First Sergeant William L. Umbles was demoted on that day. Harvey asked Umbles to let the hunters use the horses and Umbles refused. Traditionally, they are called "umbles" (originally the Middle English "noumbles"). Sergeant Umbles was with Jim Harvey at Casas Amarillas that evening. Umbles implied they may have been wiped out. It might have been that Umbles tried to convince Nolan to turn back. Allsup reported that Umbles had arrived at Bull Creek, and related what he had said. Umbles left a note at Silver Lake instructing any soldiers to head east.