red yards of the column, and threaten a charge which
would have proved disastrous to the mules and their drivers.

Under the friendly cover of the shades of evening, on the
eighth of November, our tatterdemalion veterans marched
into Fort Leavenworth, and took quiet possession of the
miserable huts and sheds left by the Third Infantry in
the preceding May.

CHAPTER VI. A ROMANTIC TRAGEDY.

As early as November, 1842, a rumour was current in Santa Fe, and along
the line of the Trail, that parties of Texans had left the Republic for
the purpose of attacking and robbing the caravans to the United States
which were owned wholly by Mexicans. In consequence of this, several
Americans were accused of being spies and acting in collusion with the
Texans; many were arrested and carried to Santa Fe, but nothing could
be proved against them, and the rumours of the intended purposes of the
Texans died out.

Very early in May, however, of the following year, 1843, a certain
Colonel Snively did organize a small force, comprising about two hundred
men, which he led from Northern Texas, his home, to the line of the
Trail, with the intention of attacking and robbing the Mexican caravans
which were expected to cross the plains that month and in June.

When he arrived at the Arkansas River, he was there reinforced by
another Texan colonel, named Warfield with another small command. Gregg
says:

This officer, with about twenty men, had some time
previously attacked the village of Mora, on the Mexican
frontier, killing five men, and driving off a number
of horses. They were afterward followed by a party of
Mexicans, however, who stampeded and carried away, not only
their own horses, but those of the Texans. Being left
afoot, the latter burned their saddles, and walked to
Bent's Fort, where they were disbanded; whence Warfield
passed to Snively's camp, as before mentioned.

The Texans now advanced along the Santa Fe Trail, beyond
the sand hills south of the Arkansas, when they discovered
that a party of Mexicans had passed toward the river.
They soon came upon them, and a skirmish ensuing, eighteen
Mexicans were killed, and as many wounded, five of whom
afterward died. The Texans suffered no injury, though