to meet him. His command was entirely worn out, and nearly famished.The distance from where he left the Rio Grande until he reached it againwas over one hundred miles, and the Confederates were ten days accomplish-ing this distance with live days of poor rations. The route was through theworst country in that territory, with no guides, trail, or road. What artillerythey got through with was dragged uphill and lowered by the men, whoused long ropes for that purpose. The undergrowth and brush were so densethat for several miles they were forced to cut their way through with axesand bowie-knives. Nearly all the ammunition was abandoned on the way, aswas nearly everything else, except what the men carried upon their persons.On passing over the route of these unfortunate men, nearly a year after, Inot infrequently found a piece of a gun-carriage, or part of a harness, orsome piece of camp or garrison equipage, with occasionally a white, dryskeleton of a man. At some points it seemed impossible for men to havemade their way. During this retreat the Confederates were unmolested bythe Union troops, with the exception of the ubiquitous Captain Graydon,|who, with his company, followed them alone for a long distance, pickingup a large amount of serviceable articles which they had abandoned ontheir way.
Sibley himself arrived at Fort Bliss in the first week of May, while his com-mand was strung out for fifty miles to the rear. He remained here but a fewdays, and upon hearing that the “ California Column,” under the command ofColonel James H. Carleton, was rapidly approaching from Southern Cali-fornia, he commenced his farther retreat for San Antonio, Texas . Hisforce was entirely demoralized, and moved on its way without disciplineor command, every man for himself, until all finally arrived. Sibley’s com-mand, when he reached Fort Bliss, in 1861, numbered nearly or quite 3700men; when he returned it was less than 2000, making a loss of over 1700men, the bones of a large number ofArizona, New Mexico, and Texas .
4- Captain James Graydon’s laconic report ofthe pursuit is dated Polvadera, N. M. , May 14th,
1862. He says:
“ Last night I reached here from Salada . On the 8thI reached Nugales Spring. From there the road ranbetween the hills for about 15 miles, then took towardthe Magdalene Mountain, where they found water;distance from Nugales about 29 miles; road very rough.
On the road they deserted 1 wagon and a camp andleft 3 dead bodies half buried. ... I had allburied. From there the road took to Feather Springs,— Icalled it so on account of feather-beds being strewedaround ; distance from Dead Man’s Spring seventeenmiles. TlieFencamped there. From there they took theroad to Ojo del Pueblo; distance fifteen miles; roadvery rough. Here the:/ blew up a caisson, burned threewagons, hospital department, medicines, etc.; left afew shell and round shot. From there they took to theSalada ; distance from Ojo del Pueblo about thirty miles;road very rough. On this road, near and at Salada ,they blew up and burned 6 caissons, l 12-pouuder how-
whom were left oil the arid plains of
itzer and 2 mountain-howitzer carriages. I foundout where they had buried some 40 shell, loaded, in oneplace, and 38 in another: 78 in all. I took them up andhid them in another place. To-morrow the quarter-master from here sends for them. They burned tipabout 19 wagons, 10 ambulances, 6 caissons, and 3 car-riages. I think they left 3 howitzers, 1 12-pounder and2 mountain. I had with me a man who came withthem, who saw them leave the howitzers. I believe theMexicans have the large one buried, and by offering areward we could find out. They destroyed six 100-poundbarrels of powder at, Salada , and a great deal of camp-equipage. The road from Ojo del Pueblo is strewn withold harness, iron ovens, and in fact everything butsmall ammunition. It seems they destroyed very littleif any, of that. It appears that the Mexicans havecarried off a great deal. There is nothing worth send-ing for in the shape of ammunition except the shell. Thedistance from Nugales to Eio Puerco is about 109 miles;road very bad. Sibley’s command made it in live days.Left dead on the road about 60 or 70 mules and horses.”
Editors.