t morning, the soldiers were up and
preparing for their march. The Indians had, on this morning, made
fires, and even presented themselves to view on the mountains, but
they were few in number, and it was well known that this was only a
ruse to allure the white men to the wrong trail, while their families
should have time to escape in the contrary direction; hence, but
little notice was taken of these demonstrations.

Col. Fauntleroy here determined to relieve himself of all drawbacks
which should in the least tend to prevent his now giving full chase
to the Indians. Accordingly, he left his baggage and provision train
under escort of the foot company and quartermaster men, the whole
being placed under the command of Lieutenant Lloyd Beall, of the
Second Regiment U.S. Artillery, with instructions to meet him at an
appointed rendezvous in the Wet Mountain Valley. It required but a
short search by his guide, Kit Carson, and his spies, to put him on
the right trail taken by the main portion of the enemy. When it was
found, the pursuit was resumed and kept up vigorously. Late and
early, the soldiers followed on this trail, and although the Indians
purposely led them over the worst conceivable routes, yet they gained
nothing substantial by it. On one occasion, when the men were pushing
on as fast as possible, their advance guard surprised three Indians,
one of them a woman, while they were leisurely watering their ponies.
These Indians attempted to fly, and succeeded in making a good run for
about four miles, but, at the end of that distance, two of them were
overtaken. A Mexican, who was mounted on a very swift horse, was the
first to come up with the savages. He fired and brought the woman to
the ground. Quickly dismounting, he made a trophy of her scalp. The
other Indian, being arrested by a slight wound, was made a prisoner.
On questioning him, it was found that they all belonged to one family.
The man who had made his escape, was the husband of the woman who was
killed, while the prisoner was her brother. These Indians had heard
nothing of the recent fight in the _Saquachi Pass_, and, had the
soldiers dropped down from the heavens, they could not have been
more surprised at thus unceremoniously meeting them. It was very much
regretted by those present that this Indian woman had lost her life;
but, as she was dressed in the disguise of a man, her sex could not
be recognized. There are many of our readers who will perhaps