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Unit Histories
"The 9th Regiment of Cavalry" (1) (2) 3 (4)
The banishment from the gentler influences of settled communities and
separation from the varied society of large cities was keenly felt by
officers, and the exiles’ life they were forced to lead caused a
few to give up in disgust and resign; but the majority continued in service,
fighting bravely against the hardships surrounding them. Of luxuries they
had none, of comforts, few; but the canvas homes and outdoor life furnished
good digestions and hearty appetites for the limited bills of fare presented
at the mess. Nearly all were bachelors, with the careless habits this
class of army officers are noted for, though the presence of an occasional
lady served to check in part the familiarity engendered by lack of privacy
and constant association, - serious objections to any long continued camp.
Horseback riding on pleasant days was almost the only outdoor amusement,
but the danger from Indians so contracted the safety limits, that all
ground was soon visited, and only the hope of a shot at a stray wolf or
coyote, or the rare advent of some visitor to be entertained, kept up
interest in this hind of outing. A great event was the distribution of
the mail, and whether weekly, semi-weekly, or daily, the hour of its arrival
was looked forward to by all, and, as the cloud of dust in the distance
heralded its approach, the entire garrison, from the commanding officer
to the latest recruit, hastened to the post office where they formed an
eager crowd, anxious for the latest news from the States, or in happy
anticipation of the expected letter from sweetheart, wife, or mother.
The regiment remained in Texas for eight years, spending greater portion of the time in the field, patrolling the vast stretches of prairie in innumerable scouts after depredating Indians, and gradually freeing the country from this scourge of settlers. There is not space to describe minutely even the more important of these expeditions, and I shall only summarize the following:
1867
October 1, near Howard’s Wells, Texas, two men killed while escorting the mail; December 5, Eagle Springs, Texas, one man killed; December 26, Camp Lancaster, Texas, Troop K persistently attacked for two days by a large force of Indians who were finally driven off, three men killed.
1868
January, Fort Quitman, Troop F attacked sixteen times by a large band; August, Fort Quitman, Troop H attacked, Indians driven off without loss; September 12, Horsehead Hills, Texas, Lieutenant Cusack with 60 men surprised a large party of Indians, killing 25 and capturing all their horses, ponies and supplies. But one man was wounded in this affair, which was reported as a very brilliant and successful coup against the wandering bands.
1869
June 5, Johnson’s River, Texas, Troop L, no loss; June 7, on Pecos River, Texas, 32 men of Troop G under Captain Bacon; September 15, on the Brazos River, Troops F and M under Captain Carroll, had a skirmish, and again on the 20th and 21st, the same command being augmented by detachments from Troops B and M, engaged the same band of Indians; October 28 and 29, Troops B, E, F, G, L and M had a running fight of 40 miles at the head waters of the Brazos River, killing a number of Indians. This is the affair to which the late General Sherman so often referred with his quizzical inquiry as to which way Bacon ran: November 29, head of Llanos River, Texas, Troops L and M under Captain E. M. Heyl had a desperate fight and this officer was seriously wounded; December 25, five men of Troop E defeated a band of 20 Indians which attempted to surprise the mail coach.
1870
January 6, Guadaloupe Mountains, Texas, Troop H; January 11, Lower Pecos River, Troop L; January 16, Troop G and detachment of L, under Captain Bacon, surprised an entire village, capturing 83 head of stock and all supplies; January 21, a command of Troops C, D, I and K, under Captain Dodge engaged in a skirmish in the Guadaloupe Mountains; April 3, 15 men of Troop H, under a non-commissioned officer, ran into some Indians near San Matrin’s Springs, killing one; April 25, Crow Springs, Texas, 50 men from Troops C and K, under Major Morrow, captured 30 horses and the supplies of a village; May 19 and 20, at Kickapoo Springs, Texas, Sergeant Emanuel Stance with five men of Troop F, surprised and attacked a small village, wounding four Indians and capturing two white boy prisoners and 15 horses; May 29, Bosaler Canon, Texas, Troop I.
1872
April 20, Howard’s Wells, Troops A and H, Lieutenant Vincent killed.
Mentioned are situations in which an actual engagement took place. The
many scouts, long marches, the weeks and months spent in campaign are
omitted, but during the eight years of duty in Texas, as well as afterwards
and until the regiment was sent to the Department of the Platte, more
time was spent in campaign that in garrison, and the troops covered thousands
of square miles of territory.
In the latter part of 1875 the regiment was transferred into New Mexico,
with headquarters an Santa Fe, and the troops scattered all over that
territory and even beyond. The general duty was about the same as in Texas,
and during the time the regiment remained there, various troops and detachments
were employed in capturing and returning to their reservations innumerable
roving bands of the wily and treacherous Apache tribes, the more important
of which were those headed by Nana and Victorio. During the five years
spent in this section the more important affairs were as follows:
1876
April 15, in the Florida Mountains, Troop F, one Indian killed and 11 horses captured; September 2, in the Cuchillo Negro Mountains, detachment of Troop C and E, under Lieutenant Wright, small camp captured and number of lodges destroyed
1877
January 23, Florida Mountains, nine men under Lieutenant Wright killed 5 Indians and captured 6 horses; January 28, Sierra Boca Grande Mountains, Mexico, detachment of Troops C and A captured a small camp
1878
August 6, Dog Canon, N. M., Troop H was engaged
1879
January 15, Troop A under Lieutenant Day, was engaged and captured a number of horses and mules; March 8 Ojo Caliente, Troop I; May 28, in the Black Range, Troops C and I under Captain Beyer captured a camp and 16 horses, losing one man killed and 2 wounded; September 4, Ojo Caliente, four men were killed; September 8, West Las Animas River, 24 men of Troop G under Lieutenant Hugo were engaged losing one man; September 18, Las Animas River, Troops A, B and C, one man killed and 2 wounded; September 29 and 30, on the Cuchillo Negro River, parts of Troops B, C, E and L, under Major Morrow, 2 men killed; October 2 and 3, at Milk River, Colorado, Troop D went to the relief of Thornburg’s command and succeeded in reaching it, losing all its horses; October 27, in the Guzman Mountains, Mexico, Troops B, C, G, and H, under Major Morrow were engaged, losing one man and one scout
