Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1891-05-16

savages from whom murderous assaults
the traders were in constant peril even
while at home, They were attacked at
night in the Canyon de Chusco, and all
for dead with seven arrows in his body,
and his Indian servant, Pahe, who was
also fearfullv wounded. Alone and on
foot they started on that fearful Journey
homeward Pahe died of his wounds in
two davs and Manuel dragged himself
alone the rest OF the way, hiding by day
from the savages, crawling on by night,
followed by sneaking coyotes that never
left his bloody trail: tortured with thirst
and pain. with no food save the cactus
fruit, until az last faithful servant
| found hlm falntlng on the lest ridge OF
San Mateo and carried him home upon
his back
| When he recovered from these wounds
he was engaged as guide to party OF
| traders from Mexico to New Orleans, an0
thence went to st. Louis with young
Cuban, who finally robbed him Of ali he
| had in the world.
Then he returned to New Mexico and
settled in Santa Fe, but in 1916 had tc
] fee to Utah on account Of political com
plications.
The following year he was recalled
and put in command of an expedition
against the Utes, whom he thrashed
soundly.
The invasion of New Mexico by the!
American forces in the Mexican war was
| not opposed, and the Territory became
part of the United States without blood
| shed. Very soon thereafter came the
'Taos rebellion, a small but fierce up
rising of Apachcs and Pueblos in the
most northern of the Pueblo towns, aid
Manuel played an important part in sup.
pressing it. In fearful hand to hand
struggle, too, he saved the life Of his
ommander-Captain Zeran St. Yrain,
afterward owner of the 1000, 00e-acre
st. Vrain grant in Colorado. A gigan
tic Apache had his knife at the heart Of
the PROSTATE st. Vrain, when Don Man
uel, shooting foe who was almost upon
him, wheeled and crushed the skull OF
St. Vrain's assailant with the barrel of
his ponderous rifle.
In 1855 he led regiment of volunteers
on six months campaign against the
Utcs, making a brilliant record therein.
In 1857 he accompanied General Lor-
inrs command in the war against Cuchil
10 Negro BLACK Knife, the most re-
doubtable of all Apache warriors. lie
captured the savage chief with his own
hand in desperate night attack IN 8
gloomy canvon where his scouts had
fcrnd the camp of the hostlles. General
Loring was greatly elated oy this cap
, t,,re but the prisoner was murdered by
the officer left to guard him--a turbu.
, lent man who afterward met violen,
death.
In 1860, when large band Of MAYA jo
. made one of their characteristic raids o,
the Rio Grarde settlements andidrove OF
5000 sheep, Colonel Chaves pursued
, them with fourteen men. He overtooh
the hostiles a. nightfall at Ojo de l.
Monica and routed them; bat IN th
: morning found his camp surrounded by
c several hundred Navajos. From dawl
/ till dark of that desperate day the tifteef
/. heroes withstood the wild charges of tn
swarminr savages, each fighting from
behind his tree. One by one the brave
| New Meyicans sank back on the RED
s soaked earth, bristling with arrows, an
: at nightfall only two OF them were lett
}, Colonel Chaves and Roman Sanches-
), both fearfully wounded. A company {
q soldiers from Fort Craig arrived just
J time to save them. In that ghastl
s struggle Colonel Chaves had fred h
clumsy muzzle- loader eighty times, an
for every shot an Indian or horse has
fallen. He had two bullets left whe
the arrival of the troops ended :he figh
. That was the kind Of war they had Q
the early frontier.
In dozen other Indian outbreak;
before and after those 70 which I tav
so briefly alluded, Colonel Chaves iii
(. tnguishei himself by thcf same CO
le bravery, the same dauntless will and tll
&c same matchless Skill as q narksnan.
j, When the Civil War broke out Colon
1e Chayes took command Of the Secor
Regiment New Mexico Volunteers, al
n. did brilliant seEvice IN this ont-of-:h
- rar corner oF tho MON