Sierra County advocate. [volume] (Kingston, N.M.) 1884-1960, 1909-03-05
Mlsnily in 1892 aG Mes ll,.:ss
Garap.
(From the Rio Grande Republican,


(By Captain George II. Pettis, Firs
Californi. Volunteer Infantry, an,
First New Mexico Voluntee. Infantry.
The middle of Angnsr. 1862
found lie N,lalIforpia coiumu,
~ The R.o Grlala, after a pog ane
tedious march frop Camp Lathsm
about sixteen miles ffnm LES An-
eeles, having marched through lns.
California, across the Culorado its-
efi, across the entire length at Ari.
zona, thence through that part of
New Mexico to tbe Rio Gtnhdf
the entire march heing 9S5 miles,
and summer that WIS known ~
tie hottest and most severe one "a
the memory Of tie Oldest iuhahl-
tani. / he season was hotter than
II had ever been known bpfoie. and
here WIS lack ot water on the
entire trip, except what was found
III the several water holes on Tie
march.
Gen. e. r. S. Candy, of lie regu-
lar army, who was III command Of
the department of New Mexico.
had tuned back he rebel army,
under G u. II, h. Slbley, at the
battle Of Apacre canyon, but THIS
victory and subseq withdraw
al of the rebel forces from the ter
rltory was properly due to Colonel
John ?. Slough, and his second
Colorado volunteers. Col. Slough
was soon after wards made chief
Justice Of the erriiory, and was
hllled ID an alteration with Col |
Evnerson on Dec 18th, 1868, while |
Col. Rynerson was member OF
he tern itorlal council. Col Ryuer-
son was chairman OF a committee /
of the council which had greatly
oensui ed tue supreme court and
district court Of the territory IN
Santa Fe Of which Judge Slough
WAS chief justice. Judge slough
heard Of tins, and used some i'm
prol er language toward Col. Ryu-
erson and threntened to kill hun on
sight. Col Rynerson who bad 4
splendid record as soldier, being
told Of this, went to Fonda. then
the greatest hotel between Kansas
City and the Pacific coast, where
he met Judge Slough, and demand
ed that he retract what be had said :
Judge Slough refused, and put bis :
hand behind him, whereupon Col. &
drew bis pistol aud kill !
ed him instantly. A corone's q
Jury investigated the affair and [
exhonora,ed Colonel I
Upon the ARRIVAL of tbe column T
IN the Rio Grapde, Gen. James Fl G
Carleton relieved Gen. Candy Of !
he command of the department. |
md Col. G. Il. West, who was ID !
of the First California '
Infantry, was put ln command Of
he southern district of New Mexi- Q
10, with headquarters at La MesllIa. i
lhe different companies were soon ?
distributed throughout the dislrict. =
)ol. West retaining companies X @
nd ID of the first infantry, and A 4
ompapy of the fifth infantry, at =
is headquarters. 1t can be reedj- W
Y imagined that after the lone AZ
larch of neaoly thousand miles, o.
be troops enjoyed their rest, hav- n
lg only drills and other light duty y
D perform. At Mesila were ~
umber of persons, chief of whom IL
'as Col. Sam Jones, of Lecom pton III
ame, who were outspoken IN their 70 %
wei for the confederacy. Jones was W
rsested, almost weekly. and then ~
aeased; and every week some Of if'
le outspoken reasonable speaking p
len We're locked up in the guard III
ouse. There had been several es. WI
'pes OF tDis class OF persons from ca
le guard, until finally, Col. West Pc
sued verbal orders that when an IL
her of these rebels were allowed WI
escape that he would imprison on
e whole guard who were on dnty ltL
the time OF the escape. Matters y
owed along as usual, everybody VI ~
'Joying themselves, until the morn ~
G of the 26th of Noyem Der, when) 10
revellie roll call | was informed an
: Firet Sergeant Edmundson that u
e OF the rebel prisoners had es- on
ped during the night, and hat OF
e entire detail for guard from 40
m nnnu Il bod hoon MI L. IL -