shoes for my men, who were barefooted. Mr. Parker arrived at Tularosa same day and informed me that Major Chacon and Lieutenant Cook had reached Rio Alamo.

Lieutenant Cook did not accompany Mr. Parker to Tularosa, as I have since seen stated in Major Chacon's journal, published in a Santa Fé paper. I left Tularosa with Mr. C. Parker and Mr. Gregory and a number of citizens, intending to take a trail leading to the Sacramento River through the Alamo Cañon, hoping to surprise the Apaches in that direction, but on the road within a few miles of Major Chacon's camp I was met by a messenger, who brought me a note from Lieutenant Cook informing me that Lieutenant Gilbert's party had been surprised by Apaches on Sacramento Mountains, and that the lieutenant was killed and his party repulsed and driven back. On receiving this information I galloped to Major Chacon's camp, and proposed to make a night march up the Alamo Cañon toward the scene of the fight, in hopes to overtake the Apaches before they would retreat farther into the mountains. This proposition was not favorably received by the major, who directed that the commands should move together next morning in the same direction. We started on the next morning at 9 o'clock and entered Cañon Alamo, up which we proceeded for about eight miles, and thence ascended a very steep mountain for several miles, halting about 3 p. m. at a small stream on the southern side of it. We left this camp at sunset same day, and marching until 12 o'clock at night encamped amongst a forest of pines and oak, witnout fires. At daybreak we moved forward and halted for breakfast after a march of ten or twelve miles, and after two hours' delay again set forward, reaching Almagre Spring, at the foot of Sacramento Mountains (the scene of the recent action), at 5 p. m. Here we halted and encamped. I advised Lieutenant Cook to furnish a detail for a funeral escort, the remainder coming from my command, and we marched to the top of the mountain, where Lieutenant Gilbert's remains were found, neither scalped nor mutilated. A grave was dug and his body was interred with appropriate military honors. I erected a small slab of soft stone, on which his initials were cut, at the head of his grave. It faces the trail subsequently made by my party in the advance to Rio Sacramento. From all I can learn respecting the action in which Lieutenant Gilbert fell, his death was instantaneous. He had dismounted his cavalry to lead their horses up the long and steep slope of the mountain, and when nearly arrived at the top he fell, pierced by the bullet of an Indian in ambush. His men received a volley of arrows and musketry simultaneously, and were obliged to fall back 100 yards to the shelter of a small grove of cedars. In doing so they had to abandon all their horses but two, and could not recover them afterward. I am glad to be able to report that the wounded (5 in number) were brought off the ground. Corporal Ortega (then private, Company L) killed the leader of the Apaches, and Private Sandoval, same company, although mortally wounded, fired several times, and kept his horse in his grasp, the mountain side being too steep to operate mounted. This action took place on the 26th of August, and the party reached the camp on Rio Alamo August 27, 1864, very much fatigued and exhausted. The guide Sanchez and Private Sandoval died before the party reached the Alamo. The Navajo warrior who accompanied the party fought gallantly, and his bold and dauntless bearing in the fight was a theme of conversation for some time afterward. His shirt was perforated with two bullets.

Having returned to camp, after the burial of Lieutenant Gilbert, Major Chacon concluded that it was impracticable to pursue the

Apaches any farther, and gave orders to march back to Fort Stanton. He left camp next day before I did, and as some citizens on the hills above commenced a discharge of fire-arms I sent a messenger to recall him. He returned and joined me at the camp, and we proceeded to Rio Sacramento, where we found a quantity of dried mutton and a young colt that had been abandoned by the Apaches. We also found four sheep alive and saw several (that had died from fatigue) in the stream dead. At this place Major Chacon halted, and I sent forward Captain Gregory (of the citizen party) with six men to push forward and look for fresh signs. Before Mr. Gregory's return the major had moved on a few miles, and having been told by his guide (Flores) that the Apaches were at least four days' march ahead, he ordered the command to march back to Tularosa. At this time the men, and particularly the animals, of the command were much fatigued, and had we proceeded three days more over a country like that in the neighborhood of Alamo Cañon not an animal could have been brought back alive. We reached Tularosa on the 31st of August, and on the 1st of October Major Chacon and Lieutenant Cook set out for Fort Stanton. I remained behind, hoping to recruit my animals and enter the mountains again, hoping to surprise the Indians, whom I supposed to be less watchful since they saw the command leave the mountains. I left camp on the 3d of October and made a three days' scout up the Rio Señora de la Luz, but as my horses and mules were mostly barefooted I had to return to camp. I left Tularosa on the 8th of October and arrived at Fort Stanton on the 11th, where I remained until the 19th, recruiting my command, resting my animals, and awaiting orders. On the same day at noon Lieut. F. Cook reported to me with thirty picked men for duty in the Sacramento Mountains. Asst. Surg. L. W. Hayes, Fifth Infantry California Volunteers, was also assigned for duty with my command, and written instructions were received from department headquarters directing that every diligence should be used to find the Apaches, &c. I left Fort Stanton on the 20th with Lieutenant Cook and my own company and arrived at Tularosa on the 23d. Here I established a temporary depot, and leaving Assistant Surgeon Hayes and a few sick behind I marched up the Señora de la Luz to enter the Sacramento in that direction. I reached the head of the Luz on the second day, and proceeding southeast encamped at a valley opening on Rio Penasco on the fourth day. At this place the grass was excellent. I started next day and marched down the stream, passing where the water disappeared in its bed, and encamped at a spring near Rio Felix at 11 p. m. No fresh Indian sign was discovered during this days' march. From this place the command marched to Las Tuses, an old Apache encampment, but on arriving there it was discovered that the waters of the spring had dried up. No sign of Indians could be found in that neighborhood. I pushed forward in a southwest direction until sundown, when I entered the plain east of Sacramento Mountains, following the direction of Sacramento River. At sunset I reached a point where the country was broken by deep fissures and ravines. Here I encamped, and as no water could be found I ordered a sergeant and ten men forward in search of it and as spies. The party returned next morning and reported that a trail some four or five weeks old had been seen running in the direction of Guadalupe Mountains. My command was now twenty-four hours without water, and I marched to a point on Rio Penasco, which I reached at 2 p. m. same day; men and animals much fatigued. I started next morning, and moving up the stream until 4 14 R R-VOL XLI, PT I

p. m. I reached a point near its source, where I encamped. I may here remark that on halting at the end of each day's march I invariably sent out a party of dismounted cavalry with instructions to examine the neighborhood in every direction. In this way I could have been informed of the presence of lurking Indians, had any such been in the vicinity of camp. I marched next morning (direction west), and at 2 p. m. reached a point overlooking the Franklin and Fort Stanton road, and descended about ten miles to a cienega near Cañon Alamo.

The country traversed during the last ten days was well watered and timbered, except that east of Sacramento Mountains and the region between Cañon Luz and Río Penasco is a succession of hill and dale, the former covered with magnificent timber, such as pine, oak, ash, &c. A beautiful variety of aspen grew in every valley. The country is well adapted to agriculture and grazing purposes, and produces timber more than sufficient to supply the territory. Wild fruits, such as cherries, plums, and raspberries, were abundant. A species of the red rose bloomed on every hill, and wild flowers blossomed in every direction. Elk and black-tailed deer are numerous in the mountains, and herds of antelope were seen east of Sacramento. Wild turkeys were seen by hundreds at every camp, and many were killed by the men when they were permitted to shoot. In some instances panthers were seen, and one specimen of the American lion was seen, but could not be killed. On this scout I came to the conclusion that the Apaches had left this region and moved to Guadalupe Mountains; but although I desired very much to follow them, I was unable to do so (if I had not been ordered back) from the fact that I received only ten days' provisions from Fort Stanton instead of a month's supply, which I required. I reached Tularosa on the 3d of October and sent Lieutenant Cook to Stanton for provisions. He returned on the 11th with only ten days' provisions. I marched again into the Sacramento Mountains on the 12th of October, penetrating all the valleys between the head of Rio Luz and Sacramento River, following old trails. The face of the country is similar to that described on my last scout and game found still more numerous. Water is abundant in every valley, the numerous springs forming in places considerable streams. A very severe snow-storm, commencing on the 18th, and drifting furiously on the 19th of October, covered all the trails and compelled me to descend to a plateau several hundred feet lower, about fourteen miles below, where the weather was clear and warm. I started next day, and continuing to descend I reached camp at Tularosa October 21, 1864. On reaching camp I received for the first [time] the orders of the department commander directing me to return to my proper post.

The Apaches whom I pursued so long were the same party that had driven off the sheep from Chaperito and Mr. Parker's mules from Gallinas Spring. They would have been overtaken and punished before reaching the mountains had I been fortunate enough to have a good guide. The Navajoes who were with me made excellent trailers, but were unacquainted with the country west of Sierra Oscura. The Apaches are now hidden in Guadalupe Mountains, or in Las Limpias, where they will doubtless remain until necessity compels them to make another raid. A mounted company stationed at Tularosa could be of service in cutting off these savages in that event, as they must pass through one of the gaps or cañons of the Sacramento Range opening on the desert, and could be overtaken and punished by cavalry mounted on fresh horses; whereas cavalry weary with a pursuit of many days, would not be able to hope for much success.

The enlisted men of my command cannot be too highly praised for the patient endurance with which they sustained the privations, toil, and hardships of a campaign of eighty-eight days, in which time they have marched 1,300 miles across barren deserts and over steep and rocky mountains, many of them on foot and nearly barefooted and bleeding from contact with the flinty rocks and the cactus and thorns. I am under obligations to First Lieut. Franklin Cook, Fifth U. S. Infantry, and Asst. Surg. L. W. Hayes, for their zealous co-operation during a portion of the campaign.

I am, captain, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
FRANCIS MCCABE,

Captain, First Cavalry New Mexico Volunteers.

Capt. ROBERT LUSBY,
Assistant Adjutant-General.

AUGUST 4-15, 1864.-Operations in the vicinity of Brazos Santiago, Tex., with skirmish (9th) at Point Isabel.

Report of Col. Henry M. Day, Ninety-first Illinois Infantry.

HEADQUARTERS U. S. FORCES, Brazos Santiago, Tex., August 15, 1864.

MAJOR: I have the honor to submit the following report of affairs at this post from August 4, the date of my last report, up to the present time:

Nothing worthy of note occurred until the 9th of August save occasional skirmishing between our cavalry pickets and those of the enemy. On the 9th a fatigue party, consisting of seventy-five men of the Eighty-first Corps d'Afrique Engineers, was sent over to Point Isabel, distant about five miles, for the purpose of procuring lumber. At about 12 p. m. they were attacked by a force of about 150 cavalry. The fatigue party had been sent armed as a precaution in case of an attack, and some sharp skirmishing ensued, in which 2 of the enemy were killed and several wounded, without any loss to our side. Captain Jordan, Ninety-first Illinois, who was in command, seeing that he was outnumbered and fearing for the safety of the steamer Hale, which had transported the fatigue party to the Point and was lying at the wharf, withdrew his men to the boat and returned to Brazos. The above facts having been reported, also that there were several small boats at the point which, though in poor condition, could be fitted up and would fall into the hands of the enemy, a detachment of the Ninety-first Illinois and Nineteenth Iowa was sent over for the purpose of routing the rebels and destroying the boats. The detachment was under command of Capt. William W. Shepherd, Ninety-first Illinois, and landed without difficulty, the enemy firing a number of shots at so long distance as to be of no effect. Upon the advance of Captain Shepherd the enemy fled, and as there were no means of pursuit the boats were destroyed and detachment returned.

I have received information from Mr. Pierce, consul at Matamoras, to the following effect: The entire force of the enemy, consisting of about 900 cavalry, have left Brownsville, with the exception of about eighty men who are guarding the place. They are under the immediate command of Ford and are scattered in small camps over the country between this place and Brownsville. They have no artillery

and their horses are in poor condition. They are busy laying a plot by which to capture some of the colored troops at this post in order to be revenged for the loss inflicted upon them at Point Isabel. I cannot see how any such plot can be successful, as the colored troops are no more or hardly as much exposed as the white. There is a force of the enemy which has not yet been in Brownsville; it consists of about 400 cavalry and is stationed above Laredo on the river. This, together with the force under Ford, mentioned above, comprises the entire force of the enemy, as near as I can learn, in this part of the country. Mr. Pierce is of the opinion that Ford rather fears than designs an attack, as his men have a wholesome fear of artillery. I take pleasure in reporting to you that there is a marked improvement in the discipline and general conduct of the First Texas Cavalry, concerning which I advised you in my last report. No more desertions have occurred since then, and I am in hopes that all the disorderly and unreliable men of the command were those who have left.

The health of the troops under my command is fair, although the want of fresh vegetables is felt in no small degree. Two-thirds of the men in hospital are afflicted with the scurvy.

I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

H. M. DAY,

Colonel, Commanding U. S. Forces, Brazos Santiago, Tex.

Maj. GEORGE B. DRAKE,

Assistant Adjutant-General, Department of the Gulf.

AUGUST 4-SEPTEMBEK 15, 1864.—Scout from Fort Union, N. Mex.

Report of Capt. Nicholas S. Davis, First California Infantry.

SANTA FÉ, N. MEX., October 30, 1861.

GENERAL: I have the honor to report that in obedience to orders I left Fort Union August 4, 1864. On the 7th of that month at the breaks of Red River I met three Mexicans, who reported that on the 1st of August, while in camp at Lower Cimarron Springs, a party of Indians (Kiowas and Comanches), about seventy in number, came to the camp apparently friendly. They, after being in camp a short time, made a sudden attack, killing all the Americans with the train, five in number. They gave the Mexicans one yoke of oxen and wagon, telling them to go back to New Mexico, as they did not wish to kill them; but that they would kill every white man that came on the road. On the 10th of the same month near Lone Mountain met the trains of Messrs. Zuna and Armizo, who reported that on the 6th, while camped at the Arroyo de los Plumas (or hole in the rock), six miles west of upper crossing of Cimarron, a party of about thirty Indians run off 135 mules from their trains, none of which were recovered. At the same time a large party were seen on a ridge to the north who had a large amount of stock, which they were driving to the south. On arriving at the Lower Springs on the 18th found the remains of the five murdered men, scattered over the prairie. Had them gathered up and buried. On the 23d arrived at west end of Dry Route, and found in camp some seven trains, eighty-four wagons in all; also a company of the First Colorado Cavalry, Captain Hardy in command, who had arrived from Fort Larned about two hours before me. The wagon-masters reported that they arrived in camp at that place at 1 o'clock August 21. About one hour after sixty or seventy