The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1897-04-22


THE REBELS WERE IN FULL FLIGHT.
of the rebel Capt Ritter asked him if he
could not silence the rebel gun. Kelly re-
piled he would do his best. The distance
was about 500 yards.
When the rebel gun was run out of the
! brush to be discharged John Kelly threw a
! solid shot, which hit it fairly in the muzzle
exploding it and killing three men, one of
! whom was the rebel gunner, his brother.
This engagement was known as the battle
! of Pigeons Ranch AS Col. Slough had al
/ ready exceeded his instructions, and rs Col.
/ Paul who had been left in command of
! Fort Union, was violently opposed TO the
/ movement the column reireated on the goth
to San Jose, took up strong position and
waited day for the temperance of the
| Texans.
/ But the Texans were discouraged by the
results of the battles of the Goth and 2Sth,
and failed to come. Two days later we were
back at Fort Union. Col. Slough resigned
! his commission, went East aud was immedi
ately commissioned Brigadier-General of
] Volunteers, and served with distinction in
the Army of the Potomac until the close of
1 the war.
Canby left Fert Craig on March 81 with
1
/ Carson. 1st y NJ, and with the remainder Of
his forces, / 200 men, started up the Rio
Grande with the purpose of forming juno
ton with Col Paul, who with the Colorado
troops and about 250 Regular Cavalry, 200
men all told, including one section each of
| Ritters and Clafiin's batteries, left Union
April 6.
Cnivington had been promoted Colonel,
succeeding Slough, and We We're enthusiastic
and sanguIne of either capturing Sibley's
entire force or driving him from the Terri
tory.
When at a point about forty miles from
Santa Fe, we were met by party Of rebel
officers bearing white flag. Paul refused
/ all terms OF surrender of the Texan forces
proposed by them, and distinctly informed
them that unconditional surrender of their
force was the only terms he would accept,
aud rejecting those terms, they would be
obliged to fight or run.
Sibley understood perfectly, and at once
evacuated Santa Fe, and with the remnant
OF his fine body OF Texas Rangers, number
ing about ,2O0 men, and five pieces OF artil-
! lery a; once started Tor home. lie had LETT
San Antonio with an army of $500 men, Is
pieces of artillery and the necessary trans
portation and supplies, as he supposed, TO
last him until he should possess himself of
Uncle Sans property IN New Mexico. Not
a thought Of failure seems to have entered
his mind until he came IN contact with the
Pixies Peakers in Apache Canyon.
The engagements of the 26th aud 2Sth of
March blasted his londest hopes, and now i,
his army completely cut to pieces and de-
moralized, he is in full retreat, his only
thought being, How can / avoid another
engagement. Candy moved slowly north
at the rate of six TO 10 miles per day, while
| We Travelled south at the rate OF from Is
miles per day to 80. We had previously
made frequent marches of 40 miles per day,
but it remained for us TO beat all previous
records On the 18th day of April. 1868, we
| left Galieteo, about ID miles from Santa Fe,
and joined Canby's forces at Carnavel Pass,
some 80 miles from Peralta.
Leaving Callisteo al 2 o'clock a. M. on the
morning OF that day, We tramped almost four
miles per hour for 10 hours meeting Candy
comfortably encamped in mountain pass,
IS miles from the camp we had left in the
morning.
We rested the next day, however, until 5
| o'clock p. m, when the combined forces
started back for Peralta, 30 miles distant, and
on the east bank OF the Rio Grande. In the
meantime the Confederates had in their re-
treat reached the latter place one day ahead
of US, and when we went into camp at about
2 O'Clock in the morning of April IS, the
rebel officers were occupying the towr, and
believed that they had succeeded in GLIDING
Candy.
They were eating drinking, and making
themselves merry at fandango. Our scouts
approached the adobe walls Of the town, and
even looked in at the windows of the dane
ing-hall without being discovered.
But Candy seems to have been over
cautious, Tor we laid down on our arms
until sunrise, when, on empty stomachs, we
| formed IL line for attack, and at once pro-
ceeded 10 business. The battle consisted
mostly OF duel between the opposing artil-
lery. 1t lasted until sundown, when CANDY
hauled oil has forces, aud allowed Sibey to
escape during the night by crossing TO the
west side Of the river.
This battle cost US the death of two men.
while We captured 20 mules, several wagons
loaded with supplies, took some 80 prison.
ers. and killed four or five of the enemy.
This was the last battle of the campaign for
the Colorado Volunteers. The following
dag the Union force moved down the east
side Of the Rio Grande, and camped at night
near the town of La Joya, on high bluff,
while the rebels were similarly situated on
the opposite side of the river. We expected
TO cross the river at a ford some 10 miles be-
! low, and fight them again, but during the
t night they abandoned part of their artil-
} lsry, and ali of their wagons but six OF
seven, and under cover of heavy wind and
sand storm struck across the country by an
old trail which led directly west from the
river We continued on south TO Fort Craig
which point we reached on April %, and
were glad of an opportunity TO rest.
We were ordered 10 Denver during the
+ latter part of November 1866, and mustered
( out of the service.-A. w. ARMSTRONG, Co
X, LIST Colo, Hepburn, Iowa.
No SAFER OR MORE EFFIcAcIoUs REMEDY
= | can he had for Cauohs or any tronble of III,