The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 66, July 1962 - April, 1963 Page: 434

Southwestern Historical Quarterly

surprise; they had undoubtedly watched our movements, but were
not of sufficient force to attack us.
At daybreak they rushed with awful yells between the valley and
the hill, killed and scalped a Mexican who intended to get his horse
to camp, in less than a minute, and stampeded half of our horses
and all our work oxen and beef cattle.
It was our intention to rest on this creek a few days to give our
jaded horses and poor oxen a rest, after having previously suffered
so often for water.
It was really surprising how fast our broken-down stock ran when
the Indians were after them with their terrible war whoop.
Our hobbled horses even ran fast, and after we could mount some
of our men whose horses were staked close at camp, they pursued
the Indians, regained the cattle as they did not make as fast speed
as the horses, but had to give up further pursuit to regain the horses,
for they discovered a large ambuscade of Indians.
Well, we were glad enough to get our beef cattle and work oxen
back, we would have been in a desperate situation if we had lost
our draught oxen, and especially our only supply-even the poor
jaded beef cattle.
From this point, which I can not describe, for we were totally lost
in this unknown and unexplored region, the commander, Gen. H.
McLeod, sent out several scouting parties to find a route passable,
having on the same wood and water.
We advanced about three days journey, and came to a running
brackish stream; from thence, a whole days journey again without
water and at nightfall we reached a clear spring on a hill; the
water was cool, too thirsty to judge its taste, we all partook of it
copiously, and in less than an hour we were purged freely. Next
morning we advanced again, but found no water. Some of Capt.
Strain's men were detailed to find water and a route to advance.
Other men, frantic with thirst, of their own accord started out in
different directions to find water.
About 9 o'clock a.m., the command received the information, that
Lieut. Hall [Hull] and five men16 attached to him were surprised by
a large party of Indians and probably killed. Some 15 men were
detailed to find this detachment.
Lieut Hall [Hull], of whom I spoke before, was an English Navy
officer on half pay, a fine and well educated gentleman, as with others
of the company to which he and the other men detailed belonged
to Capt. Strains company.
We had to go over a mile or two of high rolling prairie, where we
"eMost accounts say there were only five men including Hull. The others were
William Mabee, Samuel Flenner, Francis B. Woodson, and Robert or James Dunn.

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