On September 1, 1861, at Fort Stanton, Confederate Lieutenant John Pulliam dispatched four of his men from the Army of New Mexico to the Gallinas Mountains, a day's ride away.

Lieutenant Pulliam ordered the men to make camp a safe distance from the spring in the mountains.

Sanders, left to fight alone, mounted Mosse's horse and escaped by riding down a steep mountain slope.

Within the next couple of days, a Confederate force of 15 men proceeded to the Gallinas Mountains; there they recovered the remains of Mosse and Emmanacker.

The Confederates returned to Fort Stanton on September 8; that same evening, Lieutenant Pulliam was dispatched with 15 men to Placitas to fight the Apaches there.