While this running fight was in progress, the author met with an adventure which came near costing him his life.  It was my duty to follow the charging soldiers in order to be near at hand to render professional services to the wounded, should there be any.  I was mounted on a mule, and when the dragoon horses started off, he became frightened and unmanageable.  I soon found that this mule lacked the speed of the former animals, hence he was in a short time left far behind, but not until he had fallen and thrown me into a thrifty bed of prickly pears, the thorns of which did not, in the least, save me from being hurt.  On regaining my feet, I found that my injuries were but slight, and that I still retained my bridle rein, therefore I quickly regained my seat in the saddle and started on again, remembering the old proverb, which says, “All is fair in war.”  While riding on, I was joined by a soldier whose horse had broken down in the charge.  As we now advanced together, our route led us by some large sand hills, behind which several Indians had sought refuge, when hotly pursued.  Seeing that they had been overlooked during the excitement of the moment, they remained quiet until we came along, when they made a dash at us and commenced firing their arrows in fine-style.  We returned their volleys with our revolvers, but, whether we produced any result further than preventing their coming too near, it is difficult to say.  Several of their arrows came in close proximity to our bodies, and one struck, the soldier’s horse in the neck and wounded a main artery, which bled, for a time, furiously.  As danger was thick about them, the Indians soon left us to effect their own escape; when, we halted and attended to the wounded horse, whose life we were so fortunate as to save, by putting a ligature about the bleeding vessel.

The night succeeding the day on which this fight occurred, with a single exception, passed by quietly.  A soldier, who lay near the centre of the camp, had retired to rest, perhaps impressed with the belief that he and his comrades would be attacked by the Indians before morning; this train of thought had led him into dreams of war, and while reveling in them, he imagined that danger was at hand.  Suddenly starting up, and seizing his rifle, he fired at random.  His bullet came near striking a Mexican sentinel who was on duty, and who was making his rounds.  The sentinel was very naturally startled by this unaccountable noise in the camp, and supposing that the Indians had, unobserved, crept within the lines, he returned the compliment by discharging his piece in the direction of the supposed danger.  The report of these firearms had the effect of arousing the entire command.  The men were quickly on their feet and ready for active service.  In the confusion which ensued, several more rifles were fired, but fortunately no harm was done, and as soon as the cause of the trouble was explained, quietness and order was promptly established.