The men got fresh remounts, a resupply of ammunition, food, basic provisions, and they also got the gold and placed it in the wagon, they would leave their other wagons at the fort to lighten the load and move faster, they would only need their pack mules for this journey. As soon as they could, they rode out of the fort with the wagon in the middle of the column for easier guarding.

Cpl Blutch galloped over to the Sarge who was behind Lt Danford, he was concerned.

Cpl Blutch: "Hey Sarge?"

Sgt Chesterfield: "What is it Blutch?"

Cpl Blutch: "I've got a bad feeling."

Sgt Chesterfield: "About what?"

Cpl Blutch: "I don't know, I've just got a feeling that something bad might happen."

Sgt Chesterfield: "You worry too much, but all the same, we should send out men to scout ahead for anything, would make things safer, and you happier."

Cpl Blutch (Under his Breath): "Mule Driver."

Sgt Chesterfield (Rising Temper): "What did you just say."

Cpl Blutch: "Oh, nothing Sergeant."

Sgt Chesterfield shook his head and galloped up to Lt Danford to recommend his idea of sending out the scouts.

Sgt Chesterfield (Saluting): "Lt Danford sir?"

Lt Danford (Returning salute): "Yes, what is it Sergeant?"

Sgt Chesterfield: "Why don't we send out our scouts, I think it will make our travel much more easier and safer."

Lt Danford: "I would have to agree Sergeant." He turned his head over to the scouts. "Cpl Quayne, Trooper McCarthy, Wilkes, Henderson, scout forward, and report to me at dusk, the point will be at Bent's Fort crossing.

Cpl Quayne: "Yes sir." The scouts galloped on ahead of the column.

Lt Danford: "CARBINES, AT THE READY!" The men drew their carbines just in case any surprises might arise during the march.

It was relatively peaceful ride through New Mexico, but it was too peaceful, it felt as though something was going to happen at a moment's notice.

Meanwhile

Capt Britten and his company Texas Dragoons were trotting down the trail when they saw a set of four men in blue cavalry uniforms heading down the trail.

Lt Raider: "What do you think sir, should we take them on?"

Capt Britten: "There just four Yankee scouts, we won't go for the small pickings, were after that gold the yanks are transporting through the territory back east."

Lt Raider: "All the same, I think we should go after them."

Capt Britten: "Alright, take twelve men and go after them, try to take them alive."

Lt Raider: "Yes sir." He selected twelve men and galloped towards the four man detail of scouts. Cpl Quayne saw these rebels coming down on them screaming and decided to take action.

Cpl Quayne: "ALRIGHT FELLAS, LET'S GET OUT OF HE..." He was interrupted when he was shot in his chest near his shoulder, right next to where his heart was. He fell from his horse, but Trooper McCarthy picked him up and made him double back with him, the men pulled out their Remington Revolvers and fired on the confederates before they galloped back towards the Company, that was ten miles away.

Company B was still trotting down the trail, they reached a small spring where they would rest for about a half an hour. Some of the men watered the horses and others refilled their canteens and rested by the rocks. Sgt Chesterfield was laying by a rock, he had a pencil and some writing paper and was writing a letter to someone when Blutch walked over to him.

Cpl Blutch: "Hey Sarge, what are you doing?"

Sgt Chesterfield (Startled): "Oh um, nothing."

Cpl Blutch (Smirking): "Alright Sarge, let me see." The Corporal reached for it but Sgt Chesterfield kept it away, but when Blutch went for it again, he got it and quickly read the top line, it was a letter that the Sergeant was going to send to Amelia back at Fort Bow. "Well I'll be, it's a letter to Amelia." The Sergeant took it back and tucked it into his jacket.

Sgt Chesterfield: "My personal matters don't concern you Corporal." The small Corporal sat next to the Sergeant and smiled.

Cpl Blutch: "You know, I guess this mission isn't that bad."

Sgt Chesterfield: "See, I told you."

Cpl Blutch: "Don't get cute, something may change with the snap of my fingers." He walked away to play poker with some of the fellas, Sgt Chesterfield went back to his writing. Just then, Lt Cohill came by on his horse.

Lt Cohill: "Sergeant."

Sgt Chesterfield: "Yes sir?"

Lt Cohill: "Saddle the boys up, we're moving out."

Sgt Chesterfield: "Yes sir." He tucked his letter away and went to find Blutch.

Cpl Blutch was playing poker, the game was ending and Blutch seemed to have a good hand.

Random Trooper: "Two Queen's."

Some of the others looked at each other, some smirked and some other's looked nervous, Blutch didn't give an expression, he had his poker face on.

Cpl Blutch: "Full House." After that was said, all the men groaned over losing just as Sgt Chesterfield came by.

Sgt Chesterfield: "ALRIGHT, SADDLE UP FELLAS, WE'RE MOVING OUT AGAIN!" The men groaned at this too, they reluctantly got their saddles and placed them back on their horses, they reformed the column and moved out. After riding for five miles, the men heard some faint shooting, then Sgt Chesterfield and Cpl Blutch remembered the scouting patrol.

Sgt Chesterfield: "Lieutenant, it must be the scouting patrol."

Lt Danford: "I agree Sergeant, bring the first two sets of four forward."

Sgt Chesterfield: "FIRST TWO SETS OF FOURS, FORWARD!" Eight men, including the color bearers came up behind the two officers and the two NCO's when they rode to the sound of the shooting, it got louder and louder, they saw it was the scouting patrol.

Lt Cohill: "It's Cpl Quayne's patrol."

Lt Danford: "BUGLER, Sound Recall."

Bugler: *Recall*

Lt Danford took off his kepi and started waving at the patrol to come towards them, Sgt Chesterfield and Cpl Blutch did the same and shouted at them to come.

Sgt Chesterfield: "HEY FELLAS, OVER HERE!"

Cpl Blutch: "YEAH COME ON GUYS OVER HERE, YOOHOO!"

The patrol of four men rode towards the small group of their fellow Bluecoats, and just as they were halfway there, over the ridge they saw some Confederate cavalry troopers.

Lt Danford: "SERGEANT, DISMOUNT THE MEN AND OPEN FIRE WITH YOUR CARBINES!"

Sgt Chesterfield: "Yes sir." He turned to the others. "DISMOUNT, FIGHT ON FOOT!" The troopers got off their horses, got on their bellies and opened fire on the approaching Rebel troops.

Reb Trooper: "Lieutenant, they're shooting us."

Lt Raider: "Alright, pull back boys, there not worth it anyway." And the Reb pursuers left without firing a shot, once the patrol got back, when Trooper McCarthy stopped his horse, Cpl Quayne fell off into the dirt, Cpl Blutch and another trooper picked him up and put him on their shoulders.

Cpl Quayne (Saluting): "Cpl Quayne and patrol r-reporting s-sir."

Lt Danford: "At ease corporal, what happened out there?"

Cpl Quayne: "The R-rebs ambushed u-us sir."

Trooper McCarthy: "IT WAS THOSE TEXAS DRAGOONS, I KNOW IT WITH MY OWN EYE..."

Cpl Quayne: "SHUT UP MCCARTHY, QUIET IN THE RANKS, I'M MAKING THIS REPORT!"

Lt Danford: "Anything else?"

Cpl Quayne: "No sir, nothing."

Lt Danford: "Alright, good work Quayne, I'll see this goes on your record for when you get that extra stripe."

Cpl Quayne: "Thank you sir."

Lt Danford: "Sergeant Chesterfield, call up the wagon and the rest of the command."

Sgt Chesterfield (Tucking his carbine in his saddle boot): "Yes sir." He turned to the bugler. "BUGLER, CALL UP THE WAGON AND THE COMPANY!"

Bugler: "Right Sarge." *Fatigue Call*

The wagon which had the gold, and also the regimental doctor, Doc Quincannon, came up with the rest of the command, Quayne was placed carefully into the wagon and they continued on.

Sgt Chesterfield: "Hey Blutch, that was good shooting."

Cpl Blutch: "Thanks, I just didn't want to see any of our men get hurt or killed."

Sgt Chesterfield (Smirking): "I'll make a soldier out of you yet."

Cpl Blutch: "Oh shut up."