valley to the south. Taking the cavalry forward and deploying as skirmishers I examined the plain, but found no enemy. An Indian village lately built of sage brush, willows, and grass, and having contained ps, had just been deserted. Baskets, ropes, furs, half-cooked meat (horse flesh), fires still burning, various trinkets, and fresh tracks of all sizes showed that they had been forced to leave hastily. All the tracks led toward the mountains. Two Indians, mounted, were seen passing up a mountain gorge and two of the citizens followed in pursuit of them and succeeded in wounding one of them and capturing the horses. One of the horses had been wounded with an arrow before being abandoned by his owner.

At 3 o'clock on the following day, with fifteen of my own men and thirty citizens under Captain Miller, we were on the march, taking one day's rations, expecting to find the enemy's winter quarters near the mountains at the head of the valley. At early dawn I noticed a large smoke about three miles to the left of the trail, and sent Sergeant Casteel with four men to reconnoiter the position and return by the trail, rejoining the command as soon as possible. About 7 a. m. the citizen volunteers in advance mistook a flock of geese on the plain about two miles below for a band of horses and rushing forward at the charge rendered their animals almost inefficient for the remainder of the day. About fifteen miles from our camp, at the northern extremity of the valley, the trail passes to the right through a narrow gap into another valley much longer, but not so wide as the last. From the mountains to the north comes a small stream running through the center of the valley into a lake at the southern end. This brook is dry at this season of the year after it reaches the valley, leaving a deep, dry channel marked by a thick growth of willows. On the divide I requested Captain Miller to send forward a scouting party. He took five men, and moving half a mile to the front saw an Indian about two miles to the right, and dispatching three of his men in pursuit moved forward with the remainder. Crossing the Willow Gulch with my force I heard a shot in the direction which Captain Miller had taken, and immediately changed direction down the gulch. On the weulch there is a plain about 400 yards wide, with very little brush or grass on it. From the rocky sage hills west of the plain there are several points or spurs jutting out into it. About 400 yards in front of me, and as far from the gulch, I saw a body of Indian horseman file down out of a canon and take position on a prominent sage ridge. I moved up at once and took position on the ridge nearest them, which was about 300 yards distant from them. As I did so re-enforcements of foot and horse came in to the enemy from every direction, the former laying in ambush and the latter forming in front to conceal them. I saw at once that they had chosen a strong position and could only be driven from it by a charge. I decided to make a feigned attack on the enemy's left with a large force than the on then on the ground, thus attracting his attention and drawing his fire, while I should charge him in front, receiving support from the flanking party. At this time Captain Miller's company was scattered in squads of from two of five ofer a plain of three or four square miles. To hold my ground and prevent the enemy form gaining my right flank I deployed the men as skirmishers on foot, covering the horses. The enemy immediately opened fire upon the line with rifles, but without effect, most of their balls falling short. This was at 11 a. m. Seeing the enemy grow more and more daring, and fearing a speedy attack, I threw the line forward within easy range