Santa Fe gazette. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1859-1864, 1864-03-19
A Navajo Scout.
PARAIE N. NJ, Fcby, ls, 1864.

]
Maj. & 4. A, A. G. n, NJ. NJ.
SD;--In compliance with orders rcce.
lived from Brig. Gea'I. Estanislay Montoya
| completed my preparations for anexped
ton against the Aayajo indians and start
cd from tllS place. on the evening of the
( 25th uItmo. Ny force consisted of 6i
men selected from the COMPANIES of raio
and Aamosa. Taking westwardIy drec.
llon and travelling all night, ut noon on the
10Th we reached the "Ojo del Teiano"
thence to the vicinity of the 0io de la No.
nica. Hcre we found Indian signs but no
appearance OF stock or cattle of any kind
At carly dawn (27), twelve spies being
started ahead, | marched with the balance
OF the command and Reached La Monica
about 10 q. m. At this place reinspected
the arms ammunition and provisions and
made fair start for the campaign, taking
such route as would most eleotnaly
conceal Iny own movements and at the
same time give me a full view Of the
plains beyond the mountains. At dark we
descended to the plain and travelled to the
rise Of the Sierra del DatiJn 0ntho 2sth
we came upon the trail of Gen'I Monloyas
command leading to tho "cienega del DG.
tlI,' Gaining this point we made camp
The rear guard brought in an old Indian,
from whom we learned that all the indians
thcreabout had fled before the advance Of
Genl Montoya, taking all their moyoables
with them. On the 2gth took the drec.
tion Of the Rio Quemado, sending twelve
spies by a direct route across the noun.
tains; about 10 q, m. we rs-encountcred a
fresh trail leading northward. | imme-
datel y ordered Lieut., Guterrcs with twen.
ty men to put themselves upon this truiI
and follow it for three days, Joining with
me at the Laguna Grande Towards night
we found an old Indian woman who in.
formed Us that the Indians had deserted
that portion Of the country making for the
0os Calientcs. The 3Oth was lost dny.
my anxiety 70! the guides and spies who
bad failed to join me preventing aay effec.
tive marching On the 3lst sent Lieut.
sharp with ten men to recOnnoitro the La
guna to which place | marched to rest the
command foG tue night. Feby. lst our
spies being uuproyided with blankets and
provisions my anxiety increased At 10
a. m. to my great relief the scntineIs re.
ported horses and rootmen TO the north. -
These proved to be the guides and spies
and Lieut. Gutierrrs command Lieut..
Gnterres reported as follows; After
leaving your command pursuant to ms.
trnctiOns | followed the trail which we
had discovered, On the morning of the
third day came upon the rearguard of the
Indians, and their apparent number being
larger than that of nv command, ordered
a charge and vOlley Of muSketry. The In.
dians, whatever may be their other faults
showed then no signs of fear, but shot their
arrows with coolneSss and deliberation,
that in more honorable cause, would
have claimed admiration. After short
skrmish, the valor Of my men and their
superior weapons efectualy drove the
enemy from the field. We numbered eight
Indians dead, six children captives, and the
men caught black mare which appeared
worn and tired showing tie hastiness of the
Indian stampede. | report three men
wounded Slightly and nall flesh wound
IN my left arm. lcannot too highly CON.
mend the valor aud coolness of my mcu"
Feby, 2nd sent Lieu. Sharp to make
a thorough reconnaissance of the Sierra del
Pihon and the Rito Quen ado, with orders
to join me at the first water after his sur.
vey, being tho spring at the point of the
Sierra. On the third day he reported hav.
ing only seen an Indian on one of the
glades OF the Rlto Qnemado. Upon reach.
ing the Salinas del Zuhi, Lieut., Truiillo
who had been sent ahead for the purpose Of
reconnoitering the opposite side of the Rto
| Quemado, joined US lie reported no In.
dian signs except the track of the Zuhi
Indians who had come to the lake for salt.
From this place it was my intention to have
proceeded to the Rio Colorado, but again
taking review of provisions found that
some of the command were entirely nnpro.
vided for. A consultation decided me to
return and divided my command into
three parties The first under Lieut. Gu
tierres to scout through the Rito Quemado
La Oienega and Los Pateos, allowing him
three days to reach the Rio Apache The
second under command of Capt. Garcia to
take the direct route TO the same point -
The third under my own command took the
direction Of the Sierra de Ia EscudIla. All
started on the It'll. made the point Of
the Sierra about night, having crossed no
trails, whence | inferred that no Indians
could be in the Rio Colorado The next
day we approached with much caution the