138 ALAMO MUCHO TO 
round, saw Colonel Craig stagger and fall. The next 
moment he saw Sergeant Bale rapidly discharging his 
revolver at the deserters, his mule at the same time 
prancing about; when presently both of them fell. 
He immediately advanced in the direction of the Col- 
onel; but before he had got many steps, the deserters 
rushed towards him, discharging a revolver which they 
had taken from Bale. Believing that both the Colonel 
and Sergeant Bale were killed or overpowered, and 
seeing but little chance for himself against too armed 
and desperate men, he put spurs too his horse, and 
made his way as fast as possible to my camp. 
As soon as the wagons came up, I ordered an 
ambulance to be prepared to return with a party in 
search of Colonel Craig and the missing sergeant, 
who, I hoped, might yet be found alive. As the 
mules had now come nearly fifty miles without rest, 
food, or water, they could not be immediately sent 
back. Six of the best, however, were at once selected, 
and a good feed of oats given them. Bedding, cloth- 
ing, water, and provisions were put in the ambulance, 
and the whole placed under the charge of Dr. Thomas 
Hi. Webb. It was two o’clock in the afternoon before 
the party could be got off, Lieutenant Whipple and - 
several others accompanying. 
From the information given by the party with the 
train, the encounter with the deserters took place full 
thirty miles from our camp. To retrace their steps 
this distance, with our weary animals, journeying be- 
neath an overpowering sun, would require the remain- 
der of the day, and a good portion of the night; yet I 
deemed it my duty to remain here, though we were 
