At the time that the chief Blanco was endeavoring to gain a parley, a stirring scene was being enacted at the soldiers’ camp, which was several miles distant.  Most of the soldiers had left it and were then out engaged in the business of scouring the country.  In the camp there were all the pack animals, provisions, luggage etc., of the command.  To guard this property there were only about fifty men left, who, anticipating no danger, were employing themselves in cooking and otherwise providing for the wants of their absent friends against their return.  The herd of mules was scattered about, and grazing under the charge of a few herders.  Suddenly a band of about one hundred warriors, were discovered coming down the little valley where the camp was located.  The alarm was given, when each man seizing his rifle, rushed to place himself in the line of sentinels which were forming around the property.  The mules were quickly driven together in a compact body into the centre of the camp.  Hardly had this movement been performed, before the red men came galloping by.  Seeing the smallness of the force opposed to them, they made two or three attempts at an attack on the weakest points of the lines.  They were about to succeed, when a shout went up from the Americans, who descried relief in the shape of the foot company which, having been left behind for one night in order to make easy marches and thus partially rest themselves, was now approaching.  The Indians saw the near approach of this powerful reinforcement, and using that discretion which is often the better part of valor, they started off and were soon lost sight of.  Had not this reinforcement providentially thus arrived, the Indians would have certainly captured the pack mules belonging to the soldiers, and got away with them.  Never was succor hailed with more delight, than on this occasion; for, had the red men succeeded in this endeavor, the benefits of this whole campaign would have been greatly frustrated.

Colonel Fauntleroy, after thoroughly scouring the adjacent country in the hope of meeting with parties of straggling Indians, but, as the result proved, without success, returned to Fort Massachusetts, where he had the satisfaction of learning that Colonel St. Vrain, in his expedition, had caught other bands of these same Indians, and most severely chastised them.

The Fort Massachusetts here referred to has recently been abandoned and another one has been built, distant about six miles from the original site.  The name is retained for the new defences, which are located on the river Trinchera.  The present location is picturesque, and beautiful in the extreme.

In one of his fights, Col.  St. Vrain had overtaken the red men on the prairies, where a running battle ensued, in which the volunteers killed many of the enemy, and made several prisoners.  During this skirmish, the Indians tried the ruse of setting fire to the prairie grass, and, as the wind was blowing in the direction from which their foes were coming, they hoped thereby to impede their progress, and thus give themselves time to escape; but the volunteers boldly rode through the flames, and successfully continued the chase.