Fort Bowie, Arizona T y.
July 21st, 1867.
Amiga Mia,
Behold how very magnanimous I am. Waiting not to exact the just
award of the law, but writing again. You will owe me two letters
and if you would avoid the terrors of my wrath write without
delay . After forwarding the last letter from Camp McPherson a
letter from you was received which had been three months on the
way so I was slightly unjust in my judgment. I write again however
so you must pay me a double return. On the 22d of June orders came
for me to proceed to Fort Goodwin. Had then just returned from a
ten day's scout after indians in the mountains.
Lieut. Owens, formerly of Santa Clara, was waiting at camp, also
on his way to his own post, and a Lieut. of the 32d. Taking an
armed escort we came down across the interior to Tucson. It was a
rough trip. There was one stretch over the desert of fifty miles
without water and when we did reach the river it was so salty as
to be scarcely drinkable. This side of the Gila there was another
desert of forty five miles without water. Heat was almost fear—
fum. Thermometer stood at 1100 inside of the thick adobe houses at
the stations. On reaching Tucson I rec 'd. new orders directing me
to go to Fort Bowie instead of Goodwin. Was waiting at Tucson
nearly two weeks for an escort.
Tucson is a crumbling r sleepy old Spanish town which saw its best
days a century ago. From the time of the old Missions the people
seem to have been degenerating. None of their present buildings
can compare with the ruined walls of the buildings erected by the
Padres in the dim, early days that seem almost a dream age, so old
do the ruined Missions look. Nine miles from Tucson is the church
which Ross Brown described in Harper Is.
of " San Xavier del Bac, "
After the rains had cleared the atmosphere its towers loomed up
against the mountain back—ground ,
scarcely
tall and massive ,
dimmed by the intervening miles. With an opera glass I could
distinguish the walls and angles and the rounding curves of the
dome. There was no opportunity to visit it, but I shall go to see
it on my return. The green, rich vegetation about Tucson was very
pleasant after so many days on the desert.
Lieut. Owens remains stationed at Tucson. On the 14th, inst. an
escort was furnished and I came on to Bowie. The country from
Tucson out is very different from the desert of the central part
of the territory. The altitude increases very rapidly and the land
is covered with a growth of wild grass. The climate too grows much
cooler. Here at camp snow falls in winter fifteen inches deep.
I am well into the heart of the continent now. Thirty—five miles
East the New Mexico line runs, and from there the water runs no
longer to the Pacific but flows off to the Rio Grande and down to
the Gulf. The Rio, Grande is not quite two hundred miles distant.
Fort Bowie is
Apache Pass . "
situated among the mountains in what is called
The overland road winds here for several miles
Fort Bowie, Arizona T y.
July 21st, 1867.
Amiga Mia,
Behold how very magnanimous I am. Waiting not to exact the just
award of the law, but writing again. You will owe me two letters
and if you would avoid the terrors of my wrath write without
delay . After forwarding the last letter from Camp McPherson a
letter from you was received which had been three months on the
way so I was slightly unjust in my judgment. I write again however
so you must pay me a double return. On the 22d of June orders came
for me to proceed to Fort Goodwin. Had then just returned from a
ten day's scout after indians in the mountains.
Lieut. Owens, formerly of Santa Clara, was waiting at camp, also
on his way to his own post, and a Lieut. of the 32d. Taking an
armed escort we came down across the interior to Tucson. It was a
rough trip. There was one stretch over the desert of fifty miles
without water and when we did reach the river it was so salty as
to be scarcely drinkable. This side of the Gila there was another
desert of forty five miles without water. Heat was almost fear—
fum. Thermometer stood at 1100 inside of the thick adobe houses at
the stations. On reaching Tucson I rec 'd. new orders directing me
to go to Fort Bowie instead of Goodwin. Was waiting at Tucson
nearly two weeks for an escort.
Tucson is a crumbling r sleepy old Spanish town which saw its best
days a century ago. From the time of the old Missions the people
seem to have been degenerating. None of their present buildings
can compare with the ruined walls of the buildings erected by the
Padres in the dim, early days that seem almost a dream age, so old
do the ruined Missions look. Nine miles from Tucson is the church
which Ross Brown described in Harper Is.
of " San Xavier del Bac, "
After the rains had cleared the atmosphere its towers loomed up
against the mountain back—ground ,
scarcely
tall and massive ,
dimmed by the intervening miles. With an opera glass I could
distinguish the walls and angles and the rounding curves of the
dome. There was no opportunity to visit it, but I shall go to see
it on my return. The green, rich vegetation about Tucson was very
pleasant after so many days on the desert.
Lieut. Owens remains stationed at Tucson. On the 14th, inst. an
escort was furnished and I came on to Bowie. The country from
Tucson out is very different from the desert of the central part
of the territory. The altitude increases very rapidly and the land
is covered with a growth of wild grass. The climate too grows much
cooler. Here at camp snow falls in winter fifteen inches deep.
I am well into the heart of the continent now. Thirty—five miles
East the New Mexico line runs, and from there the water runs no
longer to the Pacific but flows off to the Rio Grande and down to
the Gulf. The Rio, Grande is not quite two hundred miles distant.
Fort Bowie is
Apache Pass . "
situated among the mountains in what is called
The overland road winds here for several miles
