Apache Campaigns - Fort Huachuca - U.S. Army

strong position, which we again flanked them out of, and gradually drove them back into the
canon and up among the high peaks of the range, some of them firing at us from points eight,
twelve, and even sixteen hundred feet above us. I never saw a much more rugged place, nor one
better adapted to the means of defence.”
It was a “suffocatingly hot” day in the canyon and the 4th Cavalrymen were exhausted
from their climbing and they were parched. The skirmishers found a small mountain spring and
interupted their pursuit of the renegades. Forsyth related, “no sooner was it discerned by our
skirmishers than it was surrounded by men with canteens, while others drank from the brim of the
campaign hats, and again others threw themselves flat on their faces and lapped up the water,
while others scooped up the precious fluid in their hands.” Then a volley of rifle fire rained down
on them. The men scattered for cover. The colonel said, “The way that thirsty crowd broke for
cover was astonishing. In ten seconds every man was covered by a rock, and thirty men were
scanning the high cliffs on the opposite side of the canyon with the keenest possible interest.” 74 A
few more rounds were fired at them, but the answering volley suppressed the enemy fire and no
more was heard from the Indians.
When the dismounted cavalrymen had lost contact far up into the mountains, Forsyth
called off the attack. The battle of Horseshoe Canyon was over by five o’clock in the afternoon.
Here are the reports of the individual troop commanders.
Captain Callahan says of Troop M:
I have the honor to report that in the fight the hostile Indians on the 23d inst. my
company engaged them on the right in connection with “H” Company 4" Cavalry. “M” and
“H” companies were directed to take two small hills directly in out front which we did. We
then crossed a plain under quite a heavy fire from the enemy and reached the hills occupied by
them. We worked our way up through the rocks under the fire of the enemy and held our
position until the enemy had ceased firing and were evidently fallen back over the crest of the
hill.
The recall was then sounded and we fell back to our horses, which were out of range of
the enemy’s fire.
The movements of “M” and “H” Companies were in the skirmish order and the view
taking advantage of the rocks &c for shelter as they advanced. There were none of the men of
my company killed or wounded during the advance.
On the morning of the engagement, Lt. McDonald of my company with six Indian
Scouts and one (illegible)—(illegible) Officer were detached from the company and directed to
trail the Indians in the vicinity of the place where the engagement took place in Steins Peak
Range, the hostiles allowed Lieut. McDonald and party to approach them to within a very
short distance when they poured in a volley on McDonalds party killing three outright and
wounding one man (?) who was afterwards killed by the hostiles. 75
Capt. Wirt Davis commanded Troop F, 4th Cavalry, and this is his account.
I have the honor to submit the following report of the operations of Co. “F”, 4th
Cavalry, and of the left wing (Companies “C” and “F”) of the battalion of the 4th Cavalry, in
the engagement with hostile Apaches (Chiricahuas) in Horseshoe Canon, Stein Peak Mountains,
April 23, 1882.
After dismounting, and in compliance with instructions from Colonel Forsyth, Comdg.
Battalion, I proceeded to attack and dislodge the enemy from a high and rocky hill in the
centre of the Canon. Having marched to a proper distance from the hill and mountains, I
100
HUACHUCA ILLUSTRATED