The news was brought to the commanding officer, who immediately ordered Major Arms, of the Tenth Cavalry, to go in pursuit of the raiders.

The Tenth Cavalry was a negro regiment.

Arms took a company, with one mountain howitzer, and I was sent along as scout.
On the second day out we discovered a large party of Indians on the opposite side of the Saline River, and about a mile distant.

The party was charging down on us and there was no time to lose.

Arms placed his howitzer on a little knoll, limbered it up, and left twenty men to guard it.