But I had determined upon a line of conduct to which I adhered.

The Arrapahoes showed themselves a little unruly; brave, and such
excellent horsemen, as almost to realise the fable of the Centaurs,
charging an enemy with the impetuosity of lightning and disappearing
with the quickness of thought, they requested me every moment to engage;
but I know too well the value of regular infantry, and how ineffectual
would be the efforts of light cavalry against their bayonets. I was
obliged to restrain their ardour by every argument I could muster,
principally by giving them to understand that by a hasty attack we
should certainly lose the booty.

The moment came at last. The prudence of the old commander having been
evidently overruled by his ignorant coadjutors, the infantry were put in
motion, flanked on one side by the cavalry and on the other by the
artillery. It was indeed a pitiful movement, for which they paid
dearly. I despatched the Arrapahoes to out-flank and charge the cavalry
of the enemy when a signal should be made; the Apaches slowly descended
the hill in face of the infantry, upon which we opened a destructive
fire with our four field-pieces.

The infantry behaved well; they never flinched, but stood their ground
as brave soldiers should do. The signal to charge was given to the
Arrapahoes, and at that moment the Shoshones, who till then had remained
inactive with me on the hill, started at full gallop to their appointed
duty. The charge of the Arrapahoes was rapid and terrific, and, when
the smoke and dust had cleared away, I perceived them in the plain a
mile off, driving before them the Mexican cavalry, reduced to half its
number. The Shoshones, by a rapid movement, had broken through between
the infantry and artillery, forcing the artillerymen to abandon their
pieces; then, closing their ranks and wheeling, they attacked fiercely
the right flank of the infantry.

When I gave the signal to the Arrapahoes to charge, the Apaches
quickened their speed and charged the enemy in front; but they were
checked by the running fire of the well-disciplined troops, and, in
spite of their determination and gallantry, they found in the Mexican
bayonets a barrier of steel which their lances could not penetrate.

The chances, however, were still ours: the Mexican artillery was in our
power, their cavalry dispersed and almost out of sight, and the
infantry, though admirably disciplined, was very hardly pressed bo