Returning to camp, I wrote a letter to the commanding general, giving
an account of the attack and its repulse, and despatched it by the
Mexicans, who, taking cut-offs with which they were acquainted, and
borrowing horses in relays at ranches on the way, delivered it next
evening at Santa Fe.

The general sent a hundred troopers to Los Valles Grandes, where they
came galloping into camp two evenings afterwards. As Captain Wardwell
sprang from his saddle and wrung my hand, he exclaimed:

"God bless you, Duncan! I came out expecting to bury the bones of you
and your men."

I was glad to see the California cavalry officers, and, during the
three days of their stay in the valley for rest after a forced march,
did the honors to the best of my ability. On the day of their
departure the wagons returned loaded with supplies. Instructions were
received to send back all but one wagon and six mules.

With the departure of cavalry and wagons, life in the valley settled
down to quiet routine. I spent some time in instructing my companions,
according to an agreement I had made with their father. Not being a
West-Pointer, but a college graduate with a fair knowledge of Greek
and Latin, and some other acquirements not considered of military
utility, I was able to carry out a desire of the colonel and assist
the boys in preparing themselves for college.

We rarely received visits from the outside world. The nearest hamlet
was an Indian pueblo, twenty-six miles away, in the Rio Jemez Valley,
and representatives of the army seldom had occasion to visit our
outposts. The mail arrived from Santa Fe every Saturday afternoon, and
left every Monday morning in the saddle-bags of two cavalry
express-men.

To the soldiers life in the valleys was very pleasant. Duty was light,
and there were no temptations to dissipation or to be out of quarters
at night, and there were no confinements to the guard-house for
disorder. Evenings were spent over books and papers and quiet games,
and the days in drill, repairing buildings, providing the fuel for
winter, hunting, and scouting.

As previously referred to, we were in a region of abundant game. The
boy corporals accompanied the hunting-parties, and became skilled in
bringing down whatever they sighted. Henry, as well as Frank, shot his
bear, and soon our floor was covered with the skins of wolves,
coyotes, bears, and catamounts, skilfully dressed and tanned by the
Cordovas.

And now I must in