The position on Victorio Ridge was finally broken by a well executed flanking action by Lts. Gatewood and Mills and their companies of Apache Scouts. A simultaneous frontal assault by the 9th and 6th Cavalry took the ridge, but found no Apache there upon arrival. Three Apache fighting men gave their lives to ensure that the others escaped. Victorio had made good his escape, leaving only a few horses and empty wicki-ups.

Victorio was finally forced into Mexico, where, worn down and out of ammunition, his people were trapped and massacred by Mexican troops at Tres Castillos in October, 1880. Only a few survived. The unnecessary tragedy of the Victorio War was over. His people survive today because of the same indomitable character that was epitomized by Victorio. The Battle of Hembrillo, like so many battles, was fought by men who would have preferred to have been elsewhere but who fought because it was the thing to do.

When we look at the demographics of the battle, it pitched 135-150 Chiricahua and Mescalero Apache on one side against 150 Buffalo Soldiers, 106 Apache Scouts and only about 35 white troops. The history written by the white officers of the 6th Cavalry downgraded the Buffalo Soldiers' role in this battle. Their account has the black soldiers getting sick on bad water from Mal Pais spring and stumbling accidentally into Victorio's camp a day early. These accounts make the 6th Cavalry out as the heroes who rescued the Buffalo Soldiers from a hopeless position. The accounts ignore the facts. Carroll and the Buffalo Soldiers were aggressive in pursuing Victorio. Because of the skirmish on April 5, they knew exactly where Victorio was and they arrived early to hold Victorio in place while the other units came forward.

Once surrounded, the Buffalo Soldiers defended themselves valiantly against two-to-one odds, knowing full well that two companies of their comrades would soon arrive. Even the Apaches gave credit for the rescue to the Buffalo Soldiers as James Kawaykla (in the only Apache account of the battle) stated, "we easily beat back the soldiers until more cavalry arrived from Tularosa Basin." And as far as the bad water story goes, all these soldiers did after drinking the water at Mal Pais Springs was march for two days, go into battle on the afternoon of the second day, and fight all night and most of the next day. No telling what the Buffalo Soldiers could have done with good water.

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