, 1864-04-01
RATTLE WITH THE INDIANS.
The California Volunteers and the Ma
vajos In kclv mexlco-~R1fle Balls VS.
FoRr SCMSEn New MExIco,
SATURDAY, Jan. 80. 1864.

Correspondence OF the Contra Costa Gazctte-]
On the 4th day of. this month, at 111S
O'Clock, the bugle sounded s'To nr1nsl-to
arms!" which Toueed every man In camp.
Our company Wns out on thirty days scout
al the time only ha,ing left IS men Of the
teers) In camp, hut the SIX were In their sad-
dies in doublc-quick, and of. The party con-
sisted Of one Lieutenant {infanry,) and SIX
men Of company 3, "a cavalry California vo1-
ulcers. three men Of company D, 5th United
States infantry, twenty-five apache Indians,
and three Mexican citizens.
At ten minutes to IL o'clock We started
down the river Pecos, and soon found the
csee Of alarm. One hundred and twenty Ma
yajo Indians had been within two miles Of
the fort mud stolen a1l the Apache horses and
mules, and. were driving them of as leisure
rode for y miles at brisk gal1op, when We
arrived at the top Of 4 small ridge, and 10 and
behold the whole party Of hostile Nava1o8
were in full sight about one mile below.
When We came in sight Of the enemy we
made halt, and waited for all the Apache
and tie mp their heads for the tight. We, the
soldiers, made all necessary arrangements to
have our cartridges rs convenient is possible,
when the word was beard, "All ReadY"
It is well known that the Nayajos can whip
the Apaches tour allied forces} two to one.
So the soldiers formed In the centre and the
Indians {Apaches) around us, SO that the en-
We werf within $50 yards OF them on the full
charge, when the signal was given. s.To the
right and left.". The Apachcs charged right
and left and We In the centre, and. the first
thing that Alr. Johnny Navajo knew Of ns We
were upon them like a thousand of bricks
The tight commenced simultaneously on
right, and left and centre; the Navajos made
stand for one yol1ey from our carbines aud
they nude the air black. with arrows for!
about two minutes, and then they saw sol
many of their own men falling, and none of
.us, they took 10 their heels and run for dear
life. But it was no 80, for We kept close tol
them, and Kept giving them the benefit of
our b, ,eech-loadiDg carbfnes. Their bows!
and arrows were like SO many straws, for ae-
ter the first vo1ley we found that VIC had thei
long range on them, and we made use Of It.
Their arrows are harmless over thirty yards,
end they had no rocks to get behind, the bat
tie being On IN open. plain, SO that we chose
our own distance and gaye them fits. The,
Nayoj0s gave evidence Of great excitement. !!
At the commencement Of the fight they shot
all their arrows over our heads, and after|
that they never got any chance to shoot us.
at. az. This accounts for the great victoTy|
and loss of no men: We followed them SIX
Justas the sun was going behind the hill
we were ordered to cease firing and return|
home. We went over the battle-ground aud,
found by the simple rule Of addition, that
out Of l20 Indians We had killed e.. .This
We call good work, and for which VIC we're
Sf9mRnmsRted Soqf snfe1 by the commanding oheef
I will here say, By way of explanation, that;
the Apache Indians spoken Of are q lot OF,
Indians Of the Apache tribe, that came mi
and gaye themselves up voluntarily, and arei
fed At the expense Of the Government: They