Ca. August 15, 1856; Comstock, Texas: In August 1856 Capt. James Oakes and Lt. James B. Witherell led thirty Second Cavalry troopers of Company C, nineteen First Infantrymen of Company B, and thirteen First Artillerymen of Company I, on patrol out of Fort Clark. They headed west toward the mouth of the Pecos River, searching for Comanches. They trailed through exceptionally rough ground where few white men had ever gone before, an area that perhaps gave the Indians a false sense of security.
Ten days into the mission, Oakes and Witherell reached the junction of the Pecos and the Rio Grande. The Indians' lax vigilance allowed Oakes to run roughshod along the banks, hitting three separate bands in one day. Even with surprise and numbers in their favor, the soldiers killed only four Indians and wounded four, in addition to capturing several horses and other property.
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