The National tribune., 1901-06-27
SERVICE l0aOTHE PLAINS.
Adventures of TBotsiGsth Pa. Veterans in
the Regular Army.

Il
civil war many old veterans that belonged
to the infantry ind. cavalry regiments OF
the Union and Confederate armies Joined
the Regular Army, and were on frontier
stations. Some thad- been members of the
Regular establishment" "befo' de war" and
that restless sbiritln continuing caused
many, after having a few months sojourn
among their old acqlaIhtances at home, to
long for more adventures. The Govern
ment offered themL plenty of chances to
crafty their desire, as the different tribes
of Indians were becoming very trouble
some III the West. Among those who be
came Indian fighters were two comrades
of mine. Ed Glass and John r. Patton.
They enlisted in Co. III, Sd Cav. Jan. 10,
| 1866, and were stationed at Fort Stanton,
Lincoln County, \. NJ. They were both
men of courage and daring; young, and
capable of enduring any hardship; brave
with that cool judgment that make men
leaders when danger is lurking near.
Ed Glass became Sergeant in Troop E.,
Sd CAY, and had his right arm shattered,
which disabled him for life, in fight with
| the Apache Indians at Slim Buttes, Sept
8, 1876; while Patton killed his first In
dian, single-handed, in a fight near the
Giellena Mountains pronounced "Gie-
! na''), 90 miles northwest of Fort Stanton.
| The Indians had shot and disabled a SOL
| dier, and Patton, seeing his comrade in
| danger of being scalped, advanced and
| shot the Indian in the stomach. After q
| most desperate struggle, in which the red
| skin used his knife pretty freely, Pat
| ton managed to get two more shots in close
proximity TO the first one, when Poor Lo"
gave up the ghost.
John X. Patton was one of the four en-
listed men, with Serg't Glass, who fought
200 Indians, mentioned in General Order
No. IL, copy of which | send you, with
the account of the fight written by the
Sergeant himself, and who now lives in
NOrriStOwn, Pa, while Patton is on
ranch near White Oaks, n. NJ, and near
the spot where the big Indian came near
getting my old comrades scalp.
Headquarters Department of the Missouri,
Fort Leavenworth, Kan, May 20, 1868.
General Orders No. 10.
The MaJorGeneral commanding the De-
partment is pleased to notice the gallant
and meritorious conduct displayed by
Serg't Edward Glass, Sd u. 5. Cav, and
four enlisted men of Co. III, Sd U. s. Cav,
while patroling the Rio Tularosa, New
Mexico, in resisting and finally repeling
an attack made upon them by a body Of
Indians numbering about 200.
The persistent energy of Serg't Glass in
returning and renewing the tight, after
having twice been driven from his position
by superior numbers, resulting in the final
defeat of the Indians, who suffered a loss
of 10 killed and many wounded, was very
creditable, and is warmly commended.
Great praise is also due to those citizens of
TularOSa who volunteered and rendered
such prompt and efficient aid on this oc-
caSiOn.
BY command of Maj.-Gen. Sheridan.
CHAUNCEY MKEEVER,
Assist Adj't-General.
Serg't GLASS; account of the fight is as
follows. - a bnnt AhriT I 1SES / 40
tailed with IL men, cavalry and infantry,
to proceed without delay from Fort Stan
ton, n. NJ, and establish a picket sta
tion at Nesmit's Mill, Qn the Rio Tularosa,
80 miles from the fort. My instructions
were to patrol the route from the mill to
the small Mexican town of Tularosa, sit
uated in the valley of the same name
about nine miles ,distant. This section of
the country at~this ting was infested with
small bands of Apache Indians, that were
giving the settlers a great deal of trouble
After arriving at my destination, and
having comfortable quarters for men and
horses completed with the cavalry detach-
ment of the station under my command,
made several trips to Tularosa without
seeing any signs of Indians.
On April 10, there came to the saw
mill wagon train from the Rio Grande,
for the purpose of taking lumber back
with them The train was CONFUSED of
six wagons. with the finest of mules and
equipments. The drivers were all AIexi-
cans, and could not speak English; but the
wagon master, although Mexican, had
an English education, and was very much
of gentleman. | had several pleasant
chats with him on the day of his arrival
His intentions were to start on his return
to the Rio Grande on the 11th On the
10th, before | started on my regular trip to
Iularosa, he requested me, Oh the 18th,
when L was to return, to arrange it so
that l could meet him at Little Round
Top, which was about midway between
the mill and Tularosa, and a very bad To- |
cation to be attacked. / promised to COM
ply with his request, and with this under |
we parted.
No Indian signs were seen on the out |
ward trip, but when nearing Little Round |
Top on my return l discovered what took |
to be Indians, and in few minutes | was |
forced to realize that my friend, with his |
tram, was entirely surrounded by them. |
10 get to him was aa impossibility, for as |
soon as my party was discovered by the |
Indians they came for us from all direc-
tons. There was no time to be lost, and |
with only five men l considered it fool
hardy to stand and have myself and men
slaughtered. So, after giving them a part
ing shot from our carbines, we started a
lively retreat, with the Indians in close
pursuit, and several times it looked as il |
they would overtake us, but the staying
power of our horses saved US, and after
a seyen-mile run the Indians gave I'D the
pursuit and we reached the town in safety.
1 at once called upon the Alcalde, and
stated the case to him. He issued a call
for volunteers, and % young men respond
ed. Towards evening a large smoke could
be seen IN the vicinity of Little Round
Top. This was caused by the burning of
the wagon train by the Indians, and it was
feared at this time that the men had all
been killed. This was lively night in
the little town of Tularosa, preparing to
start next morning, and just after day
break we started, with the well-wishes of
the people.
After leaving the valley l selected one
of the young Mexicans to act as guide,
and proposed leaving the road and take
to the foot hills, which was done. After
travelling seven miles we began to see
signs of Indians, and also found the fore
top Of the wagon-master's horse, where
the Indians had cut it off. In q few min
utes we were nearly surrounded by them.
1t appeared as though they came out Of
the earth, there were so many in such a
short time, and all this time the fight was
on in earnest and Railways contend, IL 1t
had not been that we fought our way into
an old breastworks that was there, our
little party would that day have gone to
the happy hunting grounds. But it was
not to be. We took possession of the
and had to fight desperate