[155] three pieces of artillery under Lieutenant Bradford, and Phillips' volunteers, in all about 600 efficient men. He found the enemy in Glorieta cañon and formed line of battle there. Major Pyron was given charge of the right, Major Ragnet of the center, and Colonel Scurry led the right in a charge which was at once successful, the enemy taking to cover. Lieutenant Bradford, of the artillery, was wounded, and his guns carried back, but two were brought forward again by Private W. D. Kirk and Sergeant Patrick. Another advance was now ordered, but before it was under way the gallant Major Shropshire was killed. Then, said Colonel Scurry in his report:
I took command on the right and immediately attacked the enemy who were at the ranch. Majors Ragnet and Pyron opened a galling fire upon their left from the rock on the mountain side, and the center charging down the road, the foe were driven from the ranch to the ledge of rocks before alluded to, where they made their final and most desperate stand. At this point three batteries of eight guns opened a furious fire of grape, canister and shell upon our advancing troops. Our brave soldiers, heedless of the storm, pressed on, determined if possible to take their battery. A heavy body of infantry, twice our number, interposed to save their guns. Here the conflict was terrible. Our officers and men, alike inspired with the unalterable determination to overcome every obstacle to the attainment of their object, dashed among them. The right and center had united on the left. The intrepid Ragnet and the cool, calm, courageous Pyron had pushed forward among the rocks until the muzzles of the guns of the opposing forces passed each other. Inch by inch was the ground disputed until the artillery of the enemy had time to escape with a number of their wagons. The infantry also broke ranks and fled from the field. So precipitate was their flight that they cut loose their teams and set fire to two of the wagons. The pursuit was kept up until forced to halt from the extreme exhaustion of the men, who had been engaged for six hours in the hardest contested fight it had ever been my lot to witness. The enemy is now known to have numbered 1,400 men, Pike's
