 Under cover of brush and scrub oak, they made their way on foot to the stronghold of Juan Flores Salinas, local leader of the rural guard, at the Rincon de Cucharras outpost of the Las Cuevas ranch.The ensuing shoot-out pitted rangers against an estimated four hundred of Salinas' men.Totally outnumbered and fearing the mounted Mexicans would surround his men, McNelly ordered his men to pull back to the river to make a stand.