Delta chief., 1883-06-20
yac Mig surprise Of the casa Gr.na-.

Prom the San Francisco Examiner.
To-day the mos: admired military man in
Northern Mexico is Colonel Garcia, and his
popularity rests ou single success. known
the Surprise Of the Casa Grpnde.n To
our request Colonel Garcia said that he had
been witness to only "a part Of the engage
menf.
''I,ut you. Captain he said, turning "were
in the midst ofit. The Office spoken to was
tall, slim Young man. with the beautiful
eyes and delicate. s;,l like features so often
-een among oar tropical narhbors. He.
courtcously drawing his ''scrapc'' little
closer aud lighting fresh cigarette, began /:
''You must know ,ha; not long since VIC were
scouting with four companies near the dead
line between chihuahua and New Mexico.
T'hr heat for days had been excessive. and our
hun, after the Apache fruiilcss. The men
were dispiri.cd. and, their provisions being
exhausted, the Colonel demanded our return
to the mountains and the nearest town. II
was n typical tropical day, and the men NOV
c'i silently under the scorching sun. We had
Travelled since dayiigh., and abont noon reach.
I'd where the trail began to climb the noun.
tain through narrow canon. Here one Of
oar Babispe scouts, who had been riding in
the rear OF the line. spurrcd his Indian pony
along the train, aud reaching the Colonel
pointed to a cloud of dust ON the horizon,
saying, The Apache The column of dust
was ten miles oil. but our scou, was faithful
one, and we trusted TO his warning. Entering
the pass the men were directed TO climb the
sides OF the canon aud hide themselves. How
quietly they lay, almost clcft TO the rocks,
fearing almost TO stir in the dread that the
cupning Indian nature would scent the trap
and balk the ambush. Almost every man
had some murder TO avepgc, some outrage to
repay. In two hours the Apnchcs came hur-
ryiny along to the number Of leo warriors.
and the squaws following, driving the stolen
stock. To MS the haste of the Indians was
mystery, but looking again we saw, about two
hours behind, the American troops in hot
pursuit. But the pursued imagined them
selves safe, MS they had reached the noun.
tains. unsuspcctingly they crowded through
the pass until our buglc gave the signal for
the first vollcy. For one moment the Indians
stood astoundcj but then their wild nature
came TO their rescue. With one accord each
man sprang to the nearest cover n rock or
stump. 1t was useless. Our men were
perched above them, and for four hours every
Apache head that showed itself below was II
target for u dozen rifles. To us II was day
of reckoning for years of violence, and each
mans aim became stcadier Us he thought of
some murdered brother or friend. Gradually
the fire from the bed OF the canon ceased, cx-
cept from one spot. There, sheltered and in
trcnchcd behind bouldcrs and safe from our.
rifles, lay seven Of the Apache chiefs. The
bayonct was our only recourse for dislodging
tlSm. Four times the bugle sounded the
charge three times our men were driven
back, and every time the uncrring Indians
claimed one dead soldier each. On the fourth
charge our men swnrmcd over the rocks from
hll sides, and their bryoncts tossed the bodies
Of the hated enemies in the mir. From that
fight but twelve Of the Indians were supposed
to have made their escape. We killed Ia all
perhaps 40 men and women, but no loss in.
fiictcd on them repaid ms for the killing of
our thirty.two brave men, Both tho fate Of
those victims and the fate Of our couEtrymen
who went before them shall be remembered