The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1894-09-14
A BATTLE WITH APAoHEs.
An Old Indian Fighters Clever and Cour-
ageous Act.

~
of the southwest and all the merchan-
disc was hauled overland from the Mis-
souri, in wagons, Don Juan Christobal
Armijo, of Albuquerque, was one of the
richest men in New Mexico He was
also one of the most progressive and
clear-headed, and, seeing the possibili-
ties of profit in freighting, he converted
most of his lands and cattle into cash
and the cash into wagons and mules.
He had, in the early sixties, fifty big
freight wagons and six hundred mules
In those days mules were mules" and
worth from three to five hundred dol
lors apair. They were also worth steal
ing, and the Apaches and Navajos knew
that for sure.
One summer day in 1862 long train
of Senor Armijo's wagons came crealx-
ing into Albuquerque from Tucson, and
the three hundred mules that had
dragged them across the deserts and the
prairies were turned out upon the mesa
near the town to Craze, guarded by two
herders.
A band of Apaches had followed the
train patiently for days, watching for
chance to stampede and steal the
stock, but Armijo's teamsters had been
too vigilant to give them an opportuni-
ty, and the Apaches, keeping out Of
sight, had trailed the train to the end
of its journey.
1t was a warm day, the mules were
glad of a chance to rest and Craze
and would not stray, and the herders
dozed in their saddles. No danger
could be suspected so near the town,
and when the mules on the outskirts Of
the herd began to sniff and snort the
sleepy herders paid no heed to them.
There was low but sharp whistling
in the air, and one of the men pitched
from his saddle with three arrows be-
tween his shoulder blades. The other
felt the thud and sting of an arrow in
his side, and was almost unseated by
the sudden frantic leap of his horse.
The attack was not followed by the
shrielSs and yells usually employed to
complete a stampede. The Apaches,
who appeared suddenly and mysteri-
ously on all sides, were silent, and, al
though many of them carried rifles,
not a shot was fred at the herder as he
galloped furiously away. A few arrows
whistled viciously past him as he fed,
and two or three Indians followed
short distance, but were easily OUT
stripped by the herder's fresh horse,
maddened by the arrow in his haunch.
The herder, mortally wounded,
reached the town and told Don Christie
bal that band of Apaches had driven
away his three hundred mules, and
then they pulled the arrow out of his
side and his life followed it.
The Apaches, it was known, would
strike for the Manzano mountains, and
near these mountains lived Don Man
uel Chaves, the most daring and sue
cessful Indian fighter in New Mexico.
Don Christobal set about getting o
troop together to follow the Apaches,
but first he put his son, Juan, upon his
thoroughbred mare and told him to
ride to Don Manuel's place as he never
rode before, and get that warrior and
his men to head off the band in the
mountain passes.
Young Juan gave the mare her head
and few over the prairie like the desert
wind, covering the forty miles in lit
tie more than three hours. But when
he arrived at Don Manuel's ranch and
told his story, he was dismayed to
learn that all of the Dons men were
out chasing Navajo sheep thieves, and
that Chaves himself was the only man
at home, except sick brother-in-law
in the house.
Don Manuel was not in the least ex-
cited by the news. He listened gravely,
and then invited young Armijo to
ner, Don Manuel rose, took his rife
from the pegs, and said:
''Now, my boy, we will go out and
head off those Apaches."
"What! You and II"
Certainly; why not? We have plenty
Of time, and your mare is we'll rested
and able to get there. Are you afraid?"
"Surely, Don Manuel, am not afraid,
but my father told me to come to you
and do whatever you should say, and
will go with you. But think we shall
be killed, for there are many Apaches."
Don't be afraid! We shall not be
killed. You know that L have seen
many Indians, and you can believe what
I tell to you"
So Don Manuel and young Don Juan
mounted their horses and rode away
into the mountains to stop twenty-four
Indian warriors and fight them. Chavea
knew the pass the Indians would have
to take, and he led the way to high
point that commanded it, dismounted,
and concealed the horses in the timber.
Looking out upon the plains, they
presently saw two clouds of dust, one
made by the Indians and the herd of
mules, and the other, some miles be-
hind, evidently indicating the pursuit
by Don Christobal and his men.
When the Indians entered the pass
Don Manuel told young Armijo to re-
main out of sight, while he stepped out
upon the crest of the ridge in plain
view. The Apaches soon caught sight
of this lone figure, boldly outlined
against the sky, calmly surveying them
from the ridge, and they halted and
rounded up the mules in bunch.
Chaves counted twenty-four warriors,
seventeen of them armed with rifles.
The Apaches huddled together, appar-
emily consulting and uncertain what to
do.
Chaves watched them keenly, and In
a moment he saw one slip from his
horse and glide into the woods. He
knew that the warriors purpose was to
get.upon the ridge and ascertain the
strength of the force that the Indians
to be in front of them, and he
knew that the success of his plan de-
,opdad unou nreventiuO the scout from