Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1895-12-07
A Desperate Encounter.

IL was in the latter part OF the Sum-
mer OF ls49, about thirty miles from
Santa Fo now, In the Territory Of New
Mexico. Tho government troops were
near Santa Fe aud making hay for
their cavalry horses. There being no
tame hay In the country they had 10
resort " wild grass TO supply their
wants. IL was on this occasion that
one OF tho most desperate fights &C.
Cured, though little has ever been said
or written ABOUT it. The C0mauuhc
Indians Ia those days were warliko
people and M daring foe Of Uncle
Sans mon asevor met on the plains In
a battle, aud they were not conquered
Tor many years afterwards as a Tribe.
II was In the month OF August, 1870,
while small squad Of government
employees were camped several miles
from the post for this purpose Of putting
up hay for the post. 10 10 the ono
whose duty II was 10 do most VI the
cooking for the little squad that relates
this story and II ~ tue In every
particular n related 10 me. His
body bore many scare; aud % he
told the story Of how he came
by them, knowing him, rs l did, ! did
not doubt his word.
In the early morning as hia duty
called him up earlier than any one
else to prepare breakfast, he was busy
preparing the meal. A little after
broad daylight, before any one else OF
the company had arisen, he heard n
distant noise; quickly turning bis face
In the direction tho sound came from,
n sight greeted his eyes not very ploAt-
ant 10 behvld. Only about three hun.
dtod yards from camp on the prairie,
in lull gallop, from three 10 Ave hum
dreu warriors Of the Comauohos on
horseback were advancing, all In their
host war paint. The alarm was quirkly
given; the eommlssaty sergeant who
had the key 10 the obest wherein was
the most OF the ammunition, Hs soon as
ne ross from bis blankets took 90 his
heels a. fast al he could run In the or.
pOsite direction from where the Indi.
ans we're coming. AZ another was
rising ffom his bed he was
struck la the stomach by an
arrow; the next second another
was hit In the forehead AEd his days
on earth were ~ AN emu; another i0i-
lowed the sergeant, which lett only
nine out Of the twelve. This nine
tent desdly answers 10 tho message
that the uavEgss had already sent into
the littlo camp Of whites. ThsIo were
some hands went up ampnsst the In
dians anu some scteams-but they
were 40 fastened 10 their horses that II
WAS not easy 70 tell just what effect the
shots bad had. When only about
.uirty yhrds distant they turned anu
galloped away to \ safe distance, some
800 yArss, there holding q consultation.
| "a the meantime, though nearly every
one OF tue surviving whites had re-.
neiyed wounds, some were fatal. They
broke open the ammunition chest
with the butts OF their muskBls and
got TO the ammunition, but found they
GUY had six rounds lsfi. This was
1uIy procured in time, for by this time
ne snvAgeB were ON the return at iull
speed anu yelling at tho top oi their
voices. When In easy range for most
iierlual fte, they got good aim anu
in return gave the whites one with
interest. This charge was not broken,
tut they dashed right into camp Aun
many VI them dismounted. by this
time II became II hand-tO-hanj struggle
or life or death, and by the time the
six rounds we're hred only three were