Albuquerque weekly citizen. (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1891-19??, 1903-11-21
ON TORNADO DEL MUERTO
Capt. PeitlS Relates Interesting Epi-
sOde In His Army Service in 1853.
CALIFORNIA VOLUNTEER

Captain George II. Pettis Of Provi.
dence. Rhode island. who served dur.
ing the civil war as commanding Off
Ger OF Company Il, First California In.
} fantry and who passed through this
| territory recently on his way from the
national encampment of the Grand
Army Of the Republic at San Francis
&C. to his eastern home, stopping in
santa Re a few days. sends the New
Mexican another interesting inc.dent
OF his service in the territory.
Among the many incidents which
occurred on the tornado del Muerto in
times past. allow me to offer another
your readers.
In January, 1868. | was In com.
mand OF Company X, First California
Infantry, and was en- route from La
Mesilla TO Fort Craig where was to
take up permanent station with my
company. The Apaches we're in force
IN that section OF New Mexico and
much marauding and numbering by
them was going on. The tornado was
an especially dangerous place and il
was worth a mans life to travel on
It, singly or IN small parties there
fore kept a sharp lookout for hostiles
and was continuously on the alert.
The first night on the tornado made
a dry camp near a locality known as
the Point of Rocks" The next morn
ing we had TO make an early start
and | being the only man IN the out
III who was mounted, was riding some
distance ahead of the command,
when | discovered something. miles
away upon the trail, coming towards
NJ in order, and shortly afterwards
we made out buggy with two horses
and two persons in the buggy, and
- my surprise found the party TO be
Thomas J. Bull, merchant of La
Mesilla. and stephen b. Elkins. who
came out TO New Mexico in 1862, as
United States district attorney, both
o; whom | was well acquainted with.
The two gentlemen were much dis
turbed not to say frightened and
begged me to furnish them an escort
10 the town of cona Ana. They want.
ed only one soldier. who could ride
la the buggy with them. | explained
10 them that another man, with all
his accoutrements would IL they
were attacked by the Indians, only be
detriment, "a, with their fine team,
they could drive much faster than
they could be pursued, and might thus
escape, but with another man In their
carriage they could hardly get away.
| announced to my company. who
were standing in order, that | wanted
one man TO volunteer TO go with
these gentlemen, and as they ali knew
the chances they were taking | or
dered that the person who wished to
90 should bring his rifle to a carry,
when, much 70 my surprise every man
in the company brought his rife TO
his shoulder. / finally selected Pri-
vate Dickerson, and, furnishing him
with descriptive list. we babe each
other goodbye. ! never expected 10
sec any OF them again. anu each pro
ceeded or his way They got through
safely.
did not see either Of the gentle
men again until October, 1886, when
was on my way from San Francis
co. having been in attendance as a
delegate TO the twentieth annual en-
campment OF the Grand Army of the
Republic. when ! stopped over AT Me-
silla, and encountered Thomas ]. Bull.
Well, he could not do enough for me
during my stay with him. The other
gentleman now Senator of West Vir.
glnia, have never seen since we babe
each other goodbye that morning. 40
years ago, On that terrible tornado
del Muerto."