We came upon the Indians in Cook’s Canon and had an engagement which lasted two or three hours.  Three or four Indians were killed and several wounded.  We had no men killed, but a few wounded in both L and B Troops.  We followed the Indians many miles that evening, but having no rations, returned to Fort Cumming late that evening, and went into camp until the following morning, when the two troops took the trail and followed it many days, but being unable to overtake the Indians, returned to Fort Cumming.

In August, 1881, while my troop was in camp at Fort Cumming, New Mexico, awaiting orders for another campaign against these same Apache Indians, my troop commander having been ordered to Fort Bayard, New Mexico, on general court-martial duty, and during his absence having no commissioned officer available, I was in command of my troop subject to the orders of the post commander.  At 12 o’clock at night, August 17, 1881, while in my tent asleep, the commanding officer’s orderly knocked on my tent and informed me that the commanding officer wanted me to report to him at once.  I asked the orderly what was up.  He informed me that he supposed a scout was going out, as the commanding officer had sent for Lieutenant Smith, then in command of Troop H, 9th Cavalry.

     I dressed myself promptly and reported, and found Lieutenant
     Smith and the commanding officer at the office on my
     arrival.

The commanding officer asked me about how many men I could mount for thirty days’ detached duty, leaving so many men to take care of property and horses.  I told him about how many.  He ordered me to make a ration return for that number of men, and send a sergeant to draw rations for thirty days’ scout; and for me to hurry up, and when ready to report to Lieutenant Smith.  By 12.45 my troop was ready and mounted, and reported as ordered, and at 1 o’clock Troop’s B and H pulled out from Fort Cumming for Lake Valley, New Mexico; and when the sun showed himself over the tops of the mountains we marched down the mountains into Lake Valley, thirty-five miles from Fort Cumming.  We went into camp hoping to spend a few hours and take a rest, and feed our horses and men.

About 9 o’clock a small boy came running through camp crying as if to break his heart, saying that the Indians had killed his mother and their baby.  Some of the men said the boy must be crazy; but many of them made for their horses without orders.  Soon Lieutenant Smith ordered “Saddle up.”  In less than five minutes all the command was saddled up and ready to mount.  We mounted and pulled out at a gallop, and continued at that gait until we came to a high mountain, when we came down to a walk.  And when over the mountain we took up the gallop, and from that time on, nothing but a gallop and a trot, when the country was favorable for such.  When we had marched about two miles from Lake Valley we met the father of the