delayed because of a lack of water and he never reached the battlefield. Unaware of Morrow's problems, Captain Carroll and his Buffalo Soldiers advanced up the Hembrillo Valley on April 5. Carroll sent 29 soldiers and two Indian guides under Lt. John Conline ahead as scouts. Conline discovered a trail recently traveled by horses and cattle and advanced carefully. Battle AT 5:30 on April 5, Lt. Conlin, advancing up the Hembrillo Valley, discerned 35 to 50 Apaches advancing on his force. Conlin sat up a skirmish line and a firefight ensued. Two soldiers were wounded. The Apache broke off the attack at nightfall, and Conlin retreated back to the main force headed by Captain Carroll. One of Conlin's scouts recognized Victorio as personally leading the attack. Carroll was worried that the Apache might flee and he organized an advance on them the next day, April 6. He initially split his force, sending two companies up Conlin's route, and leading two companies of 71 men via an alternate route from the northwest to try to surprise the Apache. However, he had second thoughts about splitting his force and ordered it reunited, but continued his advance. Late in the afternoon he entered Hembrillo Basin with his two companies, the other two companies now following him at a distance. Carroll deployed his two companies in a V-shape and advanced, but the Apache occupied higher ground and opened fire at long range. Carroll captured a small ridge, but found himself surrounded by the Apache and cut off from access to a nearby spring, the only water near him. The Apache broke off the fight at nightfall and Carroll settled in for the night. Carroll spent an uncomfortable, waterless night and the next morning, April 7, the Apache began to close in on him. He was saved from further casualties by the arrival of additional army soldiers and Indian scouts. The two companies of his command several miles in his rear had been unaware of his plight and spent the night outside the basin, but they advanced into the basin that morning. Also, arriving at the basin that morning was Capt. McClellan with his 85 American soldiers, including a company of Buffalo soldiers, 40 Indian scouts, and 100 White Mountain Apache, enemies of the Chiricuahua. The soldiers advanced on the Apache positions while Lt. Gatewood led the Apache scouts in a flank attack on the