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62 Chapter 5 arms little Mamie who had awoke in turn. During all the remainder of the storm—near an hour—Mrs. M. sat watching me with wild searching eyes, to know if I was alarmed. Little Mamie too would peep out from her hiding place at intervals and timidly say “Papa,” then I would stoop and kiss her burning face and say “darling, don’t be afraid.” Such was the scene in our tent while the elements were preparing the terrible flood which was to follow. People who live in the Southwest know how quickly monstrous thunderstorms can develop, particularly in spring and summer, cascading torrents of rain and hail as Merriam related. They also know that dry washes can become thunderous rivers, creating dangerous flash floods. The 24th Regiment’s chaplain , John N. Schultz, recalled: “[T]here ensued a flood of unprecedented volume and force.The waters rose 25 feet in 15 minutes.”27 Merriam’s report continued in graphic detail: As soon as I could safely venture out of our tent I did so, and found the water fast rising in the creek—which at dark lay twenty feet perpendicularly below us. It was already very near the level of our tent. I immediately called out my escort and placed Mrs. M. and Mamie in the ambulance, and we started toward higher ground with it. When we had almost reached safety the current became too strong and we were swept from our feet. Then, to give a ray of false hope in the same means of escape, the troops who had just escaped from their quarters came riding to our rescue. I tried to get men to ride to the end of the pole so that I could lay hold of his horse and so bear up the pole against the current and continue our course. Several tried to do so, but either through fear or panic of their horse, would sweep away from me before I could get hold of them. I then tried to get a horse myself for the same purpose, but couldn’t so far control a man to get his horse. Several, perhaps ten, precious seconds were lost in this fruitless work. Meantime the water rose in successive waves like an ocean tide. I soon abandoned hope of saving them in the ambulance and made a struggle to get them out, but before I could scarcely touch the ambulance, I was swept by and far down the seething stream. With great difficulty I swam ashore, and ran back to make another struggle, when I was met with the crushing announcement that the ambulance had rolled over and gone tumbling down the current behind me! I was almost unconscious the rest of the night! I should judge this was about eleven o’clock. Besides Lucy and Mamie, two soldiers and “one male and one female servant” were drowned in the flood.28 With the dawn, a search began for the bodies. On to the Rio Grande 63 At daylight I alone commenced search for the ruins. I was soon joined by several, and found the wreck of the ambulance about a mile below the camp, but no bodies in it. The top was all broken and scattered over the country. This was a very heavy disappointment, for I had strangely hoped it might be strong enough to keep the precious cargo. One after another the lost soldiers and servants were found, from one-half to one mile down stream. At about 9 A.M. we found, and I took from the water with my own hands, my darling wife’s body! Cold—Cold and dead! I took it into a tent and put it in as good condition as I could, there being no female living within fifty miles. Her face, when first found, bore expression of fright and terror, but when I had washed and combed the hair, and carefully and tenderly wrapped the form in a clean blanket, her expression changed to one of sweet, smiling slumber , as if conscious of the presence of affectionate care. All day we made fruitless search for the little darling’s body. I resolved to wait until Tuesday morning, and make one more search. I did so, but still without success. I then offered a reward for its recovery and hastened to bring the remains already recovered to this post [Fort Concho] for temporary interment. My agony at turning my back upon the spot...

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