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 28
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* Army Archives.
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id discharge of rifles. We immediately charged, and drove them from their camp. Twice they rallied, under orders of their chief, who acted with considerable bravery; but noth- ing could stop the impetuosity of my men, and the Indians broke in every direction, leaving us in possession of their camp. The nature of the ground would not admit the ope- ration of cavalry, but we pursued them a short distance on foot. They were suffered to escape, however, bearing off their wounded, the number of which could not be ascer- tained, and leaving their chief and seven others dead on the field. We returned from the chase, burned their bows and arrows, and destroyed the camp. We arrived in town last night, bringing the horse that had been stolen from Captain Brown. I am happy to say, none of my men were wounded. 1, myself, received in the commencement of the chase, one shot in my breast and one in my thigh. My horse was also shot through the neck. After being shot, I con- tinued the chase on foot until so completely exhausted I could neither proceed further nor command my men. At this instant, Captain Daniels came gallantly to my aid, and called to the men, 'For God's sake,' not to permit the charge to end! At this I was satisfied and desisted from further ef- forts to proceed. The men under Captain Daniels continued the charge until the Indians were dispersed. The Indians numbered about thirty-five."
BEN McCULLOCH ROUTES PARTY OF INDIANS.
Early in May, Capt. Ben McCulloch and fifteen com- panions (Arthur Swift, James H. Callahan, Wilson Randell, Green McCoy, Eli T. Hankins, Archibald Gipson, W. A. Hall. Henry. E. McCulloch, James Roberts, Jeremiah Roberts, Thos. R. Nichols, Capt. Wm. Tomlinson, William P. Kincannon, Alsey S. Miller and William Morrison) marching from Gon- zales to the principal mountain tributary of the Guadalupe, and thence to where Johnson's Fork of the Llano empties into the latter stream, surprised and attacked an encamp- ment of twenty-two Indians at dawn. Five Indians were
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killed, and half the remainder wounded. They lost every- thing except the arms they had in their hands. Some of the same Indians had stolen horses at Gonzales. McCulloch did not pursue them immediately thereafter, as there would have been little probability of overtaking them. He waited for several days, so that they would believe that no pursuit was intended and relax their vigilance. The result attested the wisdom of the plan adopted.
SERVICES OF CHANDLER'S RANGING COMPANY.
Capt. Eli Chandler, of the Robertson County Minute Men, writing to Secretary of War Branch T. Archer, from Franklin, April 16, 1841, says:
"I. beg leave to report that the company of minute men under my command was organized on the 29th of March. * * Upon the evening of the 9th of April I received infor- mation that an Indian enemy had killled Mr. Stephen Rog- ers, Jr., and had driven away eight head of horses from the easterly side of the Navasota River. I immediately collected twenty-five of my men and, by a forced march, was enabled to come up with two of them about 11 o'clock a. m. of the 11th inst., at the distance of two miles, moving the stolen horses. * * * I immediately gave chase at full speed for the distance of seven miles and # recovered
all of the horses * * *
and took one from the enemy. I am sorry to say that, from the jaded condition of our horses and the start which they had, they were able to elude us. While we must regret their escape, it affords me pleasure to say that, from the perseverance manifested on the march and in the chase by every man under my command, I be- lieve that nothing is wanting on the part of this command but a fair opportunity, to sustain that character for chiv- alry which is always anticipated from Texas citizens."
Further supplementing his report to the Secretary of War, Captain Chandler says: ** * On the 16th inst. I received information from spies that they had accidentally met Messrs. Hardesty and Porter, who had been despatched
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by Col. Thas. I. Smith and B. J. Chambers ( who were on a surveying expedition) to inform me that they had discovered the appearance of a body of Indians on Pecan Creek, a tributary of the Trinity River, at the distance of about ane hundred miles from this place. I forthwith took up the line of march with forty-five men of my command, and was joined on the march by Thos. I. Smith and Ma. Branch (both of Milan county), B. J. Chambers, C. M. Winkler, John Copeland, F. Flint and M. M. Ferguson, as volunteers, making the aggregate force fifty-three.
"On the morning of the 20th, by traveling all of the preceding night, I was able to gain a position in the neigh- bofrood of the # # # Indiams, and believing that we had not been discovered, I concealed my men and despatched recon- noitering parties, which resulted in Lieut, Love reporting his having found, down the Creek a few miles, a deserted village, which had been visited within a few days by the en- emy. But the lateness of the hour induced me to remain un- til the dawn of the next morning, at which time we took up the line of march for the deserted village. Having pro- ceeded about five miles, we discovered at the distance of three hundred yards, eight or ten of the enemy, * * * im- mediately gave chase, and pursued them about three miles in a contrary direction, as we afterwards learned, from their village, but by their superior knowledge of the woods, they evaded us. I them retrograded to hunt the deserted village, which we found, containing twenty-eight lodges, and also # trail, which we pursued. At the distance of one mile we dis- covered our former foe, on the same trail. I immediately charged with all my force at full speed on the path, which ram on a ridge not more than three hundred or four hun- dred yards wide, enclosed on each side by two creeks run- ning nearly parallel, and on each side of which was an ex- tended bottom, grown up with underwood so as to be im- passable for horsemen, a distance of about five miles, which brought us up with the enemy's new village, without ower- taking them; but continuing directly through the camp, thereby alarming men, women and children, who all fled
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before we could get within gunshot distance, to almost im- penetrable thickets, abandoning every vestige of their prop- erty. I had dismounted my men, leaving the captured prop- erty and our horses under charge of Lieut. Love and a de- tachment, and commenced scouring the bottom, and succeeded in collecting some property; and had a few shots from the enemy, which were returned with effect. During my absence. Lieut Love received a few shots, which were promptly re- turned with effect.
"I have only to report Col. F. I. Smith slightly wound- ed in the hand; three of the enemy killed, some wounded; and mine mules, twenty-three horses, some powder, lead and axes, peitis, etc., taken-all of which we estimate warth three thousand dollars.
"After burning their village and destroying everything that could be useful, which we could not transport, I took up the line of march for this place, and arrived here last night .. all well."
Yucatan declared its independence May 16, and engaged in war with Mexico, which gave the latter country some- thing, besides invading Texas, to think about. This circum- stance was of course fortunate for the people of Texas. Nevertheless, peace did not prevail, as the Indians were con- stantly plundering and murdering in all parts of the Repub- lie, and more especially along the northern frontier during this year.
BIRD'S FORT.
As a prelude to what follows, it must be remembered that late as 1841, Clarksville was the most westerly town of any mote in the valley of Red River-there were scattered settlements in Lamar and Fannin counties; principally along the river; and a few cabins along the Sulphurs, and between these streams and Red River, high up as Fort Ing- lish, (near where Bonham now stands) ; at old! Warren (in Fannin county); and the most westerly settlement at
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Preston, opposite the mouth of the Washita River, known as Coffee's Trading House.
Bands of hostile Indians were constantly depredating on these exposed settlements and murdering the less protected inhabitants-as their massacre of the Ripley family on Rip- ley's Creek, in Titus county, early in April, 1841,* and various cutrages in the Warren neighborhood and else- where, as we shall narrate.
In the winter of 1840-41, Captain John Bird or- ganized and led a company of three months rangers from Bowie and Red River counties, up the Trinity River, for the purpose of locating and establishing a military post, as a means of encouraging settlements in that section. At that time there was a law of the Republic donat- ing lands for this purpose. A site was chosen, and a stock- ade erected, some two or three miles east of the present town of Birdville, on the Main or West fork of the Trinity, which was named Bird's Fort, but for some cause-the time of their enlistment expiring-the rangers returned home, leaving the post unoccupied. A little later Capt. Robert Sloan led a prospecting party as far out as the fort; but soon returned, one of the party, David Clubb, late of Illi- nois, and a soldier in the Black Hawk war of 1832, having been killed by Indians at a small lake om Eln fork of the Trinity, a short distance above its mouth, and below the Keenan crossing.
Following these expeditions, in the fall of 1841, the brave and hardy pioneers, Hamp Rattan, Captain Ma- bel Gilbert, and John Beeman, with their families, and a
*Early in April Indians attacked the Ripley family at their home on the old Cherokee trace, on Ripley Creek, in Titus county. Mr. Ripley was absent from home at the time. His son (twenty years of age) was shot and killed while plowing in the field; his eldest daughter (about sixteen years old) was shot and killed while running from the house; two younger daughters escaped by reaching and taking refuge in a thicket. Mrs. Ripley and all of her smaller children save one were beaten to death with elubs while trying to make their way to a cane brake situated two hundred yards from their cabin. The child, not with the mother, was asleep in the house and was burned to death, the Indians plundering and then setting fire to the habitation which was reduced to ashes. This horrible crime led to the organization of a retalitory expedition, which took some time to organize in that sparsely settled section, and which was led into the Indian country by Gen. Tarrant.
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few single men, located at Bird's Fort! Expecting to find an abundance of game in the country, the settlers carried out a scant supply of provisions, but the Indians had burn- ed off the grass from all that section, and no game of any kind was to be found. So, late in November of this year, a wagon was sent back to Red River for supplies. Being overdue, three of the settlers, Alex W. Webb, (in 1905 liv- ing at Mesquite, in Dallas county), Solomon Silkwood, and Hamp Rattan, went in search of the wagon party. Reaching a point about one and a half miles south-east of the present town of Carrollton, on the east side of Elm Fork, Christmas day, they halted to cut a bee tree, when they were attacked by a small party of concealed Indians. Rattan was killed; but Webb and Silkwood, after killing one of the Indians, escaped to the fort. One of the single men now went out, and soon met the relief wagon, which reached the scene of the tragedy on the 30th of the month, where they found Rattan's body, still guarded by his faithful dog. The remains were carried to the fort, and in a rude coffin made of an old wagon bed, committed to earth. This worthy pio- neer and martyr was a brother of Mrs. A. J. Witt (de- ceased) of Dallas county, and Mrs. W. J. Throckmorton and Mrs. Wm. Fitzhugh, of Collin county. Two of his brothers- John and Littleton Rattan participated in the Village Creek fight.
At the time of the tragedy snow was six inches deep and the weather intensely cold, and from the exposure on the trip, Silkwood sickened and died And thus commenced the first permanent settlement on the upper waters of the Trin- ity.
GENERAL TARRANT'S EXPEDITION.
General Edward Tarrant was a gallant soldier, and one of the successful leaders of volunteers and rangers in the defense of the northeastern part of Texas against Indians. He was also a brilliant and noted lawyer-long residing in Bowie county, but later removing to Ellis county, where he
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died. The success of the expedition which he headed against the great Indian encampmnt on Village Creek in 1841, was reason for attaching his name to the county embracing the theatre of his fearless exploits on that occasion. The hon- or conferred was well bestowed. The location of this for- midable force of depredating Indians was at a point some distance east of Fort Worth, and a few miles west of the town of Arlington, a little south of where the Texas and Pa- cific railroad crosses Village Creek-within sight of the in- terurban cars that now speed to and fro every few minutes between Fort Worth and Dallas.
No full and reliable narrative of Tarrant's expedition, the Village Creek fight and tragic death of the celebrated pioneer preacher, lawyer and Indian fighter-John B. Den- ton-has ever before been published. The official account which follows, was recently discovered among the Army Ar- chives in the State Library at Austin. The document was written by Acting Brigade Inspector Wm. N. Porter, under date, Bowie county, June 5, 1841, reporting to Secretary of War Branch T. Archer, and reads:
"By order of Gen. Edward H. Tarrant, Brigadier Gen- eral of the Fourth Brigade Texas Militia, I communicate to you the following facts relative to an expedition which he has lately completed against the hostile Indians.
"On the 14th of May, he left Fort Johnson, above Cof- fee's Station (the them abandoned post, established by Wm. G. Cooke at or near the present city of Denison .- Author) with one company of men commanded by Capt. James Bour- land. Owing to late depredations by Indians of a more fre- quent and daring character, and learning that the village of Indians had lately been discovered on the headwaters of the Trinity River, he determined, with the small number of six- ty-nine men, if possible, to find the Indians and attack them. We marched five days in a direction a little south of west, passing through the lower cross-timbers, and cross- ing the head branches of the middle fork of the Trinity. On the fifth day we entered the upper cross-timbers and changed our direction a little more south. On the 19th we
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discovered tolerably fresh signa. We had every reason to believe there were Indians in the vicinity. We soon found two villages, which we found to be deserted. The Indians, at some time previous, had cultivated corn at these villages. There were some sixty or seventy lodges in these two vil- lages. They were on the main western branch of the Trin- ity. They being situated on high branches of the moun- tains, Gen. Tarrant deemed it imprudent to burn the villages, for fear of giving alarm to the Indians. From such elevat- ed positions the smoke could have been seen for many miles; but they were, in a great measure, destroyed with our axes. We changed our course southeast, following the course, for some distance, of the main western branch of the Trinity; and on the 21st we crossed the high divide, and that night camped on the eastern branch of the Brazos. Find-
ing no Indian signs here, we changed our course east until me again struck the Trinity, intending to scour the western branch to its mouth. On the 24th we came to the ford of the Trinity, whene Generals Rusk and Dyer charged the Kickapoo camp in 1838, in sight of the lower cross-timbers. Here we necrossed the Trinity from the eastern side to the western side, and upon the high prairies one mile from the ford, we found very fresh signs of Indians. The spies were sent ahead, and returned and reported the Indian village in three miles. We arrived in three or four hundred yards, and took up a position behind a thicket. The men were or- dered to divest themselves of their blankets, packs, and all manner of incumbrances, after which the line was formed and the order given to charge into the village on horse- back."
FAMOUS VILLAGE CREEK FIGHT.
"Are you all ready? * * * Now my brave men, we will never all meet on earth again; there is great confusion and death ahead. I shall expect every man to fill his place and do his duty" were the all too true words of admonition ut- tered by the grim and fearless Tarrant as he gave his or-
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ders and led his brave men in the desperate charge. In a moment the sound of firearms, with a voice of thunder, rang out over the alarmed and terror-stricken inhabitants of that rude city of the wilderness. The onslaught was fierce and the surprise complete the Indians falling in death before they could escape from their lodges, or fleeing in wild con- fusion. "The village was taken in an instant," says the of- ficial report, whch we now resume:
"Discovering a lange trail leading down the creek and some of the Indians having gone in that direction, a few men were left at the last village and the rest at full speed took their course down the creek upon which the village was situated.
"Two miles from the first village we burst suddenly up- on another village. This was taken like the first. There was amother village in sight below. Many of the horses having failed, the men ran towards the village on foot; but the Indians, having heard the firing at the second village, had time to take off their guns and ammunition and com- menced occasionally to return our fire.
"From this time there was no distinction of villages, but one continuous village for the distance of one mile and a half, only separated by the creek upon which it was situated. We had now become so scattered that Gen. Tarrant deemed it advisable to establish some rallying point to which smaller parties should be expected to rally. We marched back to the second village, and the rear guard with the pack having come up, the General chose this as the position. From this point Capt. John B. Denton (aide to Gem. Tarrent) and Capt. Bourland took each ten men, for the purpose of scour- ing the woods. The parties went in different directions, but formed a junction one mile and a half below the second vil- lage. From this point they intended to return, but discover- ing a very large trail-much larger than any we had seen, one end of which led over a mountain west, the other east towards the main Trinity, crossing the creek upon which the villages were situated-they were compelled to cross the creek at the lower end of a bend which was formed like a
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horse-shoe. They turned to cross the creek, perceiving through the timber what appeared to be a village still larg- er than any they had heretofore seen; but just as the two detachments were on the eve of entering the creek, they were fired on by an enemy that could not be seen. At the first fire Gen. Tarrant's aide, Capt. Denton, was killed and Capt. Stout severely wounded -- Capt. Griffin slightly ; the clothes of many others were pierced with balls, but fortunate- ly no one else was touched. Situated as they were, it was impossible to maintain their position, being fired at from al- most every quarter and unable to see the enemy. In this sit- uation the men did the best thev could-dismounting, some of them raising the yell, and making every demonstration as though they intended to charge the creek. The Indian yells and firing soon ceased, and both parties left the ground. It was not the wish of Gen. Tarrant to take any prisoners. The women and children, except one,* we suffer- ed to escape, if they wished, and the men neither asked, gave or received any quarter.
"From the prisoners whom we had taken, we learned that at those villages there were upwards of one thousand warriors, not more than half of whom were then at home. The other half were hunting buffalo, and stealing on the frontier. Here was the depot for the stolen horses from our frontier, and the home of the horrible savages who had ยท murdered our families. They were portions of a good many tribes- principally the Cherokees who were driven from Nacogdoches county, some Creeks and Seminoles, Wacos, Caddos, Kickapoos, Anadarcos, etc. We counted two hund- red and twenty-five lodges, all in occupation, besides those that they could see a glimpse of through the trees in the main village. They had about three hundred acres in corn, that we saw; and were abundantly provided with ammuni- tion of every kind. They had good guns and had moulded a great many bullets. Each lodge had two or three little
*Gen. Tarrant kept an Indian child thet was captured, but returned it to its mother at a council held in the Indian Territory in 1842.
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bags of powder and lead, tied up in equal portions; and, at one lodge, a sort of blacksmith shop, where we found a set of blacksmith's tools. We flound over a half bushel of moulded bullets, and we also found some sergeant's swords, musket flints, rifle and musket powder, pig lead, and musket balls, which we supposed they must have taken from the place where the regular army buried a portion of their ammunition. They had all manner of farming utensils of the best quality, except plows. In some of the lodges we found feather beds and bedsteads.
"We felt convinced if the Indians could ascertain the smallness of our numbers, they might, with so great a num- ber, by taking advantage of us at the crossing of the creeks with such immense thickets in their bottoms, which we were compelled to cross, if not defeat, at least ent off & great many of our men; and, if we had remained at the village all night, it would have given the Indians time to have concen- trated their forces, ascertained our numbers, and with ease have prevented our crossing a stream of the size of the Trinity. It was deemed advisable, therefore, to take up the tine of manch and cross the Trinity that night. At 5 o'clock with our poor, dead companion tied across a borse, we left the village, marched twelve miles back on the trail we came, erossed the Trinity, and camped in the open prairie, The next morning, twenty-five miles from the village, we buried our friend, and in five more days we arrived in the settle- mente.
"We had one killed; one badly, and one slightly wound- ed. The Indians had twelve killed, that we mounted; and a great many more must have been killed and wounded, from the quantity of blood we saw on their trade and in the thickets where they had run.
"We brought in six head of cattle, thirty-seven horses, three hundred pounds of lead, thirty pounds of powder, twenty brass kettles, twenty-one axes, seventy-three buf-
* Accounts differ as to the name of the creek where Denton was first buried. One that it was on a rock ridge in Fossil Creek bottom near where Birdville now stands, and another that it was on a bluff of Oliver Creek in Denton county.
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falo mobes, fifteen guns, thirteen pack saddles, and three swords, besides divers other things mat recollected."
DEATH OF DENTON.
But little cam be added to the foregoing. A few words anent the tragic death of the noble Captain Denton. Dur- ing the terrible engagement in whch Denton was killed, the brave old picmeer Indian fighter, Capt. John Yeary, called out at the top of his voice: "Why in the h-l don't you move your men out where we can see the enemy? We'll all be killed here." To which Captain Henry Stout, himself a brave and noted pioneer leader and Indian fighter, said: "Men, do the best you can for yourselves. I am wounded and powerless," and at once an irregular retreat began. The detachment had fallen into an ambuscade.
The shot that pierced Denton was so deadly that there was evidently no death struggle. He had balanced himself in his saddle, raised his gun, and closed ome eye, intending to deal death upon the enemy when the death shock struck him. When his death was discovered his museles were grad- ually relaxing, and his gun, yet in his hand, was inelining to the ground. The men nearest to him took him from his horse and laid him on the ground.
The late venerated pioneer, Rev. Andrew Davis, then a lad, who participated in the Village Creek battle, says: "After tenderly wrapping the body of Denton and seeuring it on a gentle horse, about 4:30 p. m., we moved out from the village, and np the river to a point near Fort Worth, and there spent the night. Early next morning we crossed the river at a place where the timber was narrow. After crossing the river, we traveled in the direction of Bird's Sta- tion, aiming for Bonham-then Fort Inglish-as our ob- jective point. At about 11 a. m. we halted on a prairie on the south side of a creek, with a high bank on the north. On one of those elevations Captain Denton was buried- tools having been brought along from the village for that purpose. His grave was dug a good depth. A thin rock
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