The Huntington argus. [volume] (Huntington, W. Va.) 1872-1905, 1882-05-25


and. took shelter behind the rocks
among which they were camped.
and fought with their usual despea-
ton,
CHEERED or BY LOCO.
!. Who frequently shouted to the scouts
to turn upon the white officers and
troops. The herd which was grazing
a short distance away and protected
by the hostiles in the rocks, was at
daylight successfully charged upon
by the cavalry under Captain Raitcr--
ty and Lieutenant Blake and was
captured. In this charge one soldier
was killed and two wounded and.
several horses we're killed. Captain
RaGerty's horse WAS shot from under
him and Lieutenant T5pey had
bullet hole through his coat. The
fight was kept up on both sides under
shelter OF the rocks until night, the
Indians being driven rom point to. =
point, and during the night they
abandoned the field and rctrcated to-
ward the Janos river, where they
were met By Colonel Garcia. To
reach this point they had to traverse
an alIali plain Il distance Of twenty
! five miles, the majority Of them be-
/ ing dismouated AMI many badly
wounded. They werc without wa
ter. and apparently spirit broken.
REp.-Did YOU learn any particu
lars of the fight with tie Indians By
Col. Garcia's command?
Gen. W.-Only wkat was told me
bv the United States officers who
were on the field FIVE or six hours a.
ter the fight ended. The Indians
who had stolen away from the front
Of Tupper's command during tho
night, made directly for the Janos
river. The Mexican troops number
ing about 800, were
on THE LOOKOUT
For Indians. but had no definite
knowledge Of where they were, and
the first ntination they had of the
proximity Of the hostile.' was by ob-
serving the clouds OF dust coming
across the alkali plain early in the
morning. They decided that Il body
of Indians was enhancing and the
troops were deployed along the arroyo
under cover and made preparations
to receive them. The advance guard
of some fifteen or twenty Indiana.
was permitted to get water and pass
on, Col. Garcia reServing his fire for
the main body in the rear. When
they approached
A DEADLY FIRE -
was opened on them, which was
promptly returned by the Indians
The latter being in a sandy arroyo
commenced at once to vigorously dig
pits for their protection, and, for Il
time, the sand flew with astonishing
rapidity. II was a matter Of life
or death with the Indians and they
fought with great desperation. Col.
Garcia afterwards told our officers
that for time it was "qaien sabe'
case as to which side would win. The
Mexicans, however, closed in gradu-
ally and overpowered the hostiles,
who left over fifty dead upon the
field, and moro than thirty squaws
and children were taken prisoners,
among them Loco's daughter. The
Mexican loss was twenty killed and
about thirty wounded. When our
troops arrived the dead bodies were
still on the field and were counted;
among then were seventeen bucks
who were bandagcd, showing that
they had been wounded in previous
engagements with our troops. Lieut..
Dorr told me that in a sand hole
dug by an Indian was his dead body,
a little, scrubby fellow, not more
than twenty-one years old, and that
on a small circle around the hole lay
the body Of five Mexican soldiers,
showing how dearly he had sold his
life. As soon as the fight was over
the Mexican commander sent two
hundred men in pursuit Of
THE FLEEING HOsTILES,
and he informed our officers that he
was quite sure he would get a major
ity Of them, and laughingly said
"you Americans need give yourselves
no uneasiness az to the return Of the
prisoners We have or may take"
The Mexicans captured the re-
mainder of the stolen stock-43 head.
So it would seem as though Locus
band has been completely annihila-
ted, and we have nothing more TO
II - =. IL G..nro L. L.