The Irish standard., 1895-09-28

sheet OF the ordnance sergeant's official
paper, and began:
Il ssKELLY's RANCH, South Of Apache
Canyon, June 3, 1877. Assistant Ad-
jutant General, Headquarters Depart
ment of Arizona:
Sir have the honor to report that
on receipt of your dispatch notifying
me Of the Apache outbreak, and direct
ing me to guard well my working par
ties at old Fort Retribution and the
road connecting it with the new post,
j detached Lieut.. Crane, with twenty
Eof Capt. Raymond's troop, and sent him
to camp. temporarily at the abandoned
corral, and also took steps to notify the
settlers north and south of the post OF
the new danger. Deerning it possible
that the Indians might attempt to pass
around us and raid the ranches, had
caused a beacon to be built on the sum-
NIT OF Signal Butte, and instructed
Lieut.. Crane to fire it if he learned the
Apaches were in the valley v,
..Last evening my sentrles reported
firing on the Prescott road, north of
the new post, and Capt Foster, with
his troop, was sent to investigate. He
reported by courier that he had come
upon two Mexicans, who claimed that
the Apaches had attacked them and
run off their mules, they themselves
escaping BY hiding in a dark ravine.
They also reported q large party Of
prospectors, ETC., at Ration Springs, and
represented them as being in peril of
similar attack, so Foster pushed on at
once to their succor, expecting to reach
them at midnight. At two-thirty a: m.
| Trooper Ruckel, sentry on post No. s
in the low ground to the north of the
post, was found dead, pierced by sew
eral Apache arrows, and Capt. Ray
mond with his men made a search
through the chapparal as far as the
foothills without discovering anything
of the enemy. A few minutes later q
horse recognized as Private Rafferty's,
of G troop, came riderless andwounded
into the post, and had just dispat ched
Capt. Turner with his troop at day
break to scout the country along the
Prescott road, when the flaming signal
at the butte told that the Indians had
worked around to the valley to the west
of us. Leaving Capt. Raymond with
the infantry and his half troop to
guard the post, I proceeded with Troop
F. (Turner's) to this point, reaching
here after sharp trot in less than an
hour and a quarter, only to find the
Indians fed with some stock from
Kellv's ranch and Lieut.. Crane al.
ready in pursuit. The only casualty
in the valley thus far reported is one
Mexican herder killed at Kelly's, and,
j regret to add, the probable loss OF a
gallant little fellow Leon MacNntt,
whose pony was found few minutes
ago at the foot of the butte with three
Apache arrows through him. It, is
feared that the boy has been killed or
run off by the Indians, who are report
ed to have fed into the Businesses of
the Socorro, to the north of us. If 80,
between Capt. Fosters troop, already
in the field, and those here at hand,
hope to make short work of them"
And here Maj. Thornton was inter
rupted by the entrance, of the ordnance
| sergeant. 1t must be rememb ered now
that old Kelly had served:in Arizona in
his dragon days, before the war, and
had just completed another period ct
five long years with the Eleventh cav
| airy, the predecessors OF Thornton's
regiment. Like every other old sol
der. he was inclined to the belief that
newcomers had very much to learn,
and, as we have seen, the Indians them
selves were taking advantage OF this
| inexperience. Kelly couldn't be dis
| respectful to an officer, but he had
much to say, and there was no time to
he lost:
Nav L speak to the. major?" was his
labrupt request, as he stood erect at the
doorway, his hand raised in salute.
! Thornton wheeled round in his chair
and looked up in quick interest.
..Certainly, sergeant. Go ahead!"
wAs j understand it, sir, Lieut..
Crane party followed the trail into the
canyon, and would 60 on through in
pursuit. J" ,s5e$.
..That's my understanding also, said
the major. III sS -...
e.And did the major order the de-.
tachmer1t that foil owed Lieut.. Crane to
20 On till they came up with him?
l.s.Yes. He couldn't go very far, you
| know: he took no rations.
sssI know, sir: but from what I hear
the lieutenant rode straight into the
|gcanyon and expected to find the raiders
there5 somewhere. Once into II, sir,
there's no way out but through It.
Very true Z.
| ..Yen, what I'm afraid Of, sir, is this,
the Indians who have run that stock
nto the canyon SO as to make a trail to
draw. the troops in pursuit are only two
| or three in number, but y. there are
! more Indians IN those fills-and the
! chances are there are---s'' - and Kelly
pointed significantly to the rugged
heights so nearly oyershado lowing them
-. the most Of them will be found lying
I on their bellies up the cliffs and ready
,sfo heave down whole tonssof rock on
our fe 1lows ID the gorge. 81 Ell I'll
Thornton started to his feet and
1 fstared eagerly ont Of the north window
81 front st him. avery serfors
maj lie said Y 1bnt yyould have
heard Isl III this The 81 are
I nesarly an down .s'are they
All sl.sas IL
81
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