10 September 1868; Toonerville, Colorado: Company L, 7th Cavalry, recently restationed at Fort Lyon, were temporarily under the command of Capt. William H. Penrose, 3rd Infantry. When stock was stolen in the vicinity, Penrose led a hard-riding scout up Rule Creek, about six miles from the fort. Five horses died of exhaustion in the chase before the soldiers engaged a band of Cheyennes in a sharp fight, killing 4 Cheyennes and recovering 12 head of stock. Two troopers were killed in the encounter and one was wounded.
