20 January 1870; Pine Springs, Texas: Capt. Francis S. Dodge continued Col. Edward Hatch's campaign despite frigid weather, leading 200 men of Companies A, C, D, H, I, and K, 9th Cavalry, north from Fort Davis following a Mescalero Apache trail up Delaware Creek into the Guadalupe Mountains. In a nearly inaccessible spot, the soldiers found the rancheria. But the Mescaleros had seen Dodge's men coming, so they climbed into the rocks above the gorge and began firing. Dismounting, the troopers began an ascent, though rain made footing precarious. By dusk they had reached the top, but the Indians were gone.
In the exchange, the Apaches wounded two troopers. Dodge counted ten dead warriors. The soldiers captured 25 ponies and destroyed the Indians' weapons and supplies.
