The Mesilla Valley independent. [volume] (Mesilla, N.M.) 1877-1879, 1877-10-06

orders were given for their safe keeSing.
e~isg % TIE alleged negligence OF me
scrgeAnt 0f the guard these men escaped
When Colonel West learned Of the escape Of
the prisoners, he ordered that the sergeant
Of he guard should be pisced In irons and
imprisoned in the guard house. The sergeant
belonged to Company K" and Che next
mOrsing when that company was turned ou4
With Others, for drz, they thlews down their
arms in the street and refused to do duty
untfE sergeant Miller was released. The
First Sergeant Of the company reported this.
TO Lieut.. Geo. H. Pettis, who vas then
in command Of " K company. Pettis re-
ported to West that Company K" had
ulutinied and refused 10 perform duty. West
ordered the long roll to be beat, the other
companies turned out with arms and marched
to ese plaza, : K company refused 70 take
ann, and were iiareifesii 20 the plaza leaving
tiitcffr guns thrown in the street The com
Panies formed three sidesCf hollow square
On the plaza, +" D." company facing the
church, on its left at right angles was the
muinons conpany which faced another
company On . D. company right. West
rode into the hollow square and made the
men short sharp speech, he then told the
hfsk man on the right Of = D. company to
stsp ten PAGES to the front, he did 80, il was
Corporal Smith VINO was the ringieader Of
the mutiny West asked Smith if he would
perform duty Smith replied, q Not until my
sergeant IS released West again asked
q viii you do slaty r Smith again answered
in in Enc ssslllc manner. Vest made some
further remarks t0indacc the man to Srve
way aad again asked . VIII you do duty and
.aber orders = Smith answered AsEVo No NJ "
West wss openly deaell, tlere was mu-
tiny, from fhe confident nnannes in which the
man spoke Vest knew II vas serious, Il be-
came an issue then and there who was %
ruTuuard, II West gave way for IN instant, he
was lost. his authority was gene; he crises
had COME West was compelled 70 resort 70
the most summary measures 10 maintafn his
auehorityi he etarned 10 The Captain Of . Dr.
company and ordered him 10 direct his com
rany 20 shoot Smith Two volleys were
fired a. Smith who stood waving his cap not
twenty yards from fhe firing company. West
felt himself defed: drawing hS sabre he
role up 10 d." company ordered the men
to load, and thea rode along the line and
locked each man IN the face, he knew that
many of them would rather FIRE ON him than
on Smith, he there displayed q nerve and
daring that she0ld outweigh many fznlts.
Waving his sabre he said = / viii guA dOwn
the first man that fihd no4 aiming At that
man" he rode behiad D." company and
ordered the men to aim, Observing some of
the pieces elevated he rode up to the ranks
with uplifted sabre and shouted down with
those pieces - they came down, the order to
IRE was followed BY a volIey and Smith fell
nsEtally wounded. West ordered the com
Paas To lead, he tignz zcaticd out the next
pian Of 8 K cnsapaas .Ass,l ssisesi the xzrur
question that had been put to Smith, twho
lay on sie ground in his death strugglel snd
the man said lie wonid DO du,y, and % did
every man in the company West then
marched the mcnso where their arms were
ulsde them take them. and having dismissed
the other companies le drilled Il com
p'any all that day on the pssxal In theil
desire TO avoid shOoting Saith most fhl
D." company rasn hal Area 70 Z righi
and left of the church assd several person.
ia the siale sirsess wesS struck by shc bullet.
and killed.