USA > Texas > Border wars of Texas; being an authentic and popular account, in chronological order, of the long and bitter conflict waged between savage Indian tribes and the pioneer settlers of Texas > Part 24
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Ignorant of what had transpired and desirous to meet and confer with Cordova, wherever he might be found-on the upper Brazos, Trinity or elsewhere-Manuel Flores, with an escort of about thirty Mexicans and Indians, supplies, am- munition, and official communications to, and instructions for contemplated Indian allies, set forth from Matamoras in the latter part of April and traveled into Texas along a route different from that of Cordova's retreat and hence, missed him and got into a trap.
He traveled slowly, crossed the road between San An- tonio and Seguin, May 14; crossed the Guadalupe at the old Nacogdoches ford (at the site now occupied by New Braun- fels) May 15, and proceeded to a point on the San Gabriel, in the edge of Williamson county, north of where the town of Austin was established later in the year, and was attacked there and killed and his force defeated and scattered. Two of his men were killed and nearly all of those who escaped were wounded.
He displayed great coolness and bravery in the skirm- ish however, and fell sword in hand, while trying to en-
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courage his men to stand to their arms.
Prior to the engagement with Cordova, Maj. Walters was directed to raise two companies of six month's men and occupy the Neches Saline so as to prevent communication be- tween the Cherokees and prairie Indians and afford protec- tion to settlers. The Saline was claimed as part of the prop- erty of the Cherokees, Chief Bowles notified Maj. Walters that its occupancy would be resisted by force of arms. That officer, acting on the advice of the Texas Indian agent, Mar- tin Lacy, did not make the attempt and crossed to the west bank of the Neches and established a camp.
The facts were communicated to Gen. Albert Sidney Johnston, Secretary of War; and to be prepared for any emergency, he directed Col. Burleson, who was collecting a force on the Colorado to operate against other Indians, to march lower down and hold himself in readiness to enter the Cherokee country on the shortest notice.
EXPULSION OF THE CHEROKEES
In May, President Lamar addressed a letter to Chief Bowles in which he said that the Houston-Forbes treaty had never been recognized and never would be, and that there should be no division of sovereignty in Texas. He said that whatever equitable claims the Cherokees may have ever possessed had been effaced by murders and robberies, by furnishing arms and supplies to prairie Indians, and by the treacherous and murderous coalition entered into with Cordova and other enemies of Texas. Alluding to Bowles' ac- tion with regard to Maj. Walters, he said that officer had been ordered again to take the post at Saline. Continue- ing, he said: "I deem it to be my duty * * to tell you that the Cherokees are permitted at present to remain where they are only because this government is looking for- ward to the time when some peaceable arrangement can be made for their removal without shedding blood; but that this final removal is contemplated is certain, and that it will be effected is equally so. Whether it will be done by friendly
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negotations or by the violence of war, must depend upon the Cherokees themselves. If they remain at home quietly and inoffensively, without murdering our people, stealing their property or giving succor and protection to our enemies, they will be permitted to remain in the undisturbed enjoyment of their present possessions until Congress shall be able to make some final arrangements satisfactory to both parties for their return to their own tribe beyond Red River. But if, listening to the suggestions of bad men, equally the ene- mies of the red man and the white, they shall pursue such a course of conduct as to jeopardize the lives and property of our citizens, or to destroy the sense of security essential to the happiness and prosperity of our frontier, the inevit- able consequence will be prompt and sanguinary war which can terminate only in their destruction or expulsion."
He urged them to show that they were friends and wait until the next Congress met and he would ask it to act so liberally toward them, as to leave the Cherokees and white people lasting friends. Continueing he said :
"If we were to give you all you ask-if this govern- ment were to acknowledge you as a free, sovereign and in- dependent power to the fullest extent-your condition would not be the least improved by it. You could not live in peace with our people. You would be subject to perpetual and un- avoidable annoyance and would have finally to sell out and leave the country. Surrounded, as you soon would be, by a strong population and daily harassed by bad men ever ready to take advantage of your ignorance or weakness, what se- curity would you have for any of your rights? What redress of wrong? There would be nore except the honor of this government. You would be powerless and have to rely up- on the magnanimity of Congress. Then, why not rely upon it now? This government has no desire to wrong the In- dian, or shed his blood; but, it will not hesitate to adopt the most vigorous and decisive measures for the defense of its rights and the protection of its own people."
After several papers captured from Flores were laid
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before the President and his cabinet, steps were taken to compel the departure of the Cherokees from Texas, with the least possible delay.
The Houston Telegraph of June 19, contained an editorial saying that the time had arrived for severe chastisement of the Indians who had lurked "like spirits of darkness on the borders" and who had "construed forbearance into weak- ness and indulgence into timidity." After alluding to the Houston-Forbes treaty of 1836 with the Cherokees, the ar- ticle continues :
"We have neither time nor patience to discuss that treaty. It has never been ratified-has received no sanc- tion except from the inexplicable fatuity of the commis- sioners who made it. To confirm it now would inflict irre- parable injury upon Texas, and positive, palpable injustice on many of her citizens. The proposition is therefore idle.
"* * The Cherokees are, and always were, unwelcome intruders among us. If they will not return peaceably to their original tribe, it will become our duty-now that their stealthy machinations with Mexico have been.fully discovered, to compel their retirement and perpetual alienation from the country *
1
"The Cherokees have long been a source of inquietude and distrust to our eastern brethren. During the invasion of '36, the proximity of those wily savages to his homestead restrained many a strong hearted Red Lander from the field of battle, and kept him an idle and unwilling spectator of his country's struggle. Their insidious connection with Mex- ico, and their secret intrigues with the paltry tribes of the prairies, have already cost us much blood and suffering There should be an end put to these things."
Col. Burleson was ordered to increase his force to 400 men and to march into the Cherokee country, which he did, crossing to the east side of the Neches July 14, where he was joined by the regiment of Col. Landrum, composed of volun- teers from Harrison, Shelby, Sabine and San Augustine counties. Gen Rusk was already on the ground with the
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Nacogdoches regiment and encamped near the Cherokee vil- lage.
Douglass despatched Capt. Kimbro's company of San Augustine volunteers to the village of the Shawnees to de- mand the surrender of their gun-locks to enforce neutrality. They were promptly delivered.
Vice-President, David G. Burnet, Thomas J. Rusk, J. W. Burton, James S. Mayfield and Secretary of War, Gen. Al- bert Sidney Johnston (the latter of whom was appointed at the instance of Bowles), as commissioners for Texas, were for several days previous to July 15 engaged in conferences with the Cherokee chiefs, trying to effect an amicable agree- ment." They had been instructed to allow a fair compensa- tion for improvements, payment to be made partly in money and partly in goods; but were not authorized to stipulate for payment of the Cherokees for their land's.
At noon July 15, the commissioners came into camp and announced their failure to negotiate a settlement.
The troops were immediately put in motion and pro- ceeded to the Cherokee village, under instructions not to fire until the Indians had been summoned to accept the terms of the government.
It was found that the Cherokees had retreated some hours before to a strong position near a Delaware village, five or six miles distant.
The Texas army followed them. The Indians opened fire. The engagement began late in the afternoon. The Indians were beaten.
Another battle followed thej next day near the Neches, in which the Indians were hopelessly defeated and Chief Bowles* was killed. The Cherokees fled from the country
* Official report of Secretary of War.
* * Bowles was the son of a Scotch father and Indian mother. He was a man of un- uswal sagacity. It is said that he advised the Indians to accept the best terms they could get from the whites, but they refused to be guided by his advice, whereupon he told them that he would live or die for them as fortune might determine, and exhorted them to fight bravely. During the last battle he could be repeatedly heard encouraging them, and more than once urging them to charge.
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after these affairs. Parties of them returned from time to time afterwards and committed murders and depredations alone or in conjunction with other Indians. Thomas J. Rusk and James S. Mayfield, as commissioners, entered into an agreement under which the Shawnees accepted terms of the government and left the country.
In the battle with the Cherokees at the Delaware village, Vice-President Burnet, Adjutant General Mcleod, General Johnston, and Major David S. Kaufman were among the wounded.
Brig. Gen. K. H. Douglass, commanding the Texas army under date of "Headquarters, Camp Carter, 16th of July, 1839," made the following official report to Gen. A. Sidney Johnston, Secretary of War:
"On yesterday, the negotiations on the part of the com- missioners having failed, under your orders the whole force was put in motion towards the encampment of Bowles on the Neches. Col. Landrum crossed on the west side of the Neches and up the river. The regiments under Col. Burle- son and Rusk moved directly to the camp of Bowles, on reaching which it was found to be abandoned. Their trail was ascertained, and a rapid pursuit made. About six miles above their encampment, in the vicinity of the Delaware vil- lage, at the head of a prairie, they were discovered by the spy company under Capt. Carter and a detachment of about twenty-five from Capt. Todd's company led by Gen. Rusk. The enemy deployed from the point of a hill. Gen. Rusk motioned for them to come on. They advanced and fired four or five times and immediately occupied a thicket and ravine on the left. As we advanced, the lines were imme- diately formed and the action became general. The ravine was instantly charged and flanked on the left by Col. Burle- son with a part of his regiment. The rest of Col. Burleson's regiment was led by Lieut. Col. Woodlief; a portion of Gen. Rusk's regiment charging at the same time, and another portion took position on a point or hill to the right and drove a party, who attempted to flank us, from that quarter
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-thus instantly driving the enemy from.the ravine and thick- et, leaving eighteen dead on the field that have been found and carrying off, as usual, their wounded as was seen by many of our men. Our loss in the engagement was two killed, one wounded mortally, and five slightly.
"Col. Landrum was not able, having so much further to march, to participate in the engagement, but has been or- dered to join us this morning. All behaved so gallantly, it would be invidious to particularize. The action commenced about half an hour before sundown, which prevented a pur- suit. Most of their baggage was captured; five kegs of powder, 250 lbs. of lead, many horses, cattle, corn and other property."
The action of July 16, began by Capt. Carter's spy com- pany being fired upon. Col. Burleson, with the companies of Capts. Jordan and Howard of his regiment, advanced briskly to the support of Carter and drove the enemy's force in front to a ravine and thicket where the main body of the Cherokees were posted in a very strong position. Burleson's loss was one man killed and seven horses wounded.
Col. Rusk, leading the companies of Capts. Tipp and Todd, and followed by the second battalion of his regiment (companies of Capts. R. W. and Madison Smith) under Lt. Col. James Smith, moved up to the support of Burleson and took position as the center of the Texas line. Burleson obliqued to the left and engaged the enemy's right. Capts. Lewis and Ownsby of the other battalion of Burleson's reg- iment moved to the right of Rusk and in front of the ene- my's left wing.
Spirited firing continued for an hour and a half-the Cherokees evidently making a serious effort for victory. Then Gen. Douglass ordered a simultaneous charge, which was gallantly executed. The enemy were driven with slaughter for half a mile and took refuge in a swamp in the Neches bottom. They were again charged, Lt. Col. Wood- lief leading the right, Rusk the center and Burleson the left. This time they offered no opposition, but broke und
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ran in every direction away from their assailants. Gen. Doug- lass then halted his men and ordered them to collect the wounded and form on high ground. According to his esti- mate, the Cherokee force consisted of 700 or 800 warriors. Their own report placed their loss in killed and wounded at 100. The Texan loss was two killed and thirty wounded .- three mortally : Maj. H. W. Augustin, Jno. S. Thompson, and Jno. Ewing.
Gen. Douglass says that Capt. Jordan was wounded early in the action and, while he was on the ground, continued to command his men. The General favorably mentions Drs. Booker, Brown and Towers and the other surgeons, Capt. Smith, Lieut. Corbin, Adjutant General McLeod, Brigadier General Snively, volunteer aides Davis and Morbett and Maj. Sturgiss and Capts. Milroy amd Patton of his staff, and others.
He says, "Rusk and Burleson behaved with that gal- lantry and coolness that has so often distinguished them on the field of battle in Texas."
Also: "Important benefits are likewise acknowledged to have been derived from the active exertions of the Secre- tary of War and Vice-President, who were on the field in both engagements, and behaved in such a manner as reflect- ed credit upon themselves."
On the morning of the 18th, the wounded were con- veyed to Fort Lamar by Capt. Todd in command of a detail of eighty men.
The Texas army remained in camp for two days-until joined by the force under Col. Landrum which had been ad- vancing up the east side of the Neches.
On the 21st the army went in pursuit of the enemy.
Gen. Douglass says: "The trail of the Indians bore westward to the headwaters of the Sabine, which was fol- lowed and brought us about 4 o'clock in the evening to some Indian huts and cornfields. Several villages and sev- eral hundred acres of corn were discovered. We encamped at one of them-destroyed their houses and cut down their corn.
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"This devastating march was continued up to the 25th, until the entire Cherokee country had been traversed and Indian trails had disappeared. Houses were burnt and crops and improvements destroyed every day until none remained. All cattle and other stock were appropriated.
"On the 25th orders were issued for the companies to be marched home by different routes and mustered out of ser- vice, which was done."
RIGHTS OF THE CHEROKEES-THE INGRATITUDE OF
A REPUBLIC.
;
Yoakum's view that the Cherokees had a strong equita- ble, if not legal, title to the lands they, claimed; that the Con- sultation was a private organic body that had the right and power to issue the solemn decree it did; and to authorize the negotiation of the treaty entered into by Houston and Forbes by direction of the Provisional Government of Texas; and that the white people were the first to break the terms of the solemn compact entered into with the Indians, is sus- tained by the facts of history.
But a breach had been created that it was impossible to bridge, as mutual confidence had been destroyed. The people at large regarded the Cherokees as enemies, and a greedy element hungered for their lands. Reflecting public sentiment, the Texas Senate rejected the Houston- Forbes treaty.
President Houston believed that the Cherokees were being made the victims of a cruel combination of circumstances, and made a noble but unavailing effort to save them.
It is not only possible, but probable, that, if the declara- tion of the Consultation and the treaty had been lived up to in letter and spirit by the people and government of Texas, the Cherokees would have proven faithful allies.
The action of the Consultation andi the treaty if adhered to, would have cured its defects and given them defense and inviolable territory. Both were repudiated.
SCENE AT PARKER'S FORT MASACRE-PAGE 178
HJ.SOMJE
*
Śweco -
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FAMOUS COUNCIL HOUSE FIGHT-PAGE 311
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LOCATING THE CAPITAL AT AUSTIN.
By October 1st, the seat of government was transfered to Austin. President Lamar and cabinet traveled overland from Houston. They were met outside the town and es- corted in by a delegation of citizens, who gave a banquet and ball in their honor. Public buildings, including a wooden one-story capitol situated where the city hall now stands, had been erected during the summer.
The site of Austin was selected by Albert C. Horton, Louis P. Cook, Isaac W. Burton, William Menefee and J. Campbell, commissioners appointed under the act of January 14, 1839. Their action was bitterly criticised by those op- posed to Lamar's administration, and enthusiastically support- ed by his adherents and all who favored the policy of driv- ing the Indians westward as rapidly as possible and shoving the frontier line forward in their wake. A prime object was to open lands for safe settlement by immigrants and other homeseekers.
At that time Austin was on the extreme frontier. The nearest settlement on the west was San Antonio, about eighty miles away. "To Lavaca Bay, one hundred and fifty miles distant, the only settlements were Gonzales and Vic- toria. To Houston, a distance of nearly two hundred miles, the only settlements were about Washington." To the set- tlements on Red River, nearly four hundred miles distant, was a region unoccupied save by roving and murderous bands of Indians.
CAPT. HOWARD'S SKIRMISH.
Fort Burleson, Oct. 26, 1839. To the Hon. A. Sidney Johntson, Sec. of War:
Sir-I have the honor to report that on the morning of the 26th inst., between San Gabriel and Little River, as I was riding accompanied by one of my command, about one quarter of a mile in advance of the wagons and their guard, I discovered a number of Indians at a distance, and leaving
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a man to watch their movements and endeavor to ascertain their numbers, I joined my company to put them in a posi- tion for attack or defense, as circumstances might require.
The scout came in and reported about 140 Indians. I then took a position in an island of timber, forming a breast- work with the wagons, which I had hardly completed when the enemy came upon us. There were from 15 to 30 riding around, and as I thought, endeavoring to draw me from my position.
Finding that impossible, they drew off to a point of tim- ber about 250 yards distant. In order to ascertain their numbers with more certainty, I mounted and rode in their direction, when they withdrew into the prairie. As I found that their force did not exceed 20, and some of them had previously rode off in a different direction (probably to ob- tain reinforcements), I took up the line of march for the Falls, after instructing Capt. Moore and Lt. Lewis that I would endeavor to provoke them to an attack, and to hold themselves in readiness. I being the best mounted, pursued the Indians alone. On reaching the summit of a hill in the prairie, I discovered them in advance. They immediately turned and gave chase, hoping to cut me off before I could reach my force. I led them back towards the wagons, and on their arriving within 200 yards, Lt. Lewis and twelve men met me; we then charged them, (leaving Capt. Moore and the balance of the men to guard the wagons) and a skirmish en- sued which lasted about fifteen minutes, when they retreated, leaving three men and three horses dead upon the field, be- sides several who rode off evidently wounded. The state of our horses was such that I could not pursue them, as they were mostly mounted on fine American horses, and having seen a very large trail near Brushy the day before, I thought it most prudent to proceed on my route. We sus- tained no injury, with the exception of one horse, which was badly wounded and left behind. I arrived here on Mon- day the 28th without further interruption, but from the var- ious trails and signs, I am convinced there is a large force
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hovering about the road from this place to Austin.
Lt. Alexander and several of the men are down with the fever, there is no surgeon within seventy miles of the post, and no medicines on hand.
I have the honor to be very respectfully your obedient servant. Geo. T. Howard, Comd'g Post. -Austin City Gazette, Nov. 6, 1839.
INDIAN TROUBLES NEAR THE NEW CAPITAL.
During the fall of 1839, a young negro man owned by Hamilton White was killed and scalped by Indians in Wal- nut Creek bottom about six miles from Austin. White had a contract to deliver lumber at Austin, and started the ne- gro for that place with a wagon load of lumber and $300.00 in money. The night before he was killed, the negro stopped with his team at Reuben Hornsby's. In the morning he said that he was afraid to go on to Austin, as it was known that hostile Indians were in the vicinity. Mr. Hornsby told him that he had better wait until he could get company. The dar- key, replied that Mr. White expected him to reach town by a certain time, and he would have to take chances. He accord- ingly set forward, with the result stated.
The "Telegraph," published at Houston, says in its issue of Dec. 18, 1839 :
"The combined tribes of the Lipans and Tonkaways were at Austin on the 11th inst. They were to accompany Col. Burleson on the expedition into the Comanche country. About 300 troops under this officer and 200 of the Indians were to leave the encampment near Austin on or about the 13th inst. for this purpose.
"The object of the expedition is to force the Comanches from the section of country near the San Saba and to es- tablish a line of block houses from the Colorado to the Red River. These block houses, when erected and garrisoned, it is believed, will effectually shut out the prairie Indians from the country, and remove the frontier from 100 to 200 miles
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further northward. By this means an immense tract, the most fertile and healthy section of Texas, will be opened to the enterprising immigrants who are crowding into the country. The section of country to be thus wrested from these savage hordes, is exceedingly valuable, from the fact that it is peculiarly adapted to the culture of wheat and other staples of the middle states of the American Union."
BURLESON'S ATTACK ON MIGRATING CHEROKEES DEATH OF "THE BOWL" AND "THE EGG."
The year closed with an engagement on Christmas day with a considerable body of Cherokees who were trying to make their way across Texas into Mexico by traveling north of the settlements. They were led by John Bowles, son of Col. Bowles, or "The Bowl," as he was called by the tribe, (the deceased chief who was killed in one of the battles fought when the Cherokees were expelled from East Texas in July), and another chief called "The Egg."
Col. Edward Burleson, of the army, in command of a body of regulars, a few volunteers and Lipan and Tonkawa scouts was making a winter campaign between the upper Colorado and Brazos rivers.
During the afternoon of December 23, when he was about twenty-five miles east of Pecan bayou, his scouts reported that they had discovered a large trail of horses and cattle bearing south, in the direction of the Colorado river.
The trail was followed and some time in the afternoon of December 25, Coll. Burleson and his men crossed to the west side of the river and approached within a short distance of the camp of John Bowles and "The Egg" before being dis- covered.
Burleson desired the Indians to surrender. They sent a messenger to him to parley and at the same time a party of them moved to his rear and took position in a ravine. Con- cluding that they were merely endeavoring to secure time to attack his force to best advantage, he detained the Indian messenger and gave orders under which his men began to de-
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