94 Ex. Doc. No. 41. 



Most of the men were on footj and a small party, composed 

 chiefly of the general and stafF^ were a long way ahead of the 

 straggling column, when, as we approached the end of our day's 

 journey, every man was straightened in his saddle by our suddenly 

 falling on a camp which, from the trail, we estimated at 1,000 men, 

 who must have left that morning. Speculation was rife, but we all 

 soon settled down to the opinion that it was General Castro aiul 

 his troops; that he had succeeded in recruiting an army in Sonera, 

 and was now on his return to California. Carson expressed the 

 belief that he must be only ten miles below, at the crossing.' Our 

 force consisted only of 110 men. The general decided we were too 

 few to be attacked, and must be the aggressive party, and^if Cas- 

 tro's camp could .be found, that he would attack it the moment 

 night set in, and beat them before it was light enough to discover 



our force. 



The position of our camp was decided, as usual, with reference 

 to the grass. The lives of our animals were nearly as important 

 as our own. It was pitched to-day in a little hollow encircled by 

 a chain of sand hills, overgrown with mezquite. * 



The sergeant of the general's guard was behind, his mule having 

 broken down, and when'he came in reported having seen two In- 

 dians about five miles back. I^or a short time we supposed this 

 immense trail was a band of Indians returning from a successful 

 marauding expedition in Sonora or California; but this conjecture 

 was soon dispelled by the appearance of a mounted Mexican on a 

 sand butte overlooking our camp, who, after taking a deliberate 

 survey, disappeared. The camp was arranged immediately for de- 

 fence, and a cordon of sentinels stationed. on the sand hills. 



The two howitzers did not arrive till nine o'clock, and the oin- 

 cer in charge, Lieutenant Hammond, reported he had seen larg^ 

 fires to the right, apparently five miles diLtant, on the opposite side 

 of the Gila. . 



The general said it was necessary for him to know who occupied 



the camp, its force, character, and destination. 



He ordered me to take my party and fifteen dragoons, for tiie 

 purpose of reconnoitering. After beating about in the mezquite 

 for sometime, we struck a slough of the Gila, where grew some tai 

 willows. Up one of these I sent a dragoon, who saw no fire, h^ 

 whose ears were gladdened by the neighing of horses. He slipP^ 

 down the tree much faster than he climbed it, quite enchanted wit& 

 the hope of exchanging his w6ary mule for a charger. Instead of J"*^' 

 porting what he had seen, he exclaimed, *'Yes, sir, there are enough 

 for us all." *^Did you see the fiies^'' ^«No! but they are all ^n 

 horses; I heard them neighing, and they cover much ground.'' ^e 

 pointed in the direction, and after proceeding a short distance, ^^ 

 all heard distinctly the noise of the horses, indicating a larg^ 



Bumber.^ 



Silence.was enjoined, and we proceeded stealthily along for soca^ 

 time, when a bright fire blazed before us. I halted the guard, an 

 with two dragoons, Londeau and Martinez, proceeded unobsen^ 

 until within a ^ew feet of the fire. Before it stood an armed M^^c 



L 



