Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1900-10-02
Col. BrOdie'S Two Wounds

, Famous Rough Riders Story of Two THRILLING
CpiScdes In His Eventful Career.

Cpisodes In His Eventful Career. q
TT WAS . strange coincidence"
sa6d Col. Brodie, the second in
command of the famous rough riders
the other day, as he with few of that
scattered band of famous fighters were
waiting for a train to Williams. TITS
astrange coincidence that I was wound
ed when I was a lieutenant, just fresh
from West Point, on the Gath day OF
June, by Apaches out here, and it was
the s4th day of June, over 20 years
later, I was wounded at Los Guaymas,
In Cuba, and nearly in the same place.
Il was nothing but a kid then, and
was stationed at Fort Grant. A short
time afterward I was sent to Fort
Apache during the outbreak in '73,
built up the place, and was helping to
keep the red cusses in shape there with
a few men. I rode into the country on
horseback, over 100 miles, and you'd
have to ride $50 more miles to get to
the nearest point ON the railroad to
the north.
I'VE had been cooped up at Fort
Apache for over four months without
any mail; the men were getting rest
less-guess it wa enough to make
them restless, too, for we expected the
whole herd of Apaches down on us
at any time. You never could tell
what old Geronimo would do. One day
the captain gave me a detail of Is men
and told me to 60 to Fort Grant for
mail and q few supplies. 1t was over
100 miles and through the Indian
country all the way, hills and desert
where a jackrabbit would have trouble
to keep On a trail. About half way out,
eight of my troopers deserted. There
was no use'in my trying to get them
back again, for you couldn't find them
in the frat place to get them back
again, and I couldn't have took 'em
back with me If I had found them, be-
cause I didn't have enough men to
do it.
I'VE had been lodging hostile bands
Of Indians for some time before we
Nod a brush with them. Coming up
through a long draw we jumped up a
band of about Is or 20 and the music
commenced. There was no way of GET
ting in any fancy. nov on them,-we
were in the bottom of a long draw, or
canyon, just about wide enough for
an ordinary road. 1t was either 20
ahead, retreat or climb a side of the
canyon. There wasn't much to hest
tate over; we would have had a long
retreat down thatdraw and been potted
ii we attempted to climb the sides of
the canyon. Ny sergeant was an old
timer, a. were a number of my little
band. They knew a. we'll as / did that
the only thing that would save US
was q quick dash right into them
that the Indian can't stand
little bit unless they outnumber you
ten to one. We gave them a volley to
stir them up, and let them know we
were coming, and had the satisfaction
Of seeing three or four of them DROP,
then, yelling like q lot Of hyenas, we
down the draw on a dead rum,
headed straight into them. Each
swung out his six-shooter
ready for a snapshot at the first In-
lian he could reach. The old sergeant
vas close at my heels, with every fell
hugging down close to the saddle.l
turned half around in my saddle just
we struck them, and as I did sol
! bullet broke through my saddle horn
md another cut through my vest and
tipped me across the stomach about al
lalf-inch deep. ,
"The 'Paches couldn't stand the rush.
We run them up the canyon about al
nile before they could find any side (,
freaks to get out Of and scatter. We! !
ost three troopers in the fight. After !
t was over we went back to where they
we're, rolled them in their blankets and ,
uried them among the rocks as best !,
could. There wasn't much ceremony Y
r tears for the poor fellows-we hadn't i,
line for it; we all expected the same :,
hing all the time; besides there was :
splendid possibility of the whole =
unch Of US going the same way before !
got through, without anyone left =
roll us in blanket. II the poor In :
gathered in a band of blue-coats, =
e also gathered up their hair, and left =
flock of buzzards to do the rest. y
"After burying the troopers we 4
truck a trail up the canyon side and I,
Imped in a clearing where we could Il
ommand a view Of the country sur h,
,unding, and doctored up our wounds T,
} best we could; mine was painful, ~
1T only q flesh wound. ! think I was m
'rer over my ruined new coat and vest
ian from the wound. :,
1.-THE band of Indians circled around =.
II camp again that afternoon, and =,
9 exchanged long shots with them, ~
ithout doing any damage to either p,
As soon as night came we struck 20
It for Fort Grant as fast as we could -;
AXE it through the night, and eluded a.
EN-. An Indian won't fight at night, g
unless you force him to. -,
we reached the fort late the next AZ
y. The closer we came to it the less
niger there was, for troops from the bu
rtkept the country round pretty well No
'aned up and quiet. ert
We stayed at the fort for several Il
~, until u wounds healed, before
king q return trip. The colonel in
mmand Of the fort insisted on nv !
'ying there for a time, Al there were "a
II 200 hostile Indians on the warpath IL
'ttered all over that country. He
d me that it was foolish to make the ,
empt, and never expected TO see me viii
ve again, but I was young, and had rae
d the captain I'd be back as soon \
I could make the trip with the mail sta
4 supplies, and wouldn't stay.