OCTOBER 1 -NOVEMBER 27, 1864.-Expedition from Fort Craig, N. Mex., to Fort Goodwin, Ariz. Ter.

Report of Colonel Oscar M. Brown, First California Cavalry.

HEADQUARTERS FORT CRAIG, N. MEX.,
December 1, 1864.

CAPTAIN: I have the honor to report that in obedience to special instructions from department headquarters, dated Santa Fe, N. Mex., September -, 1864, I left this post on the 1st day of October for the Sierra Blanca Mountain and Apache country, with the following officers, troops, and employees: Captain William Ayers, First New Mexico Infantry, and twenty men: Captain W. H. Lent, First New Mexico Infantry, and thirty men; Lieutenant L. F. Samburn, Company H, First California Cavalry, and fifty men, five packers and herders, two guides, and one interpreter, all provided with thirty-one days' short rations and forty-two pack-mules, and seven herder's and packer's horses. The guides, Fellippe Gonzales and Antonio Santillanes, having full confidence that Indians might be found in large numbers on the south side of the Sierra Blanca, I determined to proceed by the way of the Little Colorado, which takes its rise on the north side of that mountain, and crossing it, surprise them if possible. Marching by way of Bear Spring, twenty-two miles; La Carriso, fifteen miles; La Monica, sixteen miles; Sierra de Luero, thirty miles; La Cienega, thirty miles; Ojo del Gallo, twenty miles; Rio Juan Apache, three miles; Ojo del Gallo, twenty miles; Rio Seco, twelve miles, I arrived at the Little Colorado, distance from Fort Craig 168 miles, on the morning of October 12 about 10 a. m. having sent my spies ahead the night before with instructions to make a thorough reconnaissance during the night, and if signs were discovered to send back and notify me, otherwise to remain in the vicinity until my command arrived. No signs whatever were discovered of any Indians having lived in this section for a long time. Rained all the forenoon. Found this to be a clear, bold, running stream, taking its rise in the Sierra Blanca, about twenty miles distant, running to the northwest, through a beautiful bottom, 20,000 acres of which can be most easily irrigated; grass of luxuriant growth and very nutritious. This bottom will at no distant day (as soon as the Apaches are exterminated) be thickly settled by a farming and stock-growing population, as it possesses every inducement to that class of settlers. Leaving camp at 13 p. m. I proceeded six miles higher up the river into the cannon, in order that my camp might be more secluded. Rain during the night.

October 13, during the forenoon had the missing shoes of horses and mules replaced; also three days' rations cooked, and marched at 3 p. m. for the base of the Sierra Blanca. The ascent from the bottom of the canon to the top of the mesa was almost impracticable and was only accomplished after a great deal of hard labor and the fall of one or two pack-mules, without, however, any serious injury. From this point I proceeded in advance with twenty-five mounted men, quietly and cautiously, and about 9 p. m. camped in a deep rocky canon, well hidden from observation. About 11 p. m. remainder of command came up; distance traveled, fifteen miles.

October 14, before breaking up camp found that one of the horses belonging by getting in among the rocks. Causing it to be killed I proceeded on cautiously, reaching the spring called Aqua de Juan Panila,