AN INCIDENT OF AMERICAN FRONTIER LIFE.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XXV, Issue 213, 8 September 1891, Page 3

AN INCIDENT OF AMERICAN FRONTIER LIFE.

It was in 1847. I rode into Dona Anna, a village on the southern boundary of the Jornada del Muerfco, just as the bright streaks of dawn were melting into the fall light of day ; and as I neared the plaza a band of Apaohes daßhed away. They had just raided the village, killing all whom they found outside the shelter of the houses, and captured a large band of horses. As they passed the outskirts of the village they seized and carried off two Mexican ohildren, and a young girl named Josefa Juarez, a daughter of Don Francisco Juarez, who was a captain in the Mexican army She was a young lady of great beauty, and beloved and respected by all who knew her, with that peculiar regard given to a charming young lady on the frontier, where Buoh as Bhe are rare. Her mother was frantic . A courier was Bent at once to Sergeant William Y. Graves, ot the Point .of Rocks on the Joruado, whither he had acoompanied me as military guard, Meantime I rode hastily to Fort Bliss for troops. Before night Sergeant Graves was in pursuit from the north, and Lieutenant Henry from the south. Lieutenant Henry's command struck the trail first, but was soon overtaken by Graves 1 , Which consisted o£ six privates from the second Missouri Cavalry and about twenty-rive New Mexicans from Dona Anna. | |0n the evening o,f the second day we saw three 1 Indians, evidently scouts, whom we pursued and killed. That night we camped in a mountain gorge of the Sierra Fenaso. The Indians, feeling safe from pursuit, had Stopped and grazed their stock on this very camp-ground, and had but just left it, late on this same evening of our arrival. Daylight found us in the saddle in pursuit. The trnil was now large and plain. Dark olouds hung over the mountain, and the heavy thunder told of a coming storm. We oroesed the main mountains, and entered the pine timber on tbe eastern slope. About ten o'clock the heavy drops of rain began to fall. The word bad already been given to go into oamp, whon one of the scouts returned aad announced tbe Indians in camp lees than & mile ahead. Liues wera promptly formed, and an a-ivance was ordered. Graves was aßsig ed to the left, while Lieutenant Henry took the right and centre. The Indians had taken shelter in the heavy timber and rocks that covered the country in profusion. We charged by the left, but were driven back by a large body of ludians under cover. After some fruitless efforts, the order was given for the first and third battalion to dismount, and feel their way through the rocks and timber, a/.d locate the Indians, and uncover their position if possible. Graves, with the second and fourth mounted, was ordered to advance by the right under oover of a ridge, and, if possible, attack the Indian position from the rear. His command reached the open country to the rear of the Indians, and surprised and oaptured their oamp, while they were vigorously engaged by Lieutenant Henry in front, In this oharge my horse Blipped and fell on his baok, wedging himself and me between two large rooks. Before I could extricate myself, I saw coming directly toward me several Indians, and with them the two ohildren and Josefa Juarez, who was dragged along by a large, savage-looking Indian. I raised my rifle, and in an instant released the girl from her savage captor. This drew the Indiana' attention to me, where I lay pinned to the rocks ; but a pair of six-shooters and a Bteady aim kept them off until the firing brought some of my own men, who haßtily released me and my good horse. I found that Sergeant Graves had meanwhile recaptured Josefa and the cbildreu, and was alone hurrying them out of danger. The battle was raging on all sides. Every stone seemed to shelter an Indian , and they were made desperate by the loaa of the camp outfit and stock, all of which had fallen into our hands. Meanwhile the storm bad set in with all the fury of a New Mexioan mountain tempest, .Tho very elements seemed to be taking part in this oontest — whioh was not one of strength, but of life and death, for no quarter was asked or given, Nearly three hourß of bard fighting against superior numbers left us short of ammunition. The Indians had been dislodged with beavy loss, from their position, and had retreated father back on the mountains, where we were (suable to pursue. Over one half of our foroe was disabled by wounds, BDd three were killed, Oar main end, the recapture of Dona Josefa and the children, had been accomplished, and all the Biook taken by the Indians, some four hundred head, had been recovered besides, the capture of over a hundred head of Indian ponies ; and thirty -two Indians were dead on the field. So we began our return. We were unmolested, and three days brought us back to Donna Anna, where we received the congratulations of our officers and the gratitude of the citizens. And this was the story — celebrated in that region — of tbe reßOue of Donna Josefa Juarez, the Boldier's daughter.— F. Adams in the Overland Monthly. JIIJIIIII , n — — — ~^A.<»>»r.'>ri»rr J r"'^^r^-l" ~— " A serious misoarriage of justice has just been discovered, Some- years ago (writes the London correspondent of tbe Age) a gentleman named Barber, who was a member of the syndicate whioh had puiobased the Great Eastern steamship, was charged with fraud, inasmuch as he had falsely represented to a third party that the ship was seaworthy, whereas in point of fact she was not. His mouth was, of course, shut at his trial, and he was convicted and sentenced to a month's imprisonment. During a recent trial brought to recover damages for the misrepresentation the jury had the advantage of hearing Mr Barber's explanation, and the result was that a verdict was returned completely exonerating him. The Lord Chief Justice said that Mr Barber'B statement produoed a oomplete don. viotion of his innocence, and although he might have done that which was unwise and perhaps illegal, he was bound to express a strong conviction that in all that Barber did he aoted as a man of honour and integrity Bhould aofc, and that the conviction against him was secured mainly by the f aot that he could not give evidence in hiß own defence, and that the facts were not really brought out. He, the Lord Ohief Justioe, might say that the bill introduoed by the Lord Chancellor allowing an accused person to give evidence, whioh had passed the House of Lords, had had his hearty support. 11l is unfortunate that there seems but little probability of. the bill becoming law during the present session. The Italian lives more abstemiously than any other immigrant who comes to America, exoept the Chinaman.