The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1896-11-27
and Randy wrote in eager delight to


Arizona deserts, but Maj. Cullen was
losing not an hour. He was a man
who had seen much service among the
Apache Indians, knew their haunts
and habits, and was both feared and
trusted by them. No sooner was the
old regiment fairly out of Arizona, and
before the new one was fairly in, there
flew hurried dispatch to San Francis
co that was flashed on across the Sier-
ras and Rockies and caught the new
major at Omaha. In brief words it
told him that there was universal up
rising among the Apaches and asked
how soon he could return, as the gen.
eral commanding held open for him an
important command. In twenty-four
hours the reply was at Drum barracks.
''Start this morning. Expect me by
25th.'
One week later courier from Pres
colt, riding post haste with dispatches
to the new commander at Retribution,
warned him that he must guard his
working parties and the road between
the old and new post. The Tontos had
dumped" Now, Tonto in the Mexican
dialect means fool or idiot, but the
Tonic Apache was no fool. The craft
lest, cunningest of Indians he, and well
had the chiefs and young men reasoned
that good time to strike would be
just as the old and seasoned regiment
left the territory, and before the new
one, utterly untutored in Apache STRAIT
agem and mountain scouting, could be-
gin to get down to their work. And so
all through the wild hunting grounds
in the Sierras their war fires and sig
nails blazed by night and puffed in
smoke cloud by day. All across the
rocky chasms and among the pine
crested ranges from the haunts of the
Hualpais in northern Arizona down
through the valleys of the Verde and
the Hassayampa, the home of Apache
Mohave and Apache Yuma; across the
broad basin between the Mazatlan and
the Black Mesa and southwark to the
Sierra Ancha, the Tonic Apaches had
sent their messengers urging instant
and united action, and down from the
mountains, on stage road, trail and
mining camp, swooped the savage foe-
men, and all Arizona walked to a new
reign of terror.
Among the first mines abandoned as
the result of this sudden raid were
those on the Santa Anita. The first
refugee to claim the protection of the
commander of new Fort Retribution
was Muncey, speedily followed by half
q dozen others-all with fearful tales
of massacre and pillage. 1t was hot
June evening, when they gathered at
aIo Of ,o h11, ff 1nolyir,rr nd
from the adjutant's Office over the
southern foothills of the range, to
where, faint and dim, the guard lights
of the old post could just be distin-
guished through the rare Arizona at
mosphere, twinkling feebly in the low
lands of the Sandy, ten long miles
away.
'.How many of our people are left
down there under care of the guard?"
asked Capt. Raymond of the stern-
faced old soldier in command.
''Only the ordnance sergeant's family
and the workmen dismantling what's
left of the post"
''No women or children besides
Kelly's?'
''None. The last were moved over
to-day-unless we count MacDuff.
Leon said he wanted to stay with old
Kelly to the last"
"Leon!" exclaimed the miner Muncey,
in apparent amaze. "Why, thought
that boy was-was safe in Sonora with
his mothers people," Whereat two of
his fellow miners looked keenly into his
face and then exchanged quick and ex-
pressive glances.
''That boy" said Capt. Foster, "is
like a cat. He found his way back
from Tucson to the old post, and sticks
to it so long as there's shingle left.
Look here" he continued, pointing to
jagged, conical shaped height clearly
defined against the soft hues of the
lingering twilight. "Yonder's Signal
Butte, overhanging the old rookeries,
and Kelly's ranch is mile beyond that,
Now suppose the Apaches did work
around to the west OF US and were to
swoop down on the Sandy, suppose our
people were able to get up there and
signal, how long would it take us to
turn out fifty horsemen and gallop over
those ten miles, and how much would
be left by the time we got there?"
The commanding officer stood in deep
thought for moment without replying.
He had sent to the old site only a lieu
tenant and twenty men. This would be
sufficient to protect the property still
unshipped and the lives of those still
detained there on duty, but there were
two ranches in the valley within a
couple of miles of the posts; there was
the camp of Jose's bull train, there was
Sergt. Kelly's little farm on the slopes
of the south gate of Apache canyon, all
beyond rifle shot of the guard. Kelly
was an old First Dragon man, a vet
eran who had fought Apaches quarter
of a century before, and declared that
he despised them. His wife and two
daughters lived at the ranch, and,
though bitterly disappointed at the re-
moval of the post, were by no means
afraid But no such outbreak as this
had occurred before. The Apaches were
more daring and better armed, and
down in the bottom of his heart Mai.
Thornton wished he had left bigger
force of cavalry at the post, but it was
now too late to change.
Darkness had settled down on the
garrison. The last hues of the twi-
light faded out of the western sky. The
guard lights at the distant valley
twinkled family, but steadfast, through
the warm, pulseless air. Over at the
half-fnished quarters the drums and
flies of the infantry were sounding tau