THE CONFEDERATE INVASION OF NEW' MEXICO AND ARIZONA. 105

UNION

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NIGHT OF 20

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M E X I C O

MAP OF THE CAMPAIGN AND OF SIBLEY’S RETREAT.

MAP OF FORT CRAIG AND VALVERDE.

battery and commenced firing, whereupon the Union artillery and cavalryreturned to the fort, leaving the infantry to watch the enemy, who thatnight made a “dry camp” in the sand-hills directly opposite to and withinsight of Fort Craig, at a distance of less than two miles. No operationswere attempted by either party during the night, with the exception of

“Paddy”(Iraydon’s mule attack upon

4 . Captain James Graydon (familiarly known as“ Paddy” Graydon) had been a soldier in the reg-ular army, and on the approach of the Confederateshad been authorized to organize an independentspy company, and as such it was mustered into theservice of the United States . As its name implies,it was truly an “independent” company. It wasseldom under the restraint of a superior officer, asit was nearly all the time on the road, its captainnot liking the monotony of garrison life. CaptainGraydon was a brave man, and no undertaking wasVOL. 11. 8

the Confederate camp. |

too hazardous for him to attempt. His companywere nearly all natives of New Mexico , and theywould go anywhere their captain would lead them.On the evening of February 20th, when the enemywere encamped opposite Fort Craig, Graydon wasallowed to make a night attack upon them. With-out explaining the details of his plan, he had pre-pared a couple of wooden boxes, in each of whichhalf a dozen 24-pounder howitzer shells wereplaced, with the fuses cut. These boxes weresecurely lashed on the backs of two old mules,