Indian Papers of Texas and the Southwest, Vol. V

132

of even a single bad feature. The decided hostility evinced by the Indians in your approach by. commencing the fight, cuts off from all quarters any cant or doubt as to the propriety of your movements and the signal manner in which you annihilated the enemy without the least injury to your command will entitle this affair to a conspicuous place upon the military records of Border warfare. The man left dead upon the field, is indeed a distin- guishing feature. I congratulate you on your success and your command for their prompt obedience to your 01·ders, and for the gallantry they displayed in the action. I was fully aware when I called the Volunteer Companies into the service of the State, that difficulties and embarrass- ments would probably arise, if they should be placed on the same field of operations with Regular Troops and that no Volunteer Officers comdg would occasionally find themselves delicately sit- uated in the performance of active duties. In view of these an- ticipated difficulties and with a sincere desire to act in perfect manner and good feeling, with the forces of the United States, I communicated to the Adjt Genl full and explicit Orders, upon the point directing him to furnish Genl Trenton Commander of the Dept. should he desire a copy of his Gen Orders from this Dept and to obtain from him such instructions as he might think fit to issue for the governance of officers comm'dg on the fron- tier of the Rio Grande. To what extent, if any, General Smith has determined to cooperate with the State Troops stationed in the Rio Grande, I am not yet advised. I fully appreciate your disposition as indicated in your dispatch to avoid all contact or all feeling with the Mounted Rifle Corps and desire that you ad- here as far as possible to it, but at the same time I shall consider it your duty to guard as far as you can any and every unpro- tected settlement in the Valley and to seek and chastise an enemy no matter where from within our limits. The preservation of the lives and property of our citizens is far beyond all other consideration and in my view utterly merges them. On this point I shall rely with confidence on your judge- ment and descretion; confident that you will do all in your power to accomplish the object of your organization and in the most pleasant and acceptable manner to all parties concerned. The Report of the conditions of your Company afforded me much relief, in as much as I was app1·ehensive that suitable ra- tions in proper quantities could not be supplyed to your com- mand, notwithstanding I entertained the highest confidence in the zeal and ultimate ability of You all to afford them, but he

Powered by