Campfii'e Stories of Indian Character 523 



Brown signaled up to Burns to stop pouring down his 

 boulders, and at the same time our men were directed to 

 cease firing and to make ready to charge; the fire of the 

 Apaches had ceased, and their chant of defiance was 

 hushed. There was a feehng in the command as if we were 

 about to rush through the gates of a cemetery, and that 

 we should find a ghastly spectacle within, but, at the same 

 time, it might be that the Apaches had retreated to some 

 recesses in the innermost depths of the cavern, unknown 

 to us, and be prepared to assail all who ventured to cross 

 the wall in front. 



Precisely at noon we advanced. Corporal Hanlon, of 

 Company G., Fifth Cavalry, being the first man to sur- 

 mount the parapet. I hope that my readers will be satis- 

 fied with the meagrest description of the awful sight that 

 met our eyes. There were men and women dead or writhing 

 in the agonies of death, and with them several babies, 

 killed by our glancing bullets, or by the storm of rocks and 

 stones that descended from above. While one portion of 

 the command worked at extricating the bodies from be- 

 neath the pile of debris, another stood guard with cocked 

 revolvers or carbines, ready to blow out the brains of the 

 first wounded savage who might in his desperation attempt 

 to kill one of our people. But this precaution was entirely 

 useless. All the warriors were dead or dying. 



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^^ ^^ '^ *I* •!> *j* ^» 



Thirty-five, if I remember aright, were still living, but 

 in the number are included all who were still breathing; 

 many were already dying, and nearly one half were dead 

 before we started out of that dreadful place. None of the 

 warriors were conscious, except one old man, who serenely 

 awaited the last summons; he had received five or six 

 wounds, and was practically dead when we sprang over the 



