On leaving Fort Stanton my entire command, including Lieutenant Gilbert's party, numbered fifty-four men mounted. I had also six Navajo warriors on foot to be used as spies, trailers, &c. I set out that afternoon and marched all night, and encamped at sunrise next morning at a small stream north of the Sierra Blanca. Having rested at this camp until 1 p. m. I resumed the march, and following an old Indian path, I arrived at a small water-hole at sunset within a few miles of that belt of volcanic rocks, known as the Mal Pais. As the passage of these rocks is impracticable at night I rested until daylight, and next morning marched toward and across it, my animals being much injured by the sharp and rugged rocks while passing, and I reached the Ojo del Llano (spring of the hill), a fine spring in the center of a dry and barren desert. From this point I marched at daylight next day in a northerly direction to the point where Lieutenant Gilbert saw the Apaches. I reached the canyon at 12 m., and found on examination that a large number of sheep and several mules had been grazing there some six or eight days before, although a heavy rain had partially obliterated the tracks. I marched same evening to a canyon still farther north, and crossing the mountain ridge next day I visited an old apache rancheria, which had not been inhabited for several months. I returned same day to the east side of the mountain and found the trail made by the Apaches running in a southwest direction along the base of the Sierra Oscura. I pursued said trail until sunset, and found that it entered a large canyon about twenty miles in extent, which opened on the Jonada del Muerte. I marched through this canyon same night without a halt in a very severe storm of rain, which injured men and animals, and I encamped at daylight in an opening of the canyon near the jonada, where grass and rainwater were abundant. Here I sent a party of good trailers ahead to ascertain the direction of the trail, who returned at 11 a. m. and informed me that after entering the plain it soon diverged to the left and entered another opening in the mountain. I packed up at 12 m. and followed it over hill and valley until sunset, when I encamped at a point where grass was abundant, but no water. A very severe rainstorm set in,which lasted until midnight, and rendered trailing still more difficult, but I marched, notwithstanding, forty-five miles before sunset, passing three places where the Apaches had rested and built fire. At the last resting-place a ramrod and three butcher knives were found. I encamped at sundown at the Alamo Spring, about fifty miles from Fort McRae, as I was informed by Sanchez, a Mexican guide from Fort Stanton, who had overtaken the command at this camp. Sanchez had been sent forward by Major Chacon (who was following up my trail) as a spy, and mistaking my trail for that of the major's command, he had traveled on without rest until he overtook me. I attached him to my command, and next morning set out on the trail, which took a direction west, crossing a very rough and rocky country in the center of the Sierra Andres.

During the day's march no water could be found, and sunset I reached a canyon about ten miles from the sandy desert lying between the Sierra Andres and Sacramento Mountains. Owing to the imperfect knowledge of my guide I had much trouble in following the trail this day, and I was obliged to encamp without water at dark, although men and animals greatly needed it. The next morning I started at daylight,sending flankers right and left to find water, and I followed the canyon to its mouth, but no water could be found. The guide Sanchez conducted me to the Salinas under the impression that the water was