River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1894-11-15

he had none to give. Myers had never
conceived the possibility of a dry
camp, and was sorry now that he had
not filed his canteen at the clear
sparkling stream, five mics back,
where other men of his party nad filed
theirs.
After crossing the San Francisco next
morning and entering the San Fran
cisco mountains, more CHASTITY dead
were met with. The appearance OF one
of these-Nat Luce (he could never for
get the name has ever been photo
graphed on Myers memory. Luce
and three companions left the town of
Alma the evening before, just about
the hour the troops were camping on
Alma mesa, fifteen miles distant.
Several miles out from town the small
party approached a steep hill. There
were pack mules along, and two of the
party stopped behind to tighten the
packs before trying the ascent of the
hill. Luce and the other man rode on
ahead. There was strong wind
blowing from the rear of the party.
No sound was heard by the packers,
but in about five minutes after Luce
and his cOmrade disappeared over the
hill Luce's horse came racing down
again, and the packers thought they
saw something wet and red staining
the saddle. The two packers retreat
ed hastily to Alma When Myers
saw Luce's dead body, lying on it's
back, both arms were in the posture,
frozen there by death, of man in the
act of firing a rifle. Near by were the
dead body and dead horse of Luce's
comrade. The Indian scouts pointed
out the spots where the hostiles con
cealed themselves, and where. with
guns on a rest, they murdered the two
men from a distance of not over ten
yards.
The succeeding morning, Friday,
dawned glorious day. by this time
Myers had become quite sensible that
scouting was not all galloping and
waving of sabers, and was beginning
to possess a reasonable doubt con.
corning the absolute correctness of
the famous illustration in the library
book of Custer and the Seventh cav.
airy. In this mountainous country
there was so much walking, actual
pedestrianism, and pulling up ones
horse behind one, none of which
seemed TO surprise the older men, al.
though he could remember moth.
ing whatever of this sort set forth
in any of his cherished prints.
Altogether experience was vastly diff
erent from anticipation - ''bnt if
l could only get at those fel.
lers," said Myers, land make 'em pay
for their murders!' Myers had found
a voice at last, even if he was a re-
particularly loud.
This days march was not over very
rough country in the beginning, but
the country became rougher as the
march grew longer. About noon
probably for incoming halt, horses
were unsaddled and dinners ordered
cooked when the command reached
the bottom of a deep and narrow
canyon. The surrounding hills Of the
canyon-called Diablo canyon, in the
black mountains of New Mexico-were
at lowest five hundred feet high, and
the easterly hills, in which direction
the trail was running. were tho
steepest in point of incline, and the
toughest in point of rocks Dividing
the narrow bottom of the canyon, which
was not more than one hundred and
fifty va rds in width, a clear, ice-cold
stream of water flowed, trending
southwesterly. There was excellent
grass on the westerly hillsides.
n hoN ne
they got little to eat, certain Indian
scouts should be sent up the easterly
hills to the summit towards the
hostile trail to guard against sur.
prise, and the tired horses were scarce
ly unsaddled and herds scarcely out
before a few scouts, fed quickly, be-
gan to climb the steep easterly slopes
In the meantime troops and packers
cooks were busy preparing dinners.
and troopers, packers and officers
were scattered here and there. Two
officers, one the squadron commander,
were tempted by the beautiful stream
to seize the opportunity of bath.
Everything looked peaceful, and no
one had reason to believe that immin-
ent danger was lurking.
Suddenly, by the time the foremost
scout had scaled the easterly summit,
rifle shot was heard, followed by a
second, and Immediately by other
shots in rapid succession. The tall
Jersey lieut. enant, lying down at the
time on the east side of the stream,
towards the firing, was the senior Off
Ger present The men were scattered,
mainly on the west side of the brook.
Getting on his feet, the lieutenant
called out: "Get your carbines, men;
come this way" There was a con-
fused murmur among some of the more
distant troopers about getting to the
horses" Let the horses alonev'
shouted the lieute nant. Get your
carbines; come this way" And, at
first all alone, he started up the east
erly hills toward the firing, and from
which bullets were now pouring down.
There was no chance to form any
thing like a line of battle. Troopers
Ieaped across the stream and followed
as best they could their intrepid leader.
Myers was among the more distant
troopers down stream, but he and old
Sergt. Atkinson, of his troop, and sew
eral others of the same troop, were
among the first to respond to the call.
II was stiff and hard climbing. Start
ing at double time, men soon lost their
wind, and were painting and struggling
over the entire hillside. The lieuten-
ant, realizing this, shouted: Rush
from ledge to ledge of the rocks, men!
Stop under each ledge and get breath!
Take all the cover you CAM And in
this way the advance moved forward.
When near The summit a junior lieu
tenant heard ra .her an odd noise from
some one behind. Looking back, he
saw that the noise come from little
Myers. The boy was crying and sob
bling from excitement and from the ex-
tire ne fatigue. but, with carbine
grasped firmly in hand. was coming
forward. Myers eviden tly thoroughly
realized the danger and hard work,
but he was there to stay.
Seventeen soldiers, all told, formed
the first line when the summit was
reached, and there found that the
Lawler. of X troop, was probably the
first man up, but the Others came
quickly epough-McGreavy (the wild
Irishmsn). Sergts. Atkinson and Walk
err, and the other brave men-and with
them was little Myers, one of the sew
enteen United States soldiers in the
front rank, who caused the only defeat
during the entire campaign that Ger
onimo ever suffered from regular sol
4 g., ha co. haf &c