▁I rat aba , ▁we ary ▁of ▁the ▁constant ▁fighting ▁and ▁wor ried ▁that ▁further ▁conflicts ▁with ▁neighbor ing ▁tribes ▁would ▁draw ▁more ▁attention ▁from ▁the ▁US ▁soldiers , ▁organized ▁a ▁peace ▁expedition ▁to ▁the ▁Mar ic op a , ▁sett ling ▁the ▁ancient ▁disput es ▁between ▁the ▁two ▁pe op les . ▁ ▁Conf lict ▁with ▁the ▁US ▁army ▁ ▁When ▁news ▁of ▁the ▁attack ▁reached ▁California , ▁the ▁US ▁War ▁Department ▁decided ▁to ▁establish ▁a ▁military ▁fort ▁at ▁Be ale ' s ▁Cross ing ▁to ▁keep ▁the ▁Moh ave ▁under ▁control ▁and ▁secure ▁white ▁travel ers ▁safe ▁passage ▁through ▁Moh ave ▁lands . ▁On ▁December ▁ 2 6 , ▁ 1 8 5 8 , ▁Hoff man ▁and ▁fifty ▁drag o ons ▁from ▁Fort ▁Te jon ▁were ▁dispatch ed ▁to ▁cross ▁the ▁desert ▁and ▁confront ▁the ▁Moh ave . ▁I rat aba ▁attempted ▁to ▁ar range ▁a ▁peace ful ▁meeting , ▁but ▁Hoff man ▁ordered ▁his ▁troops ▁to ▁fire ▁on ▁the ▁war riors , ▁who ▁counter att ack ed ▁and ▁rep elled ▁the ▁force . ▁He ▁returned ▁in ▁April ▁ 1 8 5 9 , ▁by ▁way ▁of ▁Fort ▁Y uma , ▁with ▁four ▁companies ▁of ▁the ▁ 6 th ▁Infantry ▁Regiment . ▁When ▁they ▁arrived ▁at ▁Be ale ' s ▁Cross ing , ▁the ▁Moh ave ▁decided ▁against ▁attack ing ▁the ▁army ▁of ▁five ▁hundred ▁soldiers . ▁On ▁April ▁ 2 3 , ▁at ▁Hoff man ' s ▁request , ▁he ▁and ▁his ▁officers ▁met ▁with ▁several ▁hundred ▁Moh ave