"We got lost, an' we's been starvin' ever since." By this time two other negroes had emerged from their hiding-place.
They had deserted Penrose's command, which was out of rations and in a starving condition.

They were trying to make their way back to old Fort Lyon.

General Carr concluded, from what they could tell him, that Penrose was somewhere on Polladora Creek.

But nothing definite was to be gleaned from the starving darkies, for they knew very little themselves.
General Carr was deeply distressed to learn that Penrose and his men were in such bad shape.

He ordered Major Brown to start out the next morning with two companies of cavalry and fifty pack mules, loaded with provisions, and to make all possible speed to reach and relieve the suffering soldiers.