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.
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