 At the time of his actions, Stance was serving in Troop F of the 9th Cavalry Regiment at Fort McKavett.On May 20, 1870, he was sent with a patrol to find the Apaches who had kidnapped Herman Lehmann and his younger brother, Willie, four days earlier.Stance and his men located the raiding party near Kickapoo Springs, about fourteen miles north of Fort McKavett, and charged at them and opened fire with their Spencer carbines.