The National tribune., 1908-04-23
SAVING THE SOUTHWEST.
1t Was Dene by Gen. Candy Before the
Californians Arrived.

1t Was Dene by Gen. Candy Before the
CalifOrnians Arrived.
Editor National Tribune: / see so
much said in your valuable paper about
the great gailantry and service of Gen.
Carleton that l often wonder whether
any other troops ever had hand in the
lob of driving Sibley and his Texans out
OF New Mexico. After a lapse of 46
years one is apt to forget some of the
details of the exciting times of 81 to
'65 To the best of my recollection not
a shot was fired after April IA, 1862,
and it is a well-known fact that Gen.
Carleton and his Californians did not
get into New Mexico until some time IN
June, if not later. The troops VINO
composed the column operating against
Sfbley were the 1st Colo, commanded
by Col John P. Slough, parts of the
5tf and 9TH u. s., parts of the I'd U. 5.
Dragons. parts of the Old Rifles, part
of the Sd U s. Cav. These and Ritter s
and Laughlin's Batteries of six field
pieces six and 12-pound guns, together
with the mule battery of the 4th Noun
tain howitzers, 12-pounders. l do not
think that the whole lot mustered more
than 1900 fighting men. Two companies
of the Ist Colo.-H and B-were sta
toned at Fort Lyon (Old Fort Wise), on
the Arkansas River. About March L,
1862, Col. Craigie, on the staff of Gen.
Candy, then at Fort Craig, n. M, came
to us, and ordered us to go to Fort
Union, N NJ, by forced march We
started, overtaking the balance of the
regiment on the Purgatory, or, as we
called it, the Picket Wire River, thence
over the Ration Mountains to the CHM
maron and Maxwell Ranch. A few
miles south of this we were met by
teams from Fort Union, and, travelling
night and day until footsore and weary
ragged and dirty, making the 300 miles
from Fort Lyon in about 10 days, we
got in ahead of Sibley and his Texans
At Fort Union we drew rations (soft
bread, in place of hardtack and raw
bacon) We also drew new clothing,
traded our old Harper's Ferry muskets
for the new Springfield rifle musket,
rnuZzle- leaders, which were fine shoot
ing gun. After drilling a few days, by
Gen. c. r. Paul, in command at Fort
Union, we were started for Santa Fe,
our first camp being at Las Vegas,
thence to Vernal Springs. On hearing
that the Texans were advancing three
companieS of our regiment, some cav
airy and two guns, under Maj. Chiving-
ton, of the 1st Colo, started to meet
them in Apache Canyon. After a, brief
fight of an hour or so the Texans turned
and fed from the canyon, leaving in our
hands some so prisoners and lot of
knives These were taken to San Jose,
a town on the Pecos River. The bal
ance of the troops coming from Vernal
Springs the whole command started
back down the canyon to Pigeons
Ranch, where the battle of Pigeons
Ranch took place. Maj. Chivington,
with three companies of our regiment,
making a tour over the mountains,
struck Sibley's wagon train. consisting
. of 20 guns, one mountain howitzer,
spiking it, killing the mules and L~rrl-
ing the wagons. Again marching over
the mountains, he rejoined the COM
mand at the head of the canyon without
the loss of man. BY some unaccount-
able reason our command was marched
back to Fort Union. After lying in
Union three days we again took up the
march for Santa Fe, and on reaching
San Antonio Canyon, where we We're
Joined by Gen. Candy, Maj. Chivington
was promoted to Colonel of the regi-
ment. This was on the 18th of April.
We then started on footrace with the
Texans for Peralta, but they beat US in
we camping just outside of the town
Orders that no fires and no loud talking
be allowed were given, but the noise
that our poor mules smelling water
made can better be imagined than told.
At daybreak the rear seven wagons of
Sibley's wagon train, pulled by 0 mules
EACH came in sight Cos. H, L and f
of the 1st Colo. took them into camp
before breakfast, losing one man killed
out of Co. +. BY this time Sibley in
Peralta woke up, and sent Candy his
compliments in the shape Of 24-pOUnd
shot and shell. The balance of our
outfit, with our artillery and one noun
tain bowitzer, captured with the train
that morning, we're deployed on the Rio
Grande bottom, where We fought an
being two men killed. The next morn
ing the whole command marched into
Peralta, finding the birds flown, having
crossed the Rio Grande to Los Lunas,
on the west side of the river. That
evening we camped at a little town
called La Hoja, Sibley being camped on
the west side. Looking for scrap, we
placed our artillery in position and
stood ready for it, but during the night
Sibley left us, and took to the noun
tains, harassed by Paddy Grayden with
his Independent Scouts. Here Sibley
buried some of his guns, which are now
IN the State Capitol in Denver. / saw
them while at the National Encamp-
ment in 1905. That was the last we
saw of Sibley and his outfit until we
got to Soccorro. where his hospital was
located. Sending in a flag of truce. We
took charge of it, taking them TO Fort
Craig Those able to travel were given
mule teams, grub and some Old mus
kets and, being paroled. they were
started for Texas. BY the way, some Oi
these paroled men took hand in the
burning of the Harriet Lane in the har-
Dor Of Galveston. This wound up tht
New Mexican campaign as far rs Sib-
q ley and his men are concerned. have
no doubt that any of the old boys tha
were in that campaign will bear me ou
in the statement that Gen. Carleton anC
his californians had nothing whatever
TO do with Sibley.-E. II. Jeanjaquet
Co. II, 1st Colo, Boise. Idaho.
THE 8TH U. S.