The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1859-06-30

49,
of the mountain. and entirely cut off from N
bg tie Indians, who were also endeavoring 4
CD H.. of from the mouth Of the Canon. Tn,
neui..jed men fastened on, while we tarrieC
md as a rear guard. |, again, was the las
one TO leave the plateau and, as / crossed tn,
rayihe, saw Ward running down it, and tire,
Iudians close on him. | had obtained a five
shooter of one Of the Mexicans, and running
forward to meet him, / fired shot with my lief
hand. killing one Indian, and causing the Other
two to halt. But they were soon REINFORCED
and we had continual running fight of it tC
the mouth OF the Canon. They did not follow
Us any further. We reached camp with ter
men out of twenty-five. Stamper was killed III
the Canon.
We moved camp further out and on levellei
ground where we waited until the afternoon
but, getting no tidings of the missing men, we
took up the march, and as soon as we strucb
the Fort Bliss and Fort Staunton road, we sent
two men off to Fort Fillmore, after DIR. Cooper
and an ambulance. We moved forward a.
rapidly as we could towards Fort Bliss until
nearly daylight, when we halted, and took q
short nap, without water. About two hours
after sunrise, we reused ourselves, and moved
forward about three miles, where we found
good water, aud halted 10 break our long fast
We were Just taking breakfast, when one OF
Sergeant De Laney's party was seen approach
ing He informed US that the rest of the party
were about seven miles back. We sent then
horses to them. They had gone over tn
mountain, the Indians following them, unit
many of their number were made to bite the
dust, by the unerring aim of trusty rifles.
After a few hours rest and grazing of horses
we resumed our homeward march. Al the
forks of the Fort Bliss and Fort Fillmore roads
IL. 81 a. b,,l.noo w
encaInped tor the night. The Doctor dressed
our wounds. and did all in his power to make
as comfortable. We had good nights rest
aud. ike Sancho Panza. blessed the man who
first invented sleep. The next morning VIZ
took an early start. The ambulance took the
worst wounded men. and hurried on into tht
Fort. For nv part, l preferred riding my
horse. and giving my ambulance seat to an
other man. What with riding bareheaded be
meath brOilng sun, the sun shines very hot
here, even in winter excessive fatigue, and =
bleeding wound, suffered overwhelmingly.
Once more we camped-this time by a beau
ttnl group Of fine springs ofpure cool water. w
drank deep rotations, and fervently thanked
God for blessing US with such a treat.
About midnight, Bennett, whom we had sup
posed among the killed, came into camp. He
had liven ont, while trying to follow the Ser
geant, and hid in the bushes until dark, wher
he came down The Canon. He saw poo
StaIhper lying in the Canon, stripped, horribly
mutlated. but not scalped. The Indians haC
n large encampment at the entrance, and TIVE
tall FLOWS were walking past Bennett got int
the water, and stole byithem. He had walked
one hundred and twenty miles, without eating
mouthful for three days and four nights.
Ii has been long time since | have been 81
rejolced to see comfortable quarters as / was
on CIR return to Fort Bliss. And God grant
that |" Uncle Sam will not soon have another
OCCASION 10 clastse theiving Indians, unless be
can afford more men and better pay for such
service
fbe writer Of the foregoing is yet a young
man, being only tweuty-siX years Of age, bui
ms manhood has been spent in the service OF
has eoIintrv He first entered the army as q
volunteer. during the Mexican war, and was en-
gagged in several hardfought battles. Since
that time, he has been engaged in traversine
the vast PLAINS Of the West and roaming over
the mountains. Many are the Indian fghts
he has been engaged IN, as has many scars will
attest.
Some portions Of ms narrative may appear
pretty Tough to some OF your readers but
can Touch for his veracity. The power of en-
durance in the hardy pioneer soldiers, Injured
to all kinds Of hardshps, is such that they caI
undergo three times as much physical suffering
and priyation would kill most of your civil
lans unluitlated IN the mysteries of frontier life
Ii Is not an unusual thing for a poor soldier, OF
scout, 10 90 siNtgfour hours without drop O
water, and sometimes without food. All this
and more too the American soldier is expected
To do and endure, for the sum of elerea dHC
i,cetf dot3arS per month And vet, when th'
Go'sifI.ETreaf TrD.snrE hosino to get low through
tue proiiigacy OF Federal Administration, O
the dishonesty of Government paynasters tn,
FIRST place 10 commence retrenchmeht is IN tn,
armv and the poor soldier is the first to fee
the depression Of public funds. Men calling
themselves statesmen, and voting themselves
eight dollars per day, are found 10 Join in tn,
hue and cry against the awful expenses of tn,
army And some have even gone so far as t.
RAM against the soldiers. calling them the fas
ends OF humanity. the dregs Of society," drone.
IN the Government hive, and other hard names
If some thleving tavOrIte gets an army contract
or robs the Government of cool quartz
million, the poor soldier Is to blame, and ough
10 have his pay and rations curtaied forthwith
Some unsophisticated reader may ask: " Doe
not the American soldier gain honor AM
glory? Oh, yes, somebody gains honor an,
GLORY Republics are grateful; and ours is
great and glorious republican country, tn
tFceel on tdfln. 10 "a TOHIIN OF .fufV.t u
course. she dispenses her honors with an impair
tial band. She has glorious Military Acad
envy al West Point on the banks of the nobl
Hudson, let no invidious wretch Islander tina
glorious Institution by suggesting that it is tn
hot-bed of American aristocracy, where sh
educates Eoung men in the noble art of wal
These Young men, on graduating, are sent GU
Vest and take command of a number of men
Teil Trained in the arts of fighting Indian
aud Starving, al the rate of t,re{ce dollars DC
mouth, anal. with these men, they soon fin,
Themselves crowned with laurel-wreaths o
glory.
BHt the common soldier is supposed to be
very modest creature, without aspirations abov
bean soup and twelve dollars per month
am not one OF those who advocate a larg
standing army maintained at a great expense
but do think the American army should b.
efficient for practical purposes, and better PAL
and treated than that of any other country.
In my organizations through the irontie
countries. | often came in contact with thes
soldiers. ami, feeling a sympathy for their mes
lected position. could not help Offering
word bn Their behalf
Those who enjoy all the comforts and Iuxr
nes u evil life probably never think that Their
IS a ria>s OF men, protecting their wester
frontiers, Who are continually enactiRg as muc
mora aud military heroism as ever poets san
or historians wrote.
Read the following lines written brmy frienC
+. " r., himself "A soldier G. G.
for the National Era
nraov,, IT,, &c uls. D IL OIL