Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1899-08-22
ON ESCORT DUTY.
BY B. LEWIS.

BY CHARLES B. LEWIS.
One day a mail rider arrived at the from
tier fort with such news that a sergeant
and six men and an ambulance were or
dered out within an hour to escort and
convey the colonel's wife down to the rail
road. For a year there had been no open
act of hostility on the part of the Indians,
but we had known for weeks that they
were making ready for an outbreak. 1t
was queer enough that the colonel should
come down to US in person as we stood be-
side our saddled horses, knowing nothing
of where we were to go or the object Of the
trip, but stranger yet that all military
etiquette should 60 out Of his voice and
demeanor as he said:
"Men, I am going to send my wife down
to the railroad to go east. You are to be
her escort. 1t is a case of life or death, OR
she would not go. I am afraid of the In
dams, and yet I think you will get through
all right. You are to make the best time
possible. If attacked
"We shall beat them of, sir" replied
Sergeant Gregg after waiting half a min
ute for the colonel to finish.
i uOpO you Odhs = u ol4y AA oAS
seven of you and a driver. Eight men
ought to beat off 100 Indians, unless taken
in ambush. Be watchful and prudent
Sergeant, you are an old Indian fighter.
You will know best what to do. You will
get away by l o'clock. Travel as fast as
you can and as late as you can, so as to
finish the journey tomorrow. If you are
attacked
The colonel did not finish. He looked
at each man and horse, inspected the am.
bulance and its pair Of mules, and with a
half nod to us he walked away. His wife
must go, and, owing to details and sick
ness, no commissioned officer could be
sent along. If the Indians were out, an
escort of 20 men would not be too large.
Only eight of us were to go. Had he fin
ished his sentence he would have said:
1T attacked and you are about to fall
into the hands Of the red devils, do not let
my wife be captured alive"
We understood what he meant, though
we said nothing to each other. No mat
ter what he or any one else feared, the lit
tie woman was almost merry as she took
her seat in the ambulance for the start.
Nothing had happened when we reached
the valley, and as we looked around US
: and across it nothing could be seen to
alarm. We had just taken the ropes oil
the blocked wheels of the ambulance when
the warwhoopo of the hostile Indians sound.
ed behind us, and we looked back over ouI
trail to catch sight Of 100 mounted war.
riors bearing down upon us. They had
picked our trail and run us down.
"Mountl Now, straight across the val
leyl Fall in to the rear of the ambulance. F"
The voice of the old sergeant was hard
and firm as he spoke. The curtains of the
ambulance were up, and I glanced at the
%oolonel's wife. She had seen and heard.
Her cheeks had paled, but she was remov-
ing a repeating rifle from its hooks as we
fell in behind the vehicle. 1t was a cleal
five mile dash. The prairie was as level
az q floor, and the mules needed no urging
after hearing the yells Of the Indians. The
soldier driver wound tn lines about his
hands, braced his feet, and away we went.
We had a start of half a mile. No man
looked back. The pace was a hot one, and
there was cover five miles away. The In
dams gained on us, but only inch by inch
The mules took up such a gait that ou1
horses had to lie right down to 1t to keep
uU, NUU q WOIN Wno opOhOh ~ wv Aoaoi
but every ear listened to locate those COM
ing up behind us. If they came too near,
we must halt and open fire while the am.
bulance pushed on. We had almost reached
cover before three or four rifle bullets came
singing over our heads. Three minutes
later we were among the trees and rocks.
and the race was ended. As the ambu.
lance halted and we flung ourselves of
our horses I looked back and saw a band
of at least 70 Indians almost within rifle
shot of us. The road struck the hills at a
gulch, and they dared not follow us into
that. They gave vent to their %disappoint.
ment by shouts and yells and Il waste OF
ammunition, and for a few minutes they
had no plan In view.
"Well, we beat them in a fair race, !"
said the colonel's wife as she descended
from the ambulance with the rifle in he1
hands. Sergeant Gregg, what are you
going to do now?"
"Take cover, ma'am," he replied as he
gave her the military salute.
eyes, of course, " she said as she looked
about. "Did you ever see a pair of mules
run fasterp l might have got q shot but
for you men behind. There must be near
100 Indians out there, but l guess we are
safe enough now"
She ratified on in that fashion while we
were taking the mules from the ambu.
lance and unsaddling our horses, and II
wal q great weight off our minds, to real
lie that she would not be a burden on OUT
hands. It was idle to think of pursuing
our journey in the darkness which would
soon close down, and before morning