The fourth installment of the Light & Truth series
Robert was terrified that rumors might be true that a Mexican army of five thousand men was trying to overtake and capture the Battalion as it traveled toward Tucson. Last night a Spanish sheep driver had run away, fearing the rumor to be true. Now everyone was worried, even Colonel Cooke.
"It stands to reason that the Mexicans would send a big army out after us," one of the soldiers in E company said as the men made camp along the San Pedro River.
"If there's a big Mexican army, I hope it heads toward Santa Fe, not toward us," Sgt. Daniel Browett added. The American army had dragoons there, better equipped to fight. "They'll be wanting to recapture Santa Fe. Brigham Young said we might have to fight wild animals, but not Mexican soldiers."
Robert felt a rising uncertainty. "Well, I certainly don't like the looks of those wild bulls upon the bluff. Five thousand charging bulls would be worse than five thousand Mexican lancers." The Battalion had been worried about the coal black bulls all day. As the men set up camp, several began to talk of hunting the bulls.
"The meat'll be tough," Daniel said as he reached for his musket.
Robert began sharpening his butcher knife. "But fresh meat is fresh meat. We've starved long enough."
Daniel picked up his musket. "It might take a dozen or so balls to bring down a running buffalo, but one ball ought to bring down a black bull." He walked toward the bluff to meet Charbonneau and the others of the hunting party.
Out of the corner of his eye, Robert caught a glance of the teamsters as they led oxen and mules down to the river to be watered. As he began sharpening his knives, the first shots rang out. He felt his muscles tighten.
What happened next was almost beyond belief.
Several of the men began yelling, and there were more shots. Robert stood up to see twenty or thirty black bulls charging from the north, right up the river bottom toward camp. The smell of blood had turned the bulls into an angry herd, full of fight. The roar and bellows of the bulls were frightening. Men, mules and oxen were scattering everywhere. A bull had a man trapped between its horns.