“As you were, gentlemen,” McKenzie said. “Captain Trevathan has gone over his plans with me and I have given my approval. I leave you now to discuss your scout. Captain, the floor is yours.”
“Thank you, sir,” Trevathan said as Colonel McKenzie left. “Gentlemen, I call your attention to the Dragoon Mountains,” Trevathan said, pointing out the mountain range on a map that was pinned to the wall. “If every man in this company will follow my plan to the exact detail, I am confident that we will rid this country of the savage Geronimo once and forever. Our Indian scouts tell us he has made his camp here.”
Trevathan pointed to a spot on the map.
“Lieutenant Bristol, you will take your platoon out on scout to locate him. I will establish the rest of the company here. As soon as you locate him, send a heliograph signal informing us of the same. Once we receive your signal, we will launch the attack, smashing Geronimo once and for all.”
“Excuse me, sir,” Bristol said. “You are going to detach an entire platoon for a scout?”
“I am indeed.”
“Wouldn’t it be better if I just took a scout and a couple of signalmen with me?”
“I want the scout to be in strength, Lieutenant,” Trevathan explained. “That way, if Geronimo attempts to escape, you can be in position to block him.”
“Yes, sir,” Bristol replied, though the tone of his voice indicated that he was not happy with his orders.
Trevathan sensed Bristol’s unease. “I am going to be counting on you, Lieutenant. In order for this plan to work, I must be able to depend on you following my orders to the exact detail. You do understand the importance of that, do you not?”
“Yes, sir, I understand,” Bristol said.
“Good. I’m glad that we understand each other. Now, gentlemen, I know that Geronimo has eluded the army for so many years that many of our troopers, I fear, have bought into the idea that he possesses mythical powers. But after this operation, that myth will be dispelled once and for all. If you follow my plan of operation to the exact detail, we will cut Geronimo to pieces, and the Eastern press will no longer make a hero of him.”
“Captain,” Lieutenant Bristol said. “With all due respect, sir, you have not encountered Geronimo before. You may find this operation more difficult than you realize.”
“Yes, well, I realize this will be my first scout since arriving out West, but I have taught military tactics at West Point for the last four years, so it isn’t exactly as if I am a novice in the art of warfare.”
Lieutenant Bristol cleared his throat, but said nothing.
“Our civilian scout has not commented,” Captain Trevathan said. He looked pointedly at Matt. “Mr. Jensen, what say you?”
“I’m not that impressed with your plan,” Matt said flatly.
Some of the others who were attending the briefing gasped in surprise.
“Really,” Trevathan said, obviously peeved by Matt’s comment. “And pray tell, Mr. Jensen, if it isn’t too much trouble, what is wrong with my plan?”
“I’ll be happy to tell you what is wrong,” Matt said, pointing to the map. “You have drawn this plan up as if you are engaging an organized army on a battlefield. You aren’t attacking an army, Captain, you are attacking smoke. Do you have tactics you can use against smoke?”
“You description is quite colorful, Jensen, but you are making my point. When you compare Geronimo to smoke, you are just perpetuating the myth. I will make allowances for your inability to understand the basic concept of this operation, Mr. Jensen, because you are just a civilian, and I cannot expect you to grasp the intricacies of military tactics. But this mission is one of classic cavalry deployment. And if we stick to our carefully prepared plan, as I fully expect us to do, the Indians will not escape.”
“Captain, I’ve been out here for a couple of years now, and I know the way these Apache devils operate,” Lieutenant Bristol said. “And I must confess that I believe there is something to what Mr. Jensen is saying.”
Trevathan turned his attention away from Matt and looked directly at Bristol. “Lieutenant, if I may ask, how did you get your commission?”
“I got a direct commission from the ranks, sir,” Bristol replied.
“A direct commission from the ranks?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Lieutenant, I am not only a graduate of the Military Academy, but, as you well know, I taught military tactics there. Do you really intend to challenge me?”
“No, sir, I would never do that,” Bristol replied.
“I would hope not,” Trevathan said. “Now, gentlemen, by this time tomorrow we will have a victory to celebrate. Return to your men and prepare them for a midnight departure. I expect us to be in position, ready to strike, at dawn’s first light.”
By dawn the next day, in accordance with Trevathan’s operational plan, the company, minus Bristol’s platoon, had reached their debarkation point. Then, from a distant hill, there came a series of mirror flashes from the heliograph Bristol had carried with him.
“Lieutenant Manning,” Trevathan called.
“Yes, sir?”
“You are a signal officer, Lieutenant. What does the message say?”
“Indians spotted, moving north along Bitter Water Creek,” Manning read.
“By Godfrey, we’ve got him!” Trevathan said. “Men!” he shouted to the troopers. “Lieutenant Bristol has spotted the Indians! Get mounted. We are about to carry the fight to the enemy.”
