COPPER MINES. 
349 
enter a field in the midst of hostile Indians, where we 
should be divided necessarily, into several small par- 
ties, thereby subjecting ourselves to the danger of 
losing our animals as well as of being attacked una- 
wares. Before leaving Washington, the Secretary of 
War directed the Commanding Officer at El Paso, to 
detail an additional company for the escort, in case the 
Indians “ have assumed a more hostile attitude towards 
the Americans, in the region through which the lines 
of the Survey are to be made.” I now believed that 
such an exigency had occurred ; for more robberies 
had been committed on the frontier than for some 
time previous, and the Commission, as well as its 
escort had met with losses within a few days, which 
showed that either the Apaches or some other tribes 
entertained inimical designs towards us. But my 
request was not complied with. 
Since the visit of Colonel Craig to their camp in 
search of his mules, the Indians had been more 
reserved, and for a week previous to the 1 7th August, 
none had visited us. On the afternoon of that day a 
man who had been herding the mules and cattle about 
six miles from the Copper Mines, suddenly rode in 
with the news, that a descent had just been made upon 
them by a band of Indians, and that about fifty of the 
best mules had been driven off Our men fortunately 
secured between seventy and eighty, by driving them 
into a corral or inclosure as soon as they discovered 
the enemy. But the rest were past recovery; for had 
the men attempted to pursue them, they would have 
been overpowered, and have lost the remainder of the 
stock. 
