Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1868-07-18
NEW MEXICO.
From an ocea.lon.I oorssp0ndsn..l

! a from an Occasonal Correspondentl |
-7zr 49, t
Fort Craig is situated almost in the CEN
ter of the Territory of New Mexico,
within quarter of a mile from the Rio
Grande, and Is now used as headquarters
of one OF the infantry regiments belong
ing to the military district OF New Mexico.
Like most of the forts on the frontier, it
has garrison of two or three companies
of infantry and one or two of cavalry. 1t
is, however, unlike the rest of the forts in
another respect; for instead of its being
open and exposed like the turnpike going
through an Eastern village, it is surround
ed by small ditch on the outside and by
pretty substantial buildings, acting as
walls and protecting the spacious square
parade ground, prettily ornamented with a
double row of trees. A small tower forms
the main entrance and gives the fort de-
cidedly military appearance; but while
the garrison is apparently well protected
against any attack, the stores, stables and
stock are evidently much less so, for it is
not very long ago since the Indians very
quietly stole up to, the very walls of the
fort and drove away herd of sixty cav
airy horses, not even leaving enough ami
mails TO the garrison to pursue the thievish
savages. Your correspondent was on that
occasion likewise the loser of a beautiful
private horse, turned over, during his alb
sence, to the particular care of the Colonel.
With new troops, unaccustomed to Indian
warfare, the redskins have easy game in
taking advantage by bold rush towards
their prey and immediate withdrawal to
their hiding places after the deed is perpe-
trated. At the time of our arrival at the
fort, it was commanded by Mexican Off,
Ger, who, with his staff and subalterns, re-
ceiyed us very kindly, and, among other
amusements, party was given in our
honor, which was a decided Improvement
on the "fandango" at Fort Union. Much
to our surprise daylight just tcommencedt to
dawn by the time we had reached camp on
our return from the party. -.
Another tiresome march was before
us, after wehad left Fort Craig, for we had
to cross what is called the Tornado del
Muerte, Gourney of death.) 1t is q sandy,
desert, about fifty miles long and as many
broad, offering no shelter whatever against
the hot sun, and, what is worse, there is no
water to be found there except during the.
rainy season. STILL the main road to Wes-
tern Texas and the Mexican Republic goes
through that desert, because the Rio Grande
makes bend which would make the trip
just three times as long, if the course of
the stream was followed; besides, the river
banks are very rocky and almost inaccessi-
Bile for wagons and animals. In order to
expose the horses and mules as little as pos
sible to the effects of the sun and to thirst,
we had to start for the Tornado in the
evening and march all night. We halted
in the desert at distance of twelve miles
from the river and from there had to send all
our live stock to be watered, making an
extra trip of twenty-four miles for the
poor animals only to enable them to get
q drink. bf. t -e5ri
Where this precaution cannot be used,
the horses and mules are pretty sure TO
perish, and the desert has been given the
above mentioned melancholy name, be-
cause hundr of animals die every year
for the want of water, and not seldom the
passengers of stages and ambulances are
picked up by Indians, robbed and scalped.
A sad occurrence took place on the lower
end of the tornado" shortly after we had
passed it. The horses of mail stage had
almost given out, when the driver remem-
bered spot, not more than three hundred
yards from the road, where rainwater
some times gathers in sufficient quantity
for few animals to quench their thirst
The driver made up his mind to get some
in two buckets, but was warned of danger
by the conductor. Still the warning was
not needed by the former, as he was an old
frontiersman; he went, but did not return;
after five hours waiting the conductor
sta rted with the stage to the nearest fort
and reported the fact to the commanding
officer. A detachment was at once sent
out and the body of the unhappy driver
found scalped and dreadtully mutilated
near the water hole. The conductors
safety is only attributed to the fact of the
Indians not being able to ascertain wheth-
er any passengers were inside the stage,
for the moccasin tracks all round the spot
where the stage had been waiting, gave
evidence of the savages having lurked
around the vehicle with sinister
intentions. The second night brought us
to the other end of that innospitable. dis
NAL region and close to Fort Selden. AS
soon as the men became aware of the fact,
they started on 'double quick" without
regard to the fatigue and the darkness of the
night; and loud hurrah sounded through
the air when the sign-board was passed,
the military reservation, which
generally extends from two to three miles
beyond the limits of a fort. Several COM
panies, together with the headquarters of
The regiment, had orders to garrison For |
5elden, and it was no small relief to them |
10 think that, after long weary march,
which had lasted almost all summer, some
little rest was, perhaps, going to be grant,
ID to them. We camped inside the reser-
vation and at an early hour the next morn
ing we marched into the fort, of which the
command was day or two afterwards |
turned over to the Colonel of our regiment |
Fort Selden has been described by me in |
previous letters, for it was the starting |
point for our various Indian expeditions |
aud scouts. Next to Forts Tucon and |
Yuma, on the frontier of California, it is
one of the hottest military posts in |
the United States, for there are but few
trees to offer shelter against the broiling
sun and the immediate vicinity of the
sandy and sterile Tornado" together with
the Case Mountains, situated just on the
other side of the Rio Grande, does not by
any means contribute to lessen the effects
Of the well nigh tropical sun. Speaking of
New Mexican scenery generally, it is not
,1tooothor uithout itS chs arms -hnt If hearc