child.

Lieutenant Burkett with his company was ordered to advance rapidly up the left of the river, and I, with Lieutenant Dutton, Company K and Detachment of Company C, moved up the right bank. We discovered the tracks of Indians going up the river, and after advancing rapidly for 2 1\2 miles, I became satisfied that the Indians would be alarmed before we could possibly reach them, and ordered the infantry to return. The detachment of cavalry, under special orders from yourself, having moved rapidly up the river in advance discovered a small rancheria about 5 miles above, but the Indians had been alarmed by one escaped from the lower rancheria, and had succeeded in getting nearly out of range. The cavalry fired upon them and killed 1. They burned their huts and everything of value about them, and destroyed several access of corn. In this skirmish First Sergt. Christian Foster, Company K, Fifth Infantry, California Volunteers, received a painful, through not dangerous, wound in the knee from a spent minie-musket ball. after a short rest the whole command moved down the river about 5 miles where we found Lieutenant Stevens with the train. In the afternoon our guides captured a woman and two children. She was living alone and had several acres of fine corn. This was destroyed under your special direction.

As you had previously determined to move upon a rancheria supposed to be in the Mescal Mountains, on the 28th we moved down the San carlos to its mouth, and thence down the Gila to near the entrance of the Great canon. Here, discovering the fresh tracks of an Indian in the trail, I halted the command and sent my scouts forward to reconnoiter. The scouts advanced about a half a mile and discovered and captured 5 women and 2 children. They said they were living alone near the Gila and that their husbands were in the Mescal Mountains. From them we learned something of the distance to, and location of, the ranchers. We moved down the canon of the Gila for several miles and encamped at 11 a. m. Here I received your instructions to organize a force to move upon and surprise the ranchers that night. Accordingly a detail of 70 infantry and 10 cavalry was made for this, and at 4 p. m. the whole command moved down the Gila 4 or 5 miles, and crossing several sharp ridges to the northwest, encamped upon a small rivulet not far from the river. Lieutenant Dutton was ordered to remain here in charge of the train and to move on the trail of the advance party at daybreak.

At 9 p. m. the force detailed marched for the ranchers, taking with then one of the captured women as a guide. The trail for about 2 1\2 miles led up an immense rocky mountain, from the summit of which we could the canon in which the ranchers were situated. Near the summit of this mountain we halted until the moon rose. Having learned from the Indian woman that there were two racherias