E. D. Shirland to Benjamin C. Cutler, September 2, 1862

Lieut. BENJAMIN C. CUTLER, Acting Assistant Adjutant-General, Franklin, Tex. :

LIEUTENANT: I have the honor to state that, in pursuance of instructions received from General James H. Carleton, commanding Column from California, I left this camp at 3 p. m. August 23 en route to Fort miles. Started at daybreak of the 24th and arrived at Eagle Springs at 9.30 a. m., seventeen miles; found the springs filled with rubbish and carrion; bycleaning them out found water formenand animals. Therebeing no grass in the vicinity, I left the springs at 4 p. m.; marched about five miles and made a dry camp; grass abundant and good. Started at daybreak and marched twenty miles to Van Horn’s Wells; found these wells entirely filled up; cleared out one of them, but found it impossible to obtain sufficient water for the men. Many of the horses being unfit to proceed farther, I thought it best to go on from here with twenty men and picked horses, taking the ambulance with me. Accordingly I directed Lieutenant Haden to retrace his steps to Eagle Springs with the remainder of the detachment, to clean out the springs thoroughly, and to remain there eight days, unless he received other orders from me. If at the expiration of eight days I should not have returned or sent back an express, I directed him to return to the river and wait for me there two days and then proceed up the river and report to General Carleton. I left Van Horn’s Wells at about 4 p. m. and arrived at Dead Man’s Hole at about 2 a. m.; found sufficient water there for the animals, but not enough for a company; distance, thirty-five miles. ;

Started at 6.30 a. m. and arrived at Barrel Springs at 3 p. m., having halted on the road to graze the animals. Found water enough at these springs for one company. Remained here that night, and on the next afternoon sent forward Corporal Bartlett, with one private and the Mexican guide, to find out the condition of affairs at Fort Davis, distant eighteen miles. They returned about noon the next day, having performed their duty in such a manner that if the fort had been occupied by the ©. S. troops their (Corporal Bartlett and party) presence could not have been discovered. They reported the fort unoccupied, and I, thinking it best not to send back for the company on account of the scarcity of water, proceeded to the fort. I found it entirely deserted, but in one of the buildings of the Overland Mail Company I found the dead body of a man lying on the floor. He had been shot through the body with a bullet and had an arrow wound on the head and one on the arm. From the appearance of the room I think that it had been used by the Confederate troops as a hospital, and this man left there sick and afterward killed by the Indians. I had the body buried. The fort appears to have been garrisoned by the O. S. troops since their first appearance in the country by at least a portion of one company. It also seemed to have been used as a rendezvous for sick soldiers, but they had all left with the last detachment for San Antonio.

The following is a description of the buildings at the fort: Five company quarters, about 80 by 25 feet; one story high; built of stone;, thatched roof. Four of these buildings are in fair condition. The roof, doors, and windows of one have been burned. One guard house, about 80 by 25 feet; building stone; roof, doors, and windows burned. One quartermaster’s store-house, about 100 by 20 feet, built of stone; roof, doors, and windows entirely destroyed; surrounded by several small buildings; use not known. One wooden or slab building, 30 by 16 feet; thatched roof; used as an adjutant’s office. One wooden building, 36 by 27 feet, with kitchen and several small outbuildings; supposed to have been the commanding officer’s quarters. On this building the flag was raised and kept up one day. One wooden building, 48 by 22 feet, with kitchen and outhouses attached; supposed to have been officers’ quarters. One wooden building, 22 by 12 feet, with one small outbuilding, 10 by 14 feet. One wooden building, 36 by 18 feet; one outbuilding, 14 by 12 feet; one slab building, 40 by 15 feet; one slab building, 50 by 14 feet; one slab building, 20 by 12 feet; one slab building, 20 by 12 feet; one slab building, 30 by 15 feet; one outhouse, 10 by 12 feet; seven small slab outhouses; one slab stable, 50 by 14 feet; one stone and mud house; three small slab buildings. These are estimated measurements, as I had no other means of doing. One Overland Mail station, consisting of house, store-house, shop, stable, saddlery, granary, «c.; one adobe building, formerly used as a store. Many of the doors and windows have been destroyed. Some seem to have been hauled off; others burned. One wagon stands loaded with lumber. I have heard a report, in fact, that the entire fort was sold by the C. S. officers to some party at Del Norte, Mexico. Property consists of some iron in quartermaster’s store-house, some 100 horseshoes, two old citizen

Caar.LXII.J EXPEDITION TO N. W. TEXAS AND NEW MEXICO.

wagons, several wagon and cart wheels, empty barrels, several chains, – many hospital bedsteads, but all broken or in a dilapidated condition. I started from the fort on my return at daylight of the 30th and marched to Dead Man’s Hole; watered the animals, and made a dry camp in the prairie.

Left camp at 9 a. m. and marched about ten miles, when an Indian made his appearance with a white flag, followed by five others, allmounted. I tried to hold a talk with them, but they seemed unwilling to haveanything to say, they being followed by twenty-five or thirty more mounted men, and still farther behind was a large party on foot, and it being evident that their only intention was to gain time and delay us until they could surround us, coming toward us in every direction, a large proportion of them mounted. Wishing to get rid of the footmen, I made a running fight of it, expecting the mounted men to follow, which they did for a short distance; but finding it too hot for them, they returned. They left 4 men dead on the field, 2 of them the leaders, respectively, of the mounted and foot men. I have good reason to believe that at least 20 were wounded. I had 2 men wounded, 1 slightly and 1 painfully, by a pistol-ball in the shoulder. I had also 1 horse wounded. I then came on to Eagle Springs, where I arrived at 11 p. m., watered all my animals, and found that Lieutenant Haden, with the remainder of the command, had left for the river several days before. Encamped for the remainder of the night, and on the next day proceeded to the river, arriving there about 5 p.m., and found Lieutenant Haden, with the remainder of the command, he stating that he could not find sufficient water at Eagle Springs for the use of the animals. I omittedin the foregoing report to state that about ten miles from Van Horn’s Wells I met two Mexicans coming this way. I arrested them and brought them to this camp, where released them, and they went on up the river and will report to General Carleton in person.

very respectfully, your obedient servant,