▁New ▁Mexico - bound ▁force ▁of ▁California ▁volunte ers ▁under ▁General ▁James ▁Henry ▁Car leton ▁until ▁carriage - mount ed ▁how itzer ▁art illery ▁fire ▁was ▁brought ▁to ▁bear ▁on ▁their ▁positions ▁in ▁the ▁rocks ▁above . ▁ ▁According ▁to ▁sc out ▁John ▁C . ▁C rem ony ▁and ▁historian ▁Dan ▁L . ▁Th ra pp , ▁the ▁how itzer ▁fire ▁sent ▁the ▁Ap aches ▁into ▁an ▁immediate ▁retre at . ▁The ▁Battle ▁of ▁Apache ▁Pass ▁was ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁rare ▁pitch ed ▁batt les ▁the ▁Ap aches ▁fought ▁against ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁Army . ▁Norm ally , ▁the ▁Ap aches ' ▁tact ics ▁involved ▁gu err illa - style ▁war fare . ▁Capt . ▁Thomas ▁Roberts ▁was ▁persu aded ▁by ▁this ▁conflict ▁that ▁it ▁would ▁be ▁best ▁to ▁find ▁a ▁route ▁around ▁Apache ▁Pass , ▁which ▁he ▁did . ▁Gen . ▁Car leton ▁continued ▁unh inder ed ▁to ▁New ▁Mexico ▁and ▁subsequently ▁took ▁over ▁as ▁commander ▁of ▁the ▁territory . ▁ ▁In ▁January ▁ 1 8 6 3 , ▁Gen . ▁Joseph ▁R . ▁West , ▁under ▁orders ▁from ▁Gen . ▁Car leton , ▁captured ▁Mang as ▁Color adas ▁by ▁l uring ▁him ▁into ▁a ▁conference ▁under ▁a ▁flag ▁of ▁tr uce . ▁During ▁what ▁was ▁to ▁be ▁a ▁peace ful ▁par ley ▁session , ▁the ▁Americans ▁took ▁Mang as ▁Color adas ▁prisoner ▁and ▁later ▁murder ed ▁him . ▁This ▁f anned ▁the ▁fl ames ▁of ▁en m ity ▁between ▁the ▁enc ro aching ▁Americans ▁and ▁the ▁Apache . ▁C och ise