Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1903-07-31

, sive territory to defend, and a second
Confederate army under Earl Van
Dorm was gathering in northern Texas
to march in Canby's rear against Fort
| Union, in the northern part of New
Mexico, east of Santa Fe. He decided
to follow Sibley up the valley and
harass his march and keep him away
from the supplies stored at Fort Craig
and Fort Union. But on Feb. 81 one of
his colonies, who had been sent to the
east bank of the river to watch the en-
envy, brought on a desperate battle
The troops on both sides were chiefly
local volunteers. but the officers had
served in the regular army.
The battle of Valverde opened with
erts, which drove the Confederates
from their ground, and at O'Clock vic
tory seemed to hang over the Federal
banners. In sheer desperation Sibley
sent two storming parties against the
Federal TANKS. On the right Halls
Federal battery, supported by Kit Car
sons Colorado volunteers and a bat
talon of regulars, drove back the as
sailants with fearful slaughter, but on
the left there was another story to tell.
Captain Alexander McRaes battery
formed the chief element of Federal
strength on that flank. 1t was manned
by regulars, who defended the guns
until every horse in the battery and
half the cannoneers had been shot
down.
The Confederates were led by Major
A. S. Lockridge, a former army COM
rade of McRae. McRae stood by the
last gun, surrounded by his fallen
braves. Lockridge placed his hand up
on the muzzle of the piece and demand
ed surrender. The two were not three
feet apart, and, looking each other
squarely in the face. both aimed their
revolvers and fired. Together they
dropped dead in their tracks. This
disaster to McRae turned the battle in
'Sbley's favor, and General Candy,
who had fastened from the fort to the
field, ordered a retreat.
From valverde Sibley marched north
to Santa Fe and prepared to attack
Fort Union. About that time Colonel
John I. Slough arrived at the fort with
the First Colorado volunteers and, be-
ing a fighting man, took it upon him
self to meet the enemy half way. On
the 2Sth of March Sibley's vanguard,
under Colonel Scurry, encountered the
Colorado volunteers. who We're known
rs pixies Peakers," in the Apache
canyon, about fifteen miles from Santa
Fe. The Confederates chose the battle
ground and stationed their fleldpieces
in the woods, with ritlemen secreted
among the trees.
A deep, narrow canyon offers a poor
field for regular battle, and the col
lsion known to the south as "Glori-
eta" and to the north as Apache Can
yon" might have ended in draw had
the antagonists been other than Dor
derers eager for the fray. The pixies
Peakers" led off by stealing among the
trees along the canyon and picking off
the Confederate gunners, while their
own artillery and infantry marched
down the bed of the valley. No hazard
. was too great for the Texans TO hold
up these dangerous flankers Led by
, Colonel Scurry, the Fourth Texas cav
airy deployed on foot across the can
yon and rushed forward with drawn
revolvers and pistols. The fight they
opened up was man against man. A
deadly struggle ragged for a few mo-
ments, the pixies Peakers" getting
the worst Of it, even though they were
at home In a rough and tumble battle.
The greatest slaughter fell upon the
, Confederates. While the Federal guns
swept the gulch with canister the Tex
ans three times charged upon the
/ battery almost to the muzzles Of the
pieces.
| After the battle In the canyon Colo
. mel Slough returned to Fort Union and
. Colonel Scurry to Santa Fe. Candy
/ started north for Fort Union, and Gen
eral Sibley, being without supplies or
money, decided to retreat to Texas and
, reorganize for a new attempt he
/ reached Fort Bliss in May with less
than half his following. Learning that
a California column was marching east
, ward through Arizona to attack him
3 from the west, he continued his retreat
to San Antonio.
, While the Confederates under Colo
3 mel Baylor and General Sibley were op-
|, Grating in Arizona and New Mexico
] General George Wright, the Federal
: commander on the Pacific coast, ortgi