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 25
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ploy in such a manner as to be able to assail the enemy both in front and flank.
Correctly interpreting what was transpiring, the Indians in the ravine opened fire, instantly killing Capt. Lynch and wounding several of the whites. The fire was returned by Company B, which immediately charged under Capt. Clen denin, and drove the savages out of the ravine and back upon the main force. At the same time the rest of Burle- son's force charged the warriors under Bowles and "The Egg." Both of the chiefs and five other Indians were killed. The conflict was brief, the Cherokees breaking be- fore the impetuous onset, and seeking cover in dense cedar brakes. All the surviving warriors, except the messenger, escaped. He and five women and nineteen children were made captives. Among the prisoners were the wife and two daughters of Col. Bowles and three children of John Bowles. Some months later the prisoners were sent to their kindred in the Cherokee Nation, west of Arkansas.
Col. Burleson continued his expedition to a successful conclusion, marching up Pecan Bayou, thence across to the Leon, and down the country to the settlements, frightening Indians out of the region. Several bodies of hostiles were reported by their scouts, but dissolved and disappeared on his approach.
Among those who accompanied him were Col. Wm. S. Fisher, Major Wyatt, Captain Matthew Caldwell, Lieut. Lew- is, Dr. Booker, and Capt. (afterwards Dr.) J. P. B. January,
The end of the year found the Indian situation in Texas somewhat improved, the settlements rapidly extending, pop- ulation and wealth largely increased, and security-the twin blessing of freedom-being afforded in larger measure to the people on the frontier and elsewhere than at any for- mer time since the era of the Republic.
CHAPTER XIII.
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T
HE year 1840, in the history of Texas, teems with interest. The stream of the na- tion's life, no longer a rivulet, was broaden- ing and deepening into a noble river.
During the twelve months, the eastern, and a portion of the northern boundary of Texas were established by commissioners ap- pointed for the purpose. 'The "neutral ground" on the eastern line was thus elim- inated. The survey added a narrow strip of land to the northern portion of the Republic. The set- tlers in it were generously treated by Texas, being al- lowed the same quantities of land as emigrants.
Having no use for the navy, Texas leased the greater portion of it to Yucatan, in whose service it remained for two years. An attempt was made to establish a Republic of the Rio Grande by Mexican revolutionists, but failed. The effort would be unworthy of mention, but for the increase of fame added to Texas arms by Colonels William S. Fisher, S. W. Jordan and their comrades, who aided the movement and performed military exploits on Mexican soil that are not surpassed by any record of Texas soldiers.
In the latter part of the year the independence of Tex- as was formally recognized by Great Britain, France and Bel- gium, and the Republic's position as a sovereign state as- sured.
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So much for general events and legislation. The main interest that attaches to the year centers in incidents that marked the working out of President Lamar's Indian policy, and in happenings that swelled the bloody tide of savage atrocities that continued to surge along the fron- tier.
FAMOUS COUNCIL HOUSE FIGHT.
January 30, Gen. Albert Sidney Johnson wrote to Col. William S. Fisher, commanding 1st regiment of Texas In- fantry, directing him to order three companies of the regi- ment to march immediately to San Antonio, and to proceed there himself and take command of the troops and station them in such advantageous position near the town as he might select. Gen. Johnston recited the contents of a letter re- ceived from Karnes and then, speaking of the Comanches, said: "If they come, in accordance with their agreements, bringing with them the captives and deliver them up, such voluntary release of their prisoners will be regarded as an evidence of their sincere desire for peace and they will, there- fore, be treated with kindness and be permitted to depart without molestation.
"You will state to them that this government assumes the right, with regard to all Indian tribes residing within the limits of the Republic, to dictate the conditions of their residence, and that their own happiness depends on their good or bad conduct toward our citizens; that their remain- ing 'within such limits as may be prescribed, and an entire abstinence from acts of hostility or annoyance to the inhab- itants of the frontier, are the only conditions for the priv- ilege of occupancy that the government deems it is neces- sary at this time to impose."
He described that the Comanches be told that they must keep out of the settlements, and not molest persons locating lands, as citizens were entitled by law to make locations upon any vacant and unappropriated portion of the publie domain.
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He also commanded Col. Fisher to arrest and hold as hos- tages the Indians who came to the meeting, unless they brought in and surrendered all the captives held by Coman- ches; but to allow messengers to return to the tribe and re- port what had occurred, and that the Indian hostages would be releasd as soon as the white captives were produced.
Col. Fisher communicated with the Comanches in Feb- ruary, telling them not to come in without bringing all the prisoners.
They replied that they would arrive at the time ap- pointed.
March 19th a party of Comanches, consisting of thirty two warriors and thirty- three women and children entered San Antonio, bringing only one prisoner, Matilda Lockhart. The girl's body was covered with bruises and sores, her hair had been singed to the scalp, and her nose had been burned off to the bone-evidently at some time considerably anterior to the meeting. as the wound had healed.
Twelve chiefs who accompanied the party, were con- ducteed to the Court House, where they took seats on the platform at one end of the room with Col. Fisher, Col. Hugh McLeod, Adjutant General, and Col. William G. Cooke, Quar- termaster General, and acting Secretary of war,* commis- sioners appointed to treat with them. In the room were also a considerable crowd of bystanders. Capt. George T. Howard was ordered up with two companies of soldiers, one of which was stationed in the Court House and the other near the building.
The Indian women and children were gathered in the yard and the warriors about the house.
The jail occupied the corner formed by the east line of Main Plaza and the north line of what is now Market street, and to the north of, and adjoining it, was the court house. Both buildings were of stone, one story, flat roofed, and dirt floor.
Col. Fisher opened the talk by asking the chiefs why
*Gen. Albert Sidney Johnston had refused the position of Secretary of War.
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they had not brought in all of the prisoners, thirteen in num- ber, which they were known to have. Muke-war-rah replied that they had brought in the only prisoners, and that the others were with bands over whom they had no control. Miss Lockhart was then questioned, and said that she had seen several prisoners in camp a few days previous, and that the policy determined upon by the Indians was to bring them in one at a time and thus extort large ransoms. She also told of the brutal treatment and indignities to which she had been subjected. The chiefs listened in haughty and defiant silence while she spoke, and as she left the room they became restless and gave evidence of their feelings- trouble was imminent.
A message was sent Capt. Howard, and he marched into the room with the company that had been stationed in the yard, drew his men up in line across the apartment, and sta- tioned himself and sentry at the closed doors. Capt. Redd's company was ordered to the rear of the building, and had barely arrived there when the fighting began.
In the yard were Indian boys shooting with bows and arrows at marks, for small coins that Judge Robinson was offering them as prizes. Mrs. Maverick and other ladies were looking on through cracks in the fence.
When Howard's company had been brought to parade rest, Col. Fisher arose and addressed the chiefs. He re- proached them with their former perfidy, and for violating the terms of the subsisting agreement. In conclusion, he asked them if they recollected murdering two white men while under a white flag.
A Comanche chief arose, and with an audacity and an insolence of tone and manner that could not be exceeded, re- plied, "No, we do not recollect," and seated himself, after the Indian fashion.
Silence ensued. It was broken by the chief again aris- ing, turning toward Col. Fisher with an air at once con- temptuous and threatening, and demanding in a loud voice, "How do you like our answer ?"
Col. Fisher replied : "I do not like your answer. I told
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you not to come here again without bringing in the priso- ners. You have come against my orders. Your women and children may depart in peace, and your braves may go and tell your people to send in the prisoners. When those pris- oners are returned, you and the other chiefs here present may likewise go free. Until then we will hold you as hos- tages."
The interpreter had to be told twice to report this dec- laration ; protesting that a conflict would immediately follow. As soon as he uttered the words he left the room. True to his prediction, the chiefs strung their bows, and drew their knives.
1
In his official report, Col. McLeod says: "We told the chiefs that the soldiers they saw were their guards, and descended from the platform. They immediately followed. One of them sprang to the back door and attempted to pass the sentinel who presented his musket, when the chief drew his knife and stabbed him. A rush was then made to the door. Capt. Howard collared one of them and received a severe stab in the side. Howard tried to use his sword, but it was too long for service in a breast to breast strug- gle, and all he could do was to seize the Indian's wrist, which he held till faint from loss of blood. He ordered the sentinel to fire upon his antagonist, which he did and the Indian fell dead. Col. Fisher ordered, 'Fire if they do not desist.' The Indians rushed on and fought desperately, and a general order to fire became necessary.
"After a short, but desperate, struggle every one of the twelve chiefs in the council room lay dead upon the floor.
"The indoor work being finished, Capt. Howard's com- pany was formed in front to prevent retreat in that direc- tion; but in consequence of the severity of his wound, he was relieved by Capt. Gillen, who commanded the company till the close of the action."
The bystanders in the room had to fight for their lives as well as the rest. Judge John Hemphill (then District Judge and later Chief Justice of the Supreme Court) was
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one of them, and disemboweled with a bowie knife, one of the chiefs, who grappled with him.
The Indians outside the house fought like wild beasts. Capt. Redd's company coming up promptly in the rear of the building, drove them toward a stone building, which only one of them succeed in entering. Several white men were killed and wounded. The Indian arrows with which they were struck were driven to the feathers. Several Indians were killed in adjacent streets and yards by citizens. A small number of the savages managed to reach the river, but were pursued and killed by Maj. Lysander Wells and a few other mounted men, only one of their party-a renegrade Mexican-escaping. Three women and two boys, who took part in the fray, were slain.
Wishing to spare the warrior in the stone building, the commissioners sent in an Indian woman to tell him to surren- der and be spared. He refused the offer, and continued to shoot, wounding several persons. After dark, a Mexican crawled on top of the house, picked a hole in the roof, and dropped a large ignited ball of cloth saturated with turpen- tine into the noom, for the purpose of lighting up the inter- ior so the occupant could be seen. The ball fell on the Im- dian's head and stuck there, and he rushed into the street covered with flame. He was instantly riddled with bullets. Twenty-eight Indian women and children were detained as prisoners.
The Texan loss was, killed: Judge James W. Robinson; Judge Hood of San Antonio; Judge Thompson of Houston ; Casey of Matagorda county ; Lieut. W. M. Dunnington, 1st In- fantry ; Privates Kaminske and Whiting, and a Mexican. Wounded : Capt. George T. Howard, Lieut. Edward A. Thompson and private Kelley, severely, and Capt. Matthew Caldwell, and Mr. Higgenbottom and Deputy Sheriff Mor. gan and Private Carson, slightly. Col. McLeod says: "Ov- er a hundred horses and a large quantity of buffalo robes and peltries remained to the victors."
By request of the prisoners, one squaw was released, provisioned and allowed to go to her people and say that
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the prisoners would be released whenever the Texan prisoners held by the Indians were brought in.
A short time afterward a party of Comanches dis- played a white flag on a hill some distance from town, evi- dently afraid to come nearer. When a flag was sent out it was found that they had brought in several white children to exchange for their people. Their mission was successful and they hurried away.
The Telegraph and Texas Register gave an account of the following, among other incidents of the Council House Fight :
"Capt. Matthew Caldwell, 1st Regiment of Infantry, was in the street unarmed when the struggle commenced. He stepped into a house to see if he could procure a gun. No one was at home, and he passed into the back yard. There he was confronted by an Indian warrior, who made ready to shoot him. Caldwell stooped down and picked up a rock, which he threw, hitting the warrior on the forehead,
slightly stunning him. Caldwell continued to throw stones, hurling them so fast, that for dodging, the Indian did not get a chance to take aim and let fly an arrow. While this unequal combat was in progress John D. Morris, with only a three inch barrel, single shot pistol, came into the inclosure. Caldwell, who was nearly exhausted, called out, 'Go up and shoot him John, or he will get me. I will keep him on the jump with stones.'
"Morris did as requested, walking to within four feet of the Indian and shooting him through the heart.
"Deputy Sheriff Morgan (one of Deaf Smith's men) was standing in the back yard of a residence when three warriors scaled the wall and attacked him. Although wound- ed, he picked up a rock and fractured the skull of one of his assailants with it killing him. He then seized an axe and retreated into the house, where he stationed himself at one side of the open door. The two remaining Indians attemp- ted to follow him, and he killed them with terrific blows, dealt with the axe."
A German doctor, who was a local celebrity and a man
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of scientific taste and attainments, came upon the body of one of the Indians killed by Morgan and, being impressed by the peculiar bumps on the head, took it for purpose of dis- secting it. He was much disgusted to find that the protub- erance were mot natural developements, but due to the skull being fractured in thirty-two places. He later boiled one of the bodies, removed the flesh from the bones, and articulated the complete skeleton, which he placed in his cabinet. Inci- dently, he emptied the refuse into the Acequia, from which citizens procured drinking water. The fact becoming known, he stated that the deposit was made when everybody was asleep at night and the stream was completely purified be- fore water was again taken from it for drinking or cooking purposes. Nothing but his popularity saved him from en- forced emigration.
March 28th, two hundred and fifty, or three hundred, Comanches came close to San Antonio, and chief Isimanca and another warrior of their number, rode daringly into the public square, and circled around the plaza, then rode some distance down Commerce street and back, shouting all the while, offering to fight, and showering abuse and insults on the Americans. "Isimanca was in full war paint and almost naked. He stopped quite awhile in front of Bluck's saloon, on the northeast corner of the square. He shouted defiance, rose in his stirrups, shook his clenched fist, raved and foamed at the mouth. The citizens, through an interpreter, told him that the soldiers were all down at the Mission San Jose, and if he went there Colonel Fisher would give him fight enough."
He proceeded at once to the Mission and repeated his challenge, Col. Fisher was sick in bed and Capt. Redd was in command of the post.
Redd replied to Isimanca by saying that a twelve days truce had been entered into with the Comanches and he had orders not to break it, but if the chief and his war- riors would return when the truce was at an end, they would be accomodated.
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Isimanca denounced him and his men as cowards and finally left.
Yoakum says: "The Comanches hung about San Anton- io in small parties brooding over their loss. The killing of so many of their chiefs was a severe stroke, and they were divided on the question of war. At length they retired to their homes, on the upper branch of the Texas rivers, to make serious preparations for a terrible visitation on the white settlements."*
Branch T. Archer was appointed secretary of War, and Col. William G. Cook succeeded Col. Edward Burleson as Colonel of infantry.
In May, the Republic was aroused by rumors of an im- pending military invasion from Mexico, to be accompanied by Indians employed as allies of the Mexican troops.
Orders were issued under which a large force of Texas volunteers assembled for the purpose of organizing an army for resistance.
Upon the receipt of other information that was deemed reliable to the effect that no such hostile movement was likely to take place-they were disbanded.
The incident was designated as the "Archer War" and provoked much adverse and undeserved criticism.
In the early days of July, Capt. Clendenin left San An- tonio in command of a volunteer expedition against the Co- manches, but afterwards returned to the town leavng Capt. J. R. Cunningham and a force of nineteen men on the Frio. In an official report by Cunningham he says that after they parted July 4th, he crossed the Frio (on the same day) and came upon a fresh Indian trail, which he pursued for several miles up the western side of the stream, expecting every moment to come upon the enemy. The trail finally bore
¥ March 26th, Mrs. Weheter came 'nto San Antonio with her three-year-(. chaly upon her back, having escaped from the Correrches by when she had been captured the previ- oua year when her husband and party had been killed on brushy Creek, near Crorgetown. She presented a most wretched and pitialle appearance and was almost famiehed. Friends cared for and ministered to her.
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away from the river, and he followed it without stopping to get water. After proceeding for some time, men and horses began to suffer greatly from want of water. It was not practicable to return to the river, without abandoning the chase. He and the men determined to go on. This they did, knowing that the Indians would stop at the first water hole and would probably make a stubborn fight for its reten- tion.
Between 5 and 6 o'clock p. m., Antonio, a Tonkaway scout employed by the company, and who had been kept considerably in advance of the command, rode back and re- ported that the Indians-twenty warriors-were at a spring just ahead and were saddling their animals preparatory to resuming their journey. Cunningham and those of his men who were with him cautiously approached the place and took position within a short distance of the Indians without being perceived. He waited a few moments for his rear file to come up and dress into line before ordering a charge. While this movement was being executed one of his men accident- ly discharged a gun, and the Indians leaped into their sad- dles and applied the whip. He and his men charged at once, killing Indians right and left. The surviving savages labor- ed to reach thickets some distance ahead. When all of them were wounded except three, the latter protected the retreat of the band in a manner that he repeatedly speaks of "as noble." He says that one of the three was under fire of ten or twelve of the best shots on the frontier, but acted with cool intrepidity to the last. A rifle ball finally shat- tered his leg, and he fell over on his horse, just as he and the remnant of the band reached cover .. Cunningham cap- tured all the effects of the Indians. He says that he made "a bon-fire of most of their trumpery" and divided the balance of their "plunder" among the volunteers by lot. The most important part of his capture was a caballado of horses and mules-a total of sixteen. He reached San An- tonio July 7th.
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THE GREAT COMANCHE RAID-SACKING OF LIN- VILLE AND BURNING OF VICTORIA.
During the first week in August, following the Council House Fight, and other bloody affrays, narrated, occurred the Great Comanche Raid; in some respects the most formidable invasion ever made by Indians into Texas.
This raid was known to and encouraged, if not material- ly aided, by the Mexican authorities-especailly Gen. Cana- lizo at Matamoras-and shows to have been well planned, with some degree of military strategy. The descent was sudden, but the alarm spread as if borne on the wings of the wind and the brave defenders of our frontier were soon collected under their favorite leaders and went in pursuit, overtaking, engaging, and routing the murderers.
This remarkable affair marks an important epoch in Texas history, and indeed most of our historians regard it as the turning point in affairs with the Indians. Many par- tial and often erroneous accounts of this bold uprising and its timely quelling, have been published. Fortunately we are enabled to give the facts as detailed by those in authority on matters pertaining to our border history .* It is not our purpose to enter into the details of matters leading up to and resulting in this bold raid-that belongs to the history of Texas proper and has much to do with the po- litical attitude of Mexico toward the struggling Texas Re- public.
The unfortunate Council House tragedy doubtless hast- ened the movements of this expedition, the enraged Co- manches, swearing to avenge the death of their fallen chiefs. The Indians to the number of about one thousand, began the descent from their stronghold in the mountains above the San Marcos and extending their raid across the country to Lavaca Bay on the coast, and back to Good's Crossing on Plum Creek, twenty miles south-west of Austin, where they
* Much of the data used in the preparation of this narrative was furnished the au- thor by the late Dr. Rufus C. Burleson a short time before his death, expressly for Bor- der Wars of Texas.
Z Eith
BATTLE AT PLUM CREEK-PAGE 324
WE.CO. FT. WORTH
DEATH OF CAPT. JOHN B. DENTON-PAGE 357
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were intercepted and routed, losing all their prisoners and property captured at Victoria and Linville.
The Indians passed down the country during the first days of August, leaving Gonzales seventeen miles to the west, and murdering a few families as they passed through the sparsely settled country, # they reached the quiet town of Victoria at 2:30 o'clock p. m. on August 6. The citizens were not dreaming of Indians. Children were playing in the yards, and on the streets, ladies were shopping and joyfully engaged in their domestic affairs, the men were at their usual vocations, when the bloody demons with horrid yells rushed into the streets and began their slaughter. Dr. Gray and a few others who attempted resistance were cut down. The citizens not killed, took refuge in their houses and fortified themselves as best they could. The Comanches then plundered the stores and private residences of every- thing valuable. They caught in the lots and pastures be- tween two and three thousand horses and mules and loaded eight hundred or a thousand of them with the goods plundered. They started on to Linville. That night they kindled big fircs and with fiendish joy danced and yelled around the scalps of murdered citizens and their plunder.
Next morning they hurried on to Linville, on the way capturing Mrs. Crosby, grand-daughter of the celebrated Daniel Boone of Kentucky, with her child and a nurse. About daylight, on August the 8th, while many of the citi- zens were in bed, the Indians entered Linville and throwing themselves on the sides of their horses and riding in this way, deceived the few early risers who saw them coming but thought they were some of the usual caballados of horses and mules brought into Linville for sale and shipment.
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