Apache Campaigns - Fort Huachuca - U.S. Army

also raise a flag, as he, Victorio, wanted to have a talk with the officer commanding the
troops. I ordered a halt, and advancing about 50 yards in front of my skirmishers, I placed a
white handkerchief on a stick, told the Navajo Indian to tell Victorio I was ready for a talk with
him. Victorio would not consent to have a talk unless I came up to his Camp and breastworks,
(where we could see and count 16 warriors) which I refused to do not trusting to his
promise that I should not be harmed. I tried to get him to meet me half way which he declined
to do. He then made a harangue, and all that could be gathered from it was, to the effect that
he, Victorio, and his people were poor, that they did not want to fight my soldiers, and all they
wanted was to be let alone. Victorio finally wound up his harangue by waving a lance around
and over his head and taking down his flag of truce. Not having any faith in Victorio and
convinced that he only made use of his flag to get the women and children out of the way, and
as during all the time that the parley lasted his men continued to erect new breastworks, I did
not hesitate to move my skirmishers, under Lieut. Wright, half way up the mountain and within
200 yards of Victorio’s works where the line halted waiting for the orders to advance to the
attack, when the Indians were first discovered I placed a small detachment of skirmishers
between the Indians and their herd, and during the parley, Mr. Foster and a detail of 5
mounted men quietly captured the herd consisting of 12 horses, 2 mules and 2 Burros, without
the Indians perceiving the movement. At 11:50 I ordered the right skirmishers under Sergeant
Delimar, Company “I” Ninth Cavalry to move a little more forward and move to the right so
as to flank the Indians, all of which was quietly executed at 1:55 A.M. I gave the order to
advance, the firing began, hotly returned by the Indians, the line kept advancing, the men
seeking shelter from tree to tree and after about half an hour sharp fighting, during which time
the right skirmishers, under Sergeant ——, had gotten well around and to the rear of the
position held by the Indians, the latter abandoned their works and camp, and retreated down
a ridge that put out in rear of their Camp, and scattered, my men gaining the position from
which the had driven the Indians a few minutes after they had retreated. The Indians being
afoot, they left no trail and consequently they could not be pursued. In the works occupied by
the Indians (and which a determined body of men could have held against five times the
strength of my command) sufficient evidence was found to indicate that a number were
wounded, and in two places, signs that at least two were seriously if not mortally wounded.
All the plunder, which was considerable, found in the Camp, consisting of blankets, skins,
hides, baskets, meat and mescal and such other plunder as is usually found in an Indian
Camp, I had destroyed by fire.
My loss during the affair was Private Frank Dorsey, Company “I”, 9' Cavalry
killed, and Private George H. Moore Company “I”, seriously wounded and John Scott,
Company “I”, 9" Cavalry slightly wounded. One Horse killed and one wounded (since died).
The following named officers and men deserve special mention for gallantry and
bravery displayed, viz.—2" Lieut. Henry H. Wright, 9" Cavalry, Mr. John A. Foster, Citizen,
Sergeant Delemar —— Company “I”, 9" Cavalry, Sergeant George Lyman, Thomas Boyne,
Corporal Isam Malry Co. “I”, 9" Cavalry, and Private Ridgely Company “I”, 9" Cavy, also
Hostensoya Navajo Scout.
Private Frank Dorsey Company “I”, 9" Cavy was buried near to where he fell and
his grave marked. 27
The Indians had scattered. Although Beyers’s scout would continue for the next two
weeks and find some signs, they would not in that time encounter any of Victorio’s band. But it
A MAGAZINE OF THE FORT HUACHUCA MUSEUM
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