After one o'clock Colonel Canby came upon the ground with his staff, followed by Colonel Pino's regiment of volunteers, and took the command in person. Up to this time the fighting had been principally with the batteries. Captain McRae's battery occupied the left, and Lieutenant Hall's battery the right of the line. On the left flank, and within about a hundred yards of McRae's battery, was a piece of woods, where bodies of the enemy were seen to collect, but out of range of the guns. Two companies of regulars and two companies of volunteers were assigned to support this battery. Lieutenant Hall's guns were to be supported by the cavalry and Colonel Carson's volunteers. Thus disposed, Colonel Canby intended to make an advance, when suddenly a brisk fire of musketry was opened towards the right of the field. This was entirely unexpected, but the object was soon discovered to be a ruse to divert attention from an attempt which was immediately made to take the batteries. Advancing to the front, in two divisions, the enemy rushed on and made their charges against the batteries in the most determined and gallant manner. The charge against Lieutenant Hall's battery was made by the cavalry, who dashed forward with an unbroken front, in the face of the destructive fire to which they were exposed. Standing true to their posts, the experienced gunners worked their pieces with such deadly effect, that the enemy was ap palled by the carnage, and compelled to retire from the field. The charge upon McRae's battery was made on foot, and was never surpassed for the cool and deliberate determination with which the rebel infantry pressed forward undismayed to their work. The iron hail belched forth from the guns swept through their ranks, opening a pathway through the columns, which closed up and moved onward, apparently heedless of the losses they sustained. Volley after volley from the batteries poured destruction on the advancing foe. But still they came on steadily under the fire, pouring forth in return volley upon volley, and closing with their revolvers and bayonets, until the last brave man was shot down while standing faithfully by his gun. During all this time the New Mexicans remained inactive, and when once convinced of the danger they were in, fled in haste, leaving the thrice heroic McRae alone with his gunners, who fell one by one till he stood alone before the enemy. When this fearless man saw that he was utterly abandoned, he sat down, with sublime coolness, on one of his useless guns, with his face to the enemy, waiting for the glorious death which soon came to his relief. A ball struck him on the forehead, and he fell by the gun his courage had defended to the last. Captain Plimpton's regulars stood their ground and fought until onehalf their number were wounded, or dead and dying on the field, when they were compelled to retire. When the battery was lost, the day was decided in favor of the enemy, and the Federal forces retreated to Fort Craig. Colonel Canby had in the engagment about 1,500 men, consisting of regulars and volunteers. The force of the enemy, under Colonel Steele, was from 1,500 to 2,000. Our loss, according to the best information, was 50 or 60 killed, and about 140 wounded. The loss of the enemy was estimated at from 100 to 200 killed and wounded. Captain Rossel, of the regulars, was taken by the Texans, his horse having been drowned in crossing the river. THE BATTLE OF APACHE CANON. MARCH 28, 1862. The immediate consequence of the battle of Valvende was that the insurgents marched directly past Fort Craig, which for want of men and provisions they were powerless to invest or capture, direct on Albuquerque and Santa Fé, which fell into their power without resistance. Albuquerque was the depot of United States Government stores, most of which was removed on the advance of the insurgents, and the rest destroyed. The occupation of Santa Fé was followed by the proclamation of a provisional government, which however never entered into practical operation. Fort Craig still remained in the rebel rear, and Fort Union in the possession of the national troops, on the northeast, from which direction reinforcements might be expected. The policy of the insurgents was therefore either to capture Fort Union before relief could arrive, or maintain their position, isolating Fort Craig until that post should be compelled to surrender for want of supplies. Meantime, news of the critical condition of affairs having reached the Colorado territory and Kansas, troops were at once organized to go to the relief of the threatened positions. By forced marches, scarcely paralleled in history, a Colorado regiment 950 strong, under Colonel Hough, reached Fort Union on the 13th of March. Here he gathered around him all the troops available, or possible to obtain, and marched for Santa Fé, to give battle to the invaders. The latter moved their forces forward to meet him. The numbers on both sides were nearly equal-between 1,200 and 1,500. They met at a point called Apache Pass. The main fight took place at Apache Cañon, eighty miles from Fort Union, and twenty miles from Santa Fe. Three battalions, one under Major Chivington, one under Captain Lewis, and one under Captain Wynkoop, advanced to the cañon, on the 28th, when the pickets reported no enemy in sight. The command then advanced, when shots were fired at them by the Texans, who were in ambush and succeeded in killing four privates. The Union men, under Hough, rushed on them, killing 20 or 30 Texans, wounding many of them, and taking seven prisoners, four officers and three privates. Major Chivington's command, which went ahead and surprised the Texan pickets, taking 67 prisoners, and 64 provision wagons, now arrived, and a plan of action was determined upon. It was to meet the enemy in front and flank them at the same time. About 12 o'clock they advanced, and the action became general, the Coloradans doing wonders. The battery under Captain Ritter, and also the howitzer battery under Lieutenant Claflin, swept the Texans from the field. The fight lasted until four o'clock, when flags of truce were interchanged to bury the dead and care for the wounded. The enemy had about 2,000 men and one 6-pounder. The Unionists had 1,300 men, one six and one 12-pounder, and four howitzers. The enemy lost their entire train (64 wagons and provisions), 230 mules, about 150 killed, 200 wounded and 93 taken prisoners, among whom were 13 officers. The Texans, when surprised, supposed it was Colonel Canby's force that was coming. The Texan officer in command, with two of his companies, made several attempts to charge on the Union men and seize their batteries, but they were each time repulsed, with tremendous loss, while daring, noble deeds were performed by the Federal soldiers. At one time, the Texan companies charged within a few yards of the Union batteries. The defeat at Apache Pass proved an effectual check on the invaders, and so far weakened their forces as to compel their abandonment of the territory, and its complete restoration under the national authority. The enemy fled into Arizona, where they found it useless to remain, and applied to the authorities of Mexico for permission to cross their territory on their return home, but were refused; they however succeeded in reaching Texas. A reinforcement of Federal troops soon after arrived in New Mexico. FIGHT AT BLOOMING GAP, VA FEBRUARY 14, 1862. To General F. W. Lander's brigade had been assigned the perilous duty of protecting the Baltimore and Ohio railroad at Cumberland, Md., and the various towns and strategic points in Virginia within a radius of forty or fifty miles from that centre, at several of which his troops were quartered. On the 13th of February, Lander received information that a brigada of rebels under General Carson had occupied Blooming Gap, a strong |