Apache Campaigns - Fort Huachuca - U.S. Army

cover the withdrawal of Lieut. Valois. Both black troopers received the Medal of Honor for the
heroic actions on that day. Like Burnett, Private Walley galloped to rescue of his downed
“bunky,” bringing him back to safety under heavy fire. Burnett would later write in 1890 an
account of the affair at the request of an enlisted man who he also felt deserved the medal.
I have the honor to submit for your respectful consideration the following endorsement
of the application of Francis Augustus Walley Troop “I” 9th Cav’y for a “Medal of
Honor” for meritorious service against hostile Apaches Indians in the Cuchillo Negro Mountains
N.M. Aug 16, 1881. It affords me much pleasure as an eye witness—to bear testimony
to the truthfulness of the statements contained therein—it is but a brief extract of the valuable
and meritorious services rendered by Francis Walley during the campaign in question. Unfortunately
owing to the lapse of time many incidents and details have escaped my memory.
Suffice [it] however to relate one area—the coolness and daring of which, impressed me so at
the time that I remember it as distinctly as if it had occurred only yesterday. While the
detachment under my command was making a mounted charge to relieve Lt. Valois—whom
the Indians had almost completely surrounded, having killed ten (10) of his horses and wounded
several of his men—the horse of Pvt Burton became unmanageable and was carrying him
directly into the Indians line; to avoid this Pvt Burton dropped out of the saddle when within
about one hundred yards from the enemy’s position, and lay prone and inactive. As the
Indians were constantly keeping up a heavy fire, I presumed of course he had been struck. My
charge drove them back—temporarily—and Lt Valois feeling convinced that they were too
strong for us ordered us to fall back and take up another position. As we were proceeding to
do so, Pvt Burton—whom we all supposed to be dead—called to us not to leave him. I
immediately called for volunteers to go to this assistance, but Pvt Walley had anticipated me
and galloping rapidly over to where Pvt Burton was lying, quickly dismounted, assisted him in
the saddle and (unintelligible) him and joined the troop in the most unconcerned manner. The
Indians having observed the movement opened a concentrated fire on them and it was a
source of anxiety to me that they escaped unhurt considering the shortness of the range. I
might cite numerous minor instances of Francis Walley’s gallantry and bravery on this and
other campaigns for he was always to the front, ready, willing and anxious to do his full
duty—and even more but I am content myself with the above, adding that during a period of
nearly two (2) years, while under my immediate command—whether in the garrison or field—
I always found Francis Walley a thoroughly reliable, trustworthy, and efficient soldier and
during his services with us for over 18 years I never knew him to receive even as a simple
rebuke and I have always heard him spoken of in terms of praise by my brother officers and I
venture the assertion that no young soldier is better known in the region. In consideration of
these circumstances it affords me the greatest pleasure to recommend Francis Augustus Walley
Troop “I” 9th Cav’y for a “Medal of Honor” for conspicuous bravery in the field.
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HUACHUCA ILLUSTRATED
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As they were escaping from this battle, Nana ran into 2d Lieut. Charles W. Taylor leading
another Ninth Cavalry detachment and had to abandon some of his horses and his booty. Nana
headed for the Black Range.
On 19 August in Gavilan Canyon near McEver’s Ranch Nana fought hotly with a 18-man
patrol led by Lieut. George Washington Smith, Ninth Cavalry, and a posse of civilians. A
eyewitness described many of the civilians to be half-drunk. They were led by mine superintendent
George W. Daly who accused Smith of not trying hard enough to ride down the Indians.
While Smith preferred to cautiously send his scouts into a narrow defile, Daly was impatient at the
delay and led his now dwindled civilian posse headlong into the canyon and a carefully laid
Apache ambush. Smith tried to overtake Daly. The lieutenant had survived a more numerous foe
and greater firepower at Chickamauga and Jonesboro, but none more deadly. When the Apaches
opened up with a withering cross fire, Daly, Smith, three other cavalrymen, and a civilian were