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 4
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One of the first acts of the executive council created at Nacogdoches, was to depose the alcalde, Norris, and appoint another. While these troubles were brewing, Peter E. Bean, a survivor of Nolan's expedition, and whose life history reads like a romance, was stationed at Fort Teran, as Indian agent. Learning of these troubles, Bean, with a small company of cavalry, marched upon Nacogdoches for the purpose of quell- ing the disturbance and to restore Mexican authority. Bean did not seem to apprehend that he would have much diffi- culty. He, however, found the disturbance more serious than anticipated, and on learning that the Fredonians, about two hundred strong, were occupying the old stone fort, prudentlv decided to wait for a reinforcement from San An- tonio. In the meantime, he succeded in detaching most of the Indians from the league. Fields and Hunter, however, were faithful to the last, and were barbarously assassina- ted by the very tribes for whose welfare they had labored long and patiently. The assassin's first shot not proving immediately fatal, poor Hunter implored the murderer to spare his life, exclaiming,"it is hard thus to die by the hands of my profesord friends." The appeal was in vain.
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BORDER WARS OF TEXAS. ¢
Another shot closed the career of this strange and extraor- dinary man.
News of the revolt reaching Bexar, Governor Saucedo dispatched Col. Matio Ahumada, with two hundred soldiers to suppress the insurrectionists. The part which Austin took in this affair has excited a good deal of comment and some severe criticism. Historian Focte, who was a warm friend of the Edwards', conveys the idea that Austin was greatly perplexed and hesitated long whether he would join the Fredonian movement or make war against it. Such was not the fact. On the contrary, he advised the leaders of this re- volt that their cause was one of consummate folly, and that they were rushing upon certain destruction. Indeed, as an honorable and true citizen of his adopted country, he could not have done otherwise. In such a controversy, neu- trality was impossible, and instead of hestitating a moment, Austin, on the 22nd. day of January, 1827, issued the follow- ing address :
To the Inhabitants of the Colony :
The persons* who were sent on from this colony by the political chief and military commandant, to offer peace to the Nacogdoches madmen, have returned without having ef- fected anything. The olive branch of peace which was held out to them has been insultingly refused, and that party has denounced massacre and dissolution on this colony. They are trying to excite all the northern Indians to mur- der and plunder, and it appears as though they have no other object than to ruin and plunder this country. They openly threatem us with Indian massacre and the plunder of our property. To arms, then, my friends and fellow-citi- zems, and hasten to the standard of our country. The first hundred men will march on the 26th. Necessary orders for mustering and other purposes will be issued to the com-
* Austin sent a delegation of citizens-Abner Kuykendall, Judge Ellis, Francis W. Johnson, and James Cummings-from his colony, accompained by James Kerr from De- Witt's colony, to confer and fraternally remonstrate with the Fredonians, and endeavor to dissuade them from rash measures. The delegation failed to accomplish the object desired.
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BORDER WARS OF TEXAS.
manding officers. Union and Mexico !
₹
S. F. Austin. San Felipe de Austin, 22nd. January, 1827.
The news of Colonel Ahumada's approach completely demoralized the Fredonians. They miscalculated their strength. No help reached them from the settlement of Pecan Point, on Red River, nor from Ayish Bayou. But they were still more chagrined at the course of Austin's colony, and hastily retreated across the Sabine, leaving a few of their partisans, who were captured by the Mexicans. And now it was that Austin exerted his influence to good purpose; instead of putting them to death, according to the custom, they were, at his earnest solicitation, pardoned and set at liberty. This magnanimous conduct called forth a letter from Edwards, in which he returned grateful thanks to Ahumada for his humanity.
And thus this unfortunate rebellion passed away and was numbered with the things that were.
CHAPTER III.
D
Mer. Comblogy
EFEATED in almost every engagement, and melting away before the unerring rifles of Austin's colonists, the formidable coast tribe-the Caranchuas-had been forced to retreat and sue for peace. DeWitt's Colony, surviving the serious misfortunes which befell it in the Summer of 1826, was rapidly taking on new life and energy.
'The Fredonian mutiny did not seriously
affect or retard the growth of Austin's Colony, and a period of comparative peace and
with its quelling prosperity prevailed. But this state of quiet was not of long duration. The Wacos and Tehuacanies who had been more or less troublesome all along, now became openly hostile and were depredating on the settlers of the Brazos and Col- orado, to an alarming extent. "Indeed" says Yoakum, "the grant of Milam, laying between the Guadalupe and Colorado Rivers, and north of the Bexar road, could not well be set- tled because of hostile Indians."
In the winter of 1828-9, a party of these Indians enter- ed Fayette county, camping-so the bluffs would protect them from the chilling winds-in the bed of Ross Creek; where they might have remained undisturbed had they not killed a worthy Mexican resident of the neighborhood. Whereupon a party consisting of James 'Tomlinson, J. J. Ross, A. A. Anderson, John Vryer and others, attacked and routed the murderous intruders, killing eight of them out-
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right, and severely wounding seven more, who managed to escape, but perished soon, it was supposed, as only one of this unfortunate party was known to have reached his tribe .*
"When the Indians were attacked," says J. J. Ross, who furnished' the above facts, "some were lying down, some parching corn, and others were engaged in a scalp dance. An attempt was made to burn the bodies of the dead Indiams, but with poor success-only crisping their skins. Their bleaching bones long remained on the battle ground."
About this time one Thomas Thompson opened a small farm near the present town of Bastrop, and occasionally visited it to cultivate and take care of his crops. On going there in July, 1829, he found the Indians in possession. Re- turning below for assistance he was joined by ten men with whom he approached the Indian camp at night. At day- light they killed four of the savages and routed the others.
Of course these affairs were unfortunate and served to increase hostilities-Yoakum says they opened the war. At any rate, "numerous cases of murder and theft had occur -- red, and it became necessary to apply a remedy"-which empresario Stephen Austin promptly did.
THE WAR OPENS AGAINST THE WILD TRIBES.
Captain Abner Kuykendall :-
The Indians have robbed a large drove of horses from a traveler who stopped at Ratcliff's on the Lavaca. They were pursued two days by a few men and overtaken be- tween the Colorado and Brazos, below the San Antonio road. 'There was one white man-supposed to be an American- and fifteen Indians. It is highly important that the trail should be followed so as to ascertain what Indians and white man or men have become so base as to commit this depredation; and to punish them-also recover the horses.
A party of volunteers is ready at Beason's to follow the robbers, and a number will go from here. It is their wish and also mine, that you take the command; and I hope and
*Statement of Mr. Pennington, an Indian trader. then among this tribe.
J. F. Austin Det 18.1836
SAM HOUSTON
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BORDER WARS OF TEXAS.
expect that you will undertake the expedition if your health will permit.
I hereby authorize you in the name of the Government, and of the civil authorities, whom I have consulted, to take the command of said party of volunteers, and to pursue and kill said robbers, be they Indians or whites, and to recover the stolen horses, and do such other acts as in your judg- ment be deemed necessary, equitable and proper, to punish the robbers and afford security to our exposed and scatter- ed settlements, by making a severe and striking example which will have the effect to prevent the repetition of simi- lar outrages by the lawless bands who are moving through these unsettled wilds.
You will, however, be cautious of offending innocent persons, as you will be responsible for any wanton cruelty committed by your men while acting by your orders, on the innocent. You will keep a journal of your proceedings and report same to me on your return.
Town of Austin, August 23, 1829.
Stephen F. Austin, Col. of Ma.
This order was received by Capt. Kuykendall the even- ing of the same day it was written, and in obedience there- to, with his two sons, William and Barzillai, he left on the ensuing morning for the Colorado, where he arrived the same day and was joined by eight men-"most of whom were old frontiersmen"-to-wit: Norman Woods, John F. Berry, Elijah Ingram, John Williams, Thomas Thompson, Seaborn Jones, .... Hazlitt, and one not remembered.
FIERCE FIGHT NEAR THE OLD CABIN.
"We now counted eleven, " says Kuykendall, whose nar- rative we follow, "and resolved to pursue the Indians with- out losing further time to increase our force. We forded the Colorado at the crossing of the La Bahia road and pro- ceeded eight or nine miles up the river, when about noon, we discovered people moving about an old cabin. As we knew the inhabitants of this neighborhood had, some time previously, been driven from their homes by the Indians,
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BORDER WARS OF TEXAS.
this circumstance excited some surprise, and Hazlitt and another man were dispatched on foot towards the cabin to ascertain the character of its visitors. The rest of us sat in our saddles, concealed by a point of woods.
"In order to approach near the house, Hazlitt and his companion had to pass through a cornfield. They had not proceeded far in the field when an Indian shot an arrow at Hazlitt, and raising a war whoop, fled to the cabin. As he ran straight between the rows of corn, Hazlitt shot him in the back. The instant we heard the alarm we galloped for- ward and saw five Indians on foot, running up the river, trying to reach a thicket on its bank, two or three hun- dred yards above the cabin. Spurring our horses to their best speed, we intercepted them a short distance below the thicket. As we dismounted, each man dropped the coil of his tethering rope from the pommel of his saddle and charged the Indians on foot. They were now compelled to fight us in the open prairie or leap down the precipitous bank of the river. They chose the latter alternative. Nor- man Woods shot one as he was in the act of leaping off the bluff. 'The remaining four threw away their arrows and plunged into the Coloradc. As they swam toward the oppo- site shore, we plied them with two or three rounds of rifle balls, and sank two midway the river. The remaining two reached the opposite shore with mortal wounds from which we could distinctly see the blood flowing. One of them uttered a few words in a very loud voice and almost in- stantly afterward our ears were assailed with terrific yells from the thicket above us, accompanied by a flight of ar- rows and discharge of fire arms. Turning toward our un- expected assailants, we saw several of them running toward our horses. We also ran in the same direction, and all the Indians, except two, returned to the thicket. These two Indians succeeded in reaching our horses, of which each se- lected and mounted one and drove all the rest save two, be- fore them-yelling and firing off their guns to frighten the horses and urge them to greater speed. The two men whose horses were left, mounted them and pursued the Indians,
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the rest of us following as fast as possible on foot. After trailing nearly a mile and a half we discovered our horses standing in a grove. Suspecting a ruse, we approached them with caution, but found no enemy.
"Having now recovered all our horses but two (those of Thompson and Williamson), we returned to the scene of action. Every Indian had disappeared. The one shot by Woods was still alive, sitting under the bank. Deeming it an act of mercy to put an end to his suffering, Woods shot him in the head.
"After collecting the arms of the defeated Indians, consisting of bows and arrows and one or two shot guns, we went into the field to look for the Indian shot by Haz- litt. We did not find him, but picked up his belt which had been cut in two by the rifle ball. This satisfied us that he had received a mortal wound. His body was after- wards found outside the field. 'The remains of the two who reached the opposite side of the river were also found af- terwards-making six killed. Not cre of cur party was hurt, though Berry, after the engagement, fainted from the effect of heat and over-exrtion
"There were at least forty or fifty of these Indians- Wacos and Tawacanies. They were well provided with ropes and bridles, and had doubtless come on a stealing ex- pedition. The survivors left the Colorado without commit- ting any depredations.
"As we were reduced to but nine mounted men, two of whose horses were already broken down, we were constrain- ed to forego the pursuit of the thieves who had stolen the cavallada, and returned home. That evening we traveled about five miles on our return, and slept at a spring about three miles above the present town of La Grange."
THE SAN SABA EXPEDITION.
Immediately after arriving home and reporting to Col. Austin, Capt. Kuykendall received the following order:
"You will call a muster of your company and endeavor
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BORDER WARS OF TEXAS.
to raise volunteers to go against the Indians. If you can- not get volunteers enough to make one fourth the number of men composing your company, you will raise them by draft. You will rendezvous at this place with at least one fourth the men composing your company, on the 12th. of September next, armed and equipped as the law directs, with provisions for a campaign of forty days. By order of S. F. Austin. Oliver Jones, Adjt."
Capt. Abner Kuykendall.
Similar orders were issued to Bartlett, Simms and oth- er captains of the militia in the colony. "About the same time, but without concert," says John Henry Brown, "a company of thirty-nine men of DeWitt's Colony, under Capt. Henry S. Brown, left Gonzales on a mission against the depredating hostiles, supposed to be in the mouun- tains."
The contingents of the different companies from Aus- tin's Colony, rendezvoused on the east side of the Colorado about twelve miles below the present town of La Grange, where, between the 15th. and 20th. of September, the re- quired force of one hundred men was collected and organ- ized, under the command of Abner Kuykendall.
Striking the San Gabriel, the expedition marched up that stream-scouring the country between the Brazos and Colorado-ard across the country to a point near the head of what is now known as the Salt Fork of the Lampasas, and some thirty miles from the mouth of the San Saba; where it halted and sent out spies to locate the encampment of the Indians.
Returning on the second morning, the spies reported a large encampment on the west bank of the Colorado, two or three miles below the mouth of the San Saba, and "that they were engaged in a dance, as they could distinctly hear the sound of a sort of castinet which the Indiars used on such occasions."
It was evident the Indians were not aware of the ap- proaching forces, and planning a night march, Kuykendall
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BORDER WARS OF TEXAS.
determined, if possible, to make a surprise attack at day- light the following morning. At sundown the command was in motion and on the march. We quote from Kuyken- dall :- "Night soon closed around us. There was no moon but the sky was cloudless and starry. Our route lay over a prairie, studded with low hills, and in some places very rocky. Hour after hour the long double files of horsemen followed the guide. There was no confusion in our ranks, rare- ly was a word spoken, yet our march was far from being noiseless. The hard, metamorphic limestone rang like met- al beneath the tread of our horses, and ever and anon we invaded the domain of a community of rattlesnakes, of which we were promptly notified by rapid vibrations of their rattles. Our guide conducted us toward nearly every point of the compass, and at length, long after midnight, declared he was bewildered and could conduct us no fur- ther until daylight. All now suspected the fidelity of our guide-a Mexican who had once lived with the Wacos and Tawacanies. Perhaps he was actuated by cowardice, per- haps by revived affection for his quandom friends; but whatever his motives, it is highly probable that but for his conduct the expedition would have been completely successful."
Still anxious to effect a surprise attack, Kuykendall concealed his force in a dense cedar-brake to await another night, meanwhile sending out six of his men, Wm. Dever, Amos Gates, Sebe Jones, Jeff Prayor and one other, with a Chickasaw Indian, named John, on foot to explore a route to the Colorado River and locate a crossing.
They had proceeded about one and one half miles, when they were discovered by twenty-five mounted In- dians, who charged upon them, yelling like demons. It was a hard race and a miraculous escape for the spies,who by making repeated stands and runs, succeeded in reach- ing their companiors and giving the alarm. "Meantime" says Kuykendall, "the loud cries of the Indians had been heard at our camp and the whole command was hastening to the rescue. When William Dever per-
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BORDER WARS OF TEXAS.
ceived that succor was close at hand he shot, and it was believed, mortally wounded one of the Indians. At this mo- ment our whole force came up, and the Indians fled at full speed. Following in rapid pursuit, the village was soon dis- covered in a berd of the river, almost concealed by a low wooded hill-the valley around being almost literally cov- ered with mounted Indians-men, women and children, fly- ing to the yellow cedar-brakes in the adjacent hills."
The Texans dashed across the river, ard into the vil- lage, but most of the Indians had fled ard but few shots were fired, one by Nestor Clay, killing an Indian, a Tehua- canie chief.
Detachments were sent in pursuit but the Indians had escaped to their mountain fastnesses; only a few women and children were overtaken, who were of course unmo -. lested.
The Indians lost their entire camp equipage, includ- ing a considerable amount of corn, blankets, robes, brass kettles, etc., and a large number of horses, all of which was secured by the victors.
"We encamped upon the ground evacuated by the In- dians," says Kuykendall. "Their conical, buffalo skin cov- ered lodges were still standing, and within them we found their entire store of winter provisions, namely, several hun- dred bushels of corn and beans, and a quantity of dried buf- falo meat. Many buffalo robes were also found and on the fires were still boiling, several kettles of corn and beans- all of which property was consigned to the flames, or other- wise destroyed. The site of this encampment was very beau- tiful and had apparently often been temporarily occupied by the Indians; but there were no traces of agricultural oper- ations. Early the ensuing morning, Captain Henry Brown, with a company of thirty men from Gonzales rode into camp."
"He had discovered the camp," says John Henry Brown, "secreted his men, put out concealed watches, and, like Kuykendall, expected to attack at dawn the following morning. He had passed through the mountains on the east
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side of the Guadalupe, across the Piedernales and Llano, to the head of the San Saba. He encountered two small bands. In the first he killed three Indians. Near the Enchanted Rock, he surprised the second band. Five or six Indians fell, the remainder escaped into the dense brush. Both appeared to be only hunting parties of warriors. It was on this trip that Captain Brown, with his men, became the first discov- erers of the Enchanted Rock. He had followed the San Saba down to its mouth, and a little below discovered the In- dian encampment. Neither Brown nor Kuykendall knew of the other being in that section until after the attack upon, and routing of the Indians."
Such bold expeditions by such sagacious leaders went far toward keeping the Indians in check, but it was im- possible to effectively protect the long line of exposed frontier, and bands of hostile marauders were constantly scooping down, and slipping in, stealing, killing, and then quickly retreating, back to their mountain homes.
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EARLY BORDER CHIEFS.
The commanders of these early expeditions boldly pene- trating so far into the Indian country, as they did, deserve at least further brief notice.
Abner Kuykendall was one of the very early settlers in Austin's Colony, having emigrated from Arkansas Territory, and camped on the west side of the Brazos River, at the La Bahia road crossing, on Nov. 26, 1821.
About the first of January, 1822, he settled more per- manently on New Year's Creek, some ten miles we.t of the Brazos, and about four miles south of the present town of Independence.
Kuykendall brought several head of cattle and a few hog's to the colony. He was extensively known and highly
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esteemed by his fellow colonist, as a brave and worthy gen- tleman. He was early appointed Captain of Militia and served in most of the campaigns and expeditions against Indians during the colonial period.
The following letter gives briefly the facts of the tragic and deplorable fate of this early pioneer and venerable pa- triarch of Austin's Colony :
1117 Bell Ave., Houston, Texas. -
James T. DeShields, Esq.,
Farmersville, Texas.
My Dear Sir:
Yours of Dec. 6th received and contents noted. In re- ply will say Capt. Abner Kuykendall was killed in 1834 at San Felipe, by a man named Clayton, who was hung for the crime-his being the second of the only two legal ex- ecutions for murder in Austin's Colony. Kuykendall was stabbed in the neck with a knife which broke off, and he died of lockjaw.
Clayton was a Mississippian. He was raised by an aunt living near Natchez. He killed a cousin in Mis issippi in 1832 or 1833, and ran away to Texas. His aunt heard of his last trouble and came to San Felipe in 1834, but when she found how he had killed Kuykendall, she returned home without seeing him. Mrs. Clayton stayed at my father's house while here.
I knew Joe Kuykendall, a brother-was a prisoner with him in 1836, and knew him many years after, until his death in Fort Bend county. He came to Texas in 1822. Hoping the information may profit you,
Yours truly, J. R. Fenn.
Capt. Kuykendall's place of nativity and date of birth are unknown-his wife was a daughter of Owen Shanon, and a si ter of John and Jacob Shanon. Two of her nephews, Matthew and Jacob, may yet survive.
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BORDER WARS OF TEXAS
Henry Stephenson Brown was born in Madison county, Kentucky, March 8, 1793, and in December, 1824, in compa- ny with his brother, John, afterwards known as "Waco" Brown, landed at the mouth of the Brazos with a large stock of goods for the Mexican and Indian trade. Engaged in this hazardous business at that period, it is but natural that they should encounter many dangers and participate in nu- merous thrilling adventures, the details of which would fill a volume. We make brief extracts from the biographies of these brave and worthy pioneers, and early defenders of in- fant Texas: "In 1825 Capt. Brown sent his brother with a large cango of goods to trade with the Comanches in the upper country. James Musick, Thomas Jamison and An- drew Scott went with him. They succeeded in reaching Clear Fork of the Brazos River, without being molested and found the Indians very friendly, and anxious to trade. And soon they were wending their way homeward with eleven hundred horses and mules, and as many buffalo robes as they could manage, on their pack mules. The Indians as- sisted them a day or two on their way, and on the fourth night they camped on the Brazos. about where the pres- ent town of Meridian stands. All retired congratulating theinsalves upon the success of their expedition, and what was their surprise, when midnight yells, and the firing of guns disturbed their quiet slumbers. All sprang to their feet. Mr. Brown, being a cripple from white swelling, fell over one of his companions. All thinking that he was dead, fled into the bottom. Brown secreted himself in some brush nearby, where he remained until daylight, nat- urally thinking that his companions would do likewise. But to his dismay, he found himself all alone, lame, and weak, without food; yet with a brave resolution he started, limping homeward. After traveling for three days, with blistered feet and aching heart, and almost famishing, he way suddenly surrounded by a band of Waco Indians. Most of them seemed anxious to kill him but some pleaded for his life, which was spared on account of his lameness. He was then mounted and carried to their principal village, where
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