USA > Texas > Montague County > History of Montague County > Part 5
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John Wain-
scot and his son, Isaac, were spending the night with the family. Mr. McDonald was awakened by Old Tip pawing and snorting. Feeling certain that Indians were near he got up to investigate. A white table- cloth had been hung over the door that day, and as Mr. McDonald opened the door to look out, an In- dian, that had been stationed to watch the house, saw the cloth and, mistaking it for a man, fired. The bullet failed to strike Mr. McDonald, lodging in a
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post at the side of the picket. The shot aroused the other members of the family. In the confusion that followed the Indians succeeded in getting Old Tip and a fine mare and colt. The men could see the Indians in the bright moonlight, crossing the field, and recognized the horse they had stolen. A few shots were exchanged, but to no effect. "Old Tip" managed to get away from the Indians next day and came back home. The other horses were never recovered.
On another occasion Old Tip was hobbled. He was grazing peacefully when suddenly his instinct warned him that the Indians were near. Instantly he started to flee. The Indians made every effort to capture him. They ran him several miles. The horse was wise enough to try to reach the fort. Finally the Indians succeeded in getting a lariat on him. It took one Indian to manage him while the other Indians were exchanging shots with Isom McDon- ald, Dace McDonald and Fred Broadstreet, who had seen the capture of the horse and started in hot pur- suit. The Indians, seeing that the fight would prove disastrous to themselves were forced to turn Old Tip loose and run. The next day "Old Tip" was found by the men. He was badly bruised by the hobbles. In his course he ran by where the Dry Valley church now stands, on across to what is now known as the Holbrook farm. Sam McDonald slipped up and caught hold of the lariat and wrapped it
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around a tree. He had some difficulty in approach- ing the horse because the rope had the scent of In- dians on it. By persistent patting and coaxing he finally managed to reassure "Old Tip" that he was in the hands of friends. His master said : "Old fel- low, you have made good your escape from the In- dians again, and as long as I own you, you shall never wear hobbles again." And "Old Tip." was exempt from hobbles from that day.
INDIANS DISTURB PREACHING SERVICE.
Rev. Joe Weaver was holding a protracted meet- ing at Hegler's Store (now called Forrestburg). Most of the people of the settlement had availed themselves of the opportunity to attend these ser- vices. Mrs. McCracken, a good pioneer Christian woman of the neighborhood, had not been situated so that she could attend the meeting, so she sent word to the minister to announce that if he would come and hold one service at her home on Sunday she would prepare dinner for all who would come. Quite a number accepted the invitation. After the service was over and dinner had been served the people began to leave. The minister was one of the first to go, as he had announced services for that afternoon. Some of the party lingered for a while, going on later to the meeting. On their way they
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caught sight of an Indian spy in the distance. A little further on they saw about forty Indians as- sembled. By this time the congregation had arrived and the singing. was in progress. A Mr. Southward went to the minister and whispered to him of what he had seen. The minister announced this to the congregation, at the same time advising the men to put the women and children in the store for pro- tection, while the men stood guard on the outside. This announcement instantly changed the service into war preparations, every man holding a gun in his hand ready for action. All of the congregation remained there except Joe and Milo Box, their sister, Pink, Mr. Southward and his pretty daughter, Lou (who afterwards became Mrs. Joe Box), and the Rev. Mr. Weaver. Their mother had remained at home that day and the Box children, fearful that the Indians might attack their lonely cabin home, refused to remain in comparative safety while Mrs. Box was threatened with danger. From some un- known cause the Indians decided to leave the county without molesting the settlers, but they succeeded in breaking up a good meeting.
They traveled southeast into Denton County, pur- sued by a band of rangers from Montague County. When the Indians caught sight of the rangers they broke and ran as if they were badly frightened. This proved to be only a ruse to get the soldiers to fol- low them. The soldiers quickly rode after them, to
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find that the greater number of the Indians had se- creted themselves in the grass and began firing at them as they rode up. The Indians now began to circle around them, Indian fashion. Sergeant Cobb said, "Boys, there has got to be some fighting done. Dismount and make breastworks of your horses."
The soldiers then opened fire on the Indians, but without result. In the meantime the Indians were circling closer and closer to them. A boy of sixteen was one of the company. His mother had died some time before this and he had no place to stay, so his father, who belonged to the rangers, took him every- where he went. The boy was riding the finest horse in the company and was a plucky little Indian fighter, and was a great favorite with the company.
In the thickest of the fray he was wounded by a shot from an Indian. He called out, "Father, I'm wounded." The father knew it was no time to sym- pathize with him and, although much alarmed about his condition, he smiled bravely as he replied, "It can't be helped, son, kill an Indian." Thus encour- aged, the little fellow held out bravely for a while, but soon began to grow faint from loss of blood.
The rangers' horses were so tired from being rid- den so far that they scarcely moved, although the bullets fell thick and fast about them.
Sergeant Cobb ordered: "Boys, every man take deadly aim at the front Indians." When the smoke cleared away they discovered they had killed the
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Indian chief. He was tied on his horse, and after he was killed the horse he was riding ran into the ran- gers' ranks and was captured. The horse was a beautiful gray that the Indians had stolen from Bart Trailer. The Indians had painted flowers and curious designs all over him. The Indians became confused, just as they always did when their chief was slain. They were falling fast under the deadly fire of the rangers.
Sergeant Cobb now said: "We must retreat; our boy can't hold out much longer." And indeed, by now, the little fellow was almost in a fainting condition. "Retreat in an orderly manner," was the command. As they were obeying his command one of the rangers saw an Indian just in the act of
killing him with a long spear. He shot the Indian through the forehead, and his horse began to kick and plunge. The Indian was tied on, and the last the rangers saw of the Indian was his foot sticking up in the air as, tied to his horse, he went over the hill. This amused the wounded boy, who could not help but smile as he saw the Indian's foot high in the air, disappearing in the distance.
The company took the boy to the home of a man near by, where he remained until morning. His con- dition was much improved by the next day, and the entire company rode back to their camp at the old Austin Morris place, north of where Levi Perryman now lives, near Forrestburg. The boy was the only one of the company who was wounded.
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INDIAN SKIRMISH BETWEEN CENTRALIA AND DYE MOUND.
Mr. Bud Morris of Montague and Mr. Holloway Williams were riding leisurely along one day when they suddenly rode up on ten Indians, near Dye Mound. They drove the Indians into a ravine, after shooting one Indian off his horse. They left the Indians in the ravine and went to Montague after recruits. They returned with the men, and the Indians, who had remained in the ravine, began firing on them. Mr. Morris was shot through his clothing with an arrow, but it failed to touch him. Mr. Williams was shot through his clothing, but they failed to wound him. Mr. Perryman's horse was wounded but afterwards recovered. Mr. Per- ryman was the only man in the company that was hurt. He sustained a slight injury on the temple, made by a flying bullet. The white men killed four Indians and wounded others. They also captured all of the Indians' horses but one. The Indians ran off on foot.
A PIONEER WOMAN'S EXPERIENCE WITH THE INDIANS.
While it has been impossible to give an account of all the Indian depredations in Montague County yet
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the following story will serve to show the harrowing experiences endured by nearly every pioneer woman of this county. It would be hard to find a woman who lived in those days that has not at least been badly frightened by the Indians. If the Indians failed to appear they were in constant dread for fear they would. Mrs. Levi Blankenship, who has been living two and one-half miles east of Forrestburg ever since 1861, said that she suffered much uneasi- ness for fear the Indians would attack her home in the absence of her husband. Her father enlisted in the Southern army soon after they moved into the county. She said that she well remembered with what sad hearts the wives and mothers gathered about a large log heap fire built near Hegler's Store (now called Forrestburg) on a cold, dreary morn- ing, to bid farewell to husbands, sons, and fathers. How proudly the little company marched around and around the store. Then the good-byes were said. Some went to return and others fell on the field of battle.
About twenty-five Indians passed her house one morning. Four of them came near her door and motioned for her to come and go with them. She shook her head at them, and one of the Indians shot at her. She bravely said, "I can shoot, too," and went in the house to get a gun. They stole her horses and passed on. She then took her children and fled to the woods with them. Later her hus-
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band, who had returned home, came and called her, and they went to the home of her father, Mr. Ben Steadham. Here they found that the Indians had at- tacked the Steadham home that day, and Mrs. Stead- ham had donned a man's hat and took a gun and frightened them away.
Mr. Blankenship frequently went as an Indian runner to warn the people of the presence of In- dians.
DEATH OF ANDY POWERS.
In October, 1866, Andy Powers, a citizen of Mon- tague County, whose home was on Clear Creek, was traveling with a companion, whose name could not be learned, from Gainesville to Forrestburg. On the way they were attacked by a band of Indians. Powers' companion was riding a fine horse, and when they saw the Indians approaching he tried to get him to leave the mule he was riding and get up behind him, and they would outrun the Indians. This Powers refused to do. The poor man had a chill at the time and was quite sick. His companion said afterward that he did not seem disposed to make much resistance. The man seeing they would be overpowered and killed, and being unable to per- suade Mr. Powers to come with him, fired one shot at the Indians and fled. They killed and scalped Andy Powers, leaving him on the spot, but taking his scalp and all valuables that he had with him.
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"INDIAN CUNNING."
In the spring of 1870 a group of men were at the home of John Willingham on Denton Creek, near Denver, shoeing their horses. Andy Jackson had turned his horse loose, with the bridle and saddle on it, to graze around for a while. He looked at the horse occasionally, but as proof of the daring and adventure of the Indian, while the attention of the men was directed for a few minutes to the work in progress, an Indian slipped up unobserved and stole the horse. Rile Willingham went to look for the horse and saw the Indians disappearing over the ridge with four horses belonging to the men assem- bled there. They were all good horses, for a fine horse was the pride of the sturdy pioneer's heart. They could plainly see Isaac Wainscot's horse graz- ing in the valley. Andy Jackson ran to where he was, took the hobbles off the horse and got on bare- back, riding like the wind to the home of John Wainscot. He saw Cash Wainscot plowing steers in the field near by. He called to the men in the field to get their horses and come on, that the In- dians were in; then rushed on his way to warn oth- ers. He started to where a crowd of men were herd- ing cattle, to warn them of the danger of being sur- rounded by the Indians. When he got to the corner of what is now known as Grisom's field he paused to look back, and found that the Indians were follow-
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ing him. Realizing his danger he turned to run. He knew the speed of his horse, and felt that the Indians were gaining on him all the time. He came over the hill, riding straight for John Wainscot's. Some men were at work in a field near by and saw him coming. Mr. Bob Savage, who was one of the men, called out, "Come on, boys." This frightened the Indians away.
The Indians now rode in the direction of Dry Valley, stealing horses from Fred Broadstreet, Mar- sellus Broadstreet and Charlie Jones. They passed on to the Freeman place. Here they stole Mose Johnson's fine race horse, "Old Yellow Boy." Ike Wainscot and Cash McDonald followed the Indians for nearly a mile. The Indians had left a horse in their hurry, and the McDonald boys went out to catch it. Jarrold McDonald, father of Cash, stayed back on the hill to watch and see if the Indians charged the boys. The boys secured the horse and returned to their father. Here a most laughable (but at the time serious) thing happened. Dean Mc- Donald, with ten or twelve other men, was herding cattle near by. It took very little to make a man look like an Indian in those days, and many laugh- able mistakes were made. So when Dean McDonald saw the men on the hill in the distance he took them to be Indians. He showed them to the other men and they all, with one accord, made a hurried departure for camp
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Those who had remained at camp saw them com- ing, and believing them to be Indians began to make preparations for war. Those on the hill saw the first group running, and thinking they had seen the Indians coming around the hill they at once rode at full speed in their direction. Those in front looked back, still believing their pursuers to be In- dians. They put spurs to their horses and renewed the race with increased vigor. One of the party glanced back and said, "Boys, I see a rusty old In- dian there in front, and he is ready to fight."
Finally when all parties reached camp, and they discovered that they had mistaken friends for ene- mies ; explanations followed and they indulged in a hearty laugh, for that was the last seen of that band of Indians.
BROTHER AND SISTER DEFEND THEIR MOTH- ER'S HOME FROM THE INDIANS.
On a certain morning in the fall of the year Mr. Joe Box (who now lives near Forrestburg) and his brother, Milo, were going over to a neighbor's (Mr. Keenan) to help gather corn. The Box family at this time were living about five miles from Forrest- burg. Before leaving home that morning Joe, the oldest brother, called his little ten-year-old brother to him and said, "Cal, we are going to be gone to-
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day and I am going to leave mother and the girls in your care. If the Indians come while we are gone I want you to defend mother." With true pioneer spirit Cal replied that he would. Joe loaded the rifle and placed it on the rack, ready for use.
As the brothers waved good bye to the little fel- low he walked into the house, his heart swelling with pride to think his brother would give him such an important charge. In the afternoon Cal was looking out the door, when he discovered some Indians in the corn patch near by, trying to steal his mother's horses. The family had just been talking of how bravely Mrs. Trailor and her daughters had de- fended themselves from an Indian attack, when Cal said, in an excited tone, "Mother, I see Indians in the corn patch. His mother, thinking his remark was the result of an overwrought imagination, said, "Oh, you are joking, Cal." "No, I'm not, mother," he said, as he climbed up on a chair and took the gun from the rack.
By this time the mother's fears were thoroughly aroused, and looking out she saw several Indians near the house. Cal stepped out in the yard and drew his gun on the Indians. The Indians were wearing shields on their arms, which they held be- tween them and Cal's gun. Fortunately the trigger of his gun failed to work, for if he had fired at the Indians they would probably have killed him. His sister, Belle, took down another rifle and coming
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out took her stand by her little brother's side. (Belle was only 12 years old.) Afterwards Cal said "Sister was calm and brave, but her smile helped me more than anything else." (This little girl is now Mrs. Ben Steadham of Forrestburg.) Mrs. Box, the mother of the two children, was in the house, scream- ing with fright. In the house with her was her little daughter, Pink, 8 years old. This child had pres- ence of mind enough to close and fasten the door. Poor Mrs. Box was so uneasy about the two chil- dren on the outside that she jumped up and down, looking through a crack in the house, until she rubbed all the skin off her nose. This amused the children very much after the danger had passed and they were told how it happened. The Indians did not attempt to molest the family. Their main object seemed to be to steal the horses before any men arrived. They finally succeeded in driving the horses out of the field, taking them with them. Al- though Mrs. Box knew they would feel the loss of their horses keenly, she was thankful that their lives had been spared.
Later Mr. Crede Roberts passed the house and Mrs. Box asked him to go and tell her sons of the occurrence. They came home at once. Joe Box and Mr. Roberts followed the Indians until after dark. It began raining so hard that they had to hold their hats over their guns to keep the caps and powder dry. They decided it was best to return home, as
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they were in great danger of being surrounded by the Indians in the fast gathering darkness. Mr. Box recovered his stolen horses in about one month. It happened in this way : The Indians were in dead- ly terror of the infantry. They called them "Walk a Heap." This band of Indians who had stolen the Box horses ran into a company of soldiers. The soldiers were scouting for Indians when they were surprised by this band. The Indians fled, leaving some of the horses, but next day, fearing the long range guns of the soldiers, they abandoned the entire herd and went on foot through the moun- tains, hoping in this way to avoid the soldiers. The soldiers went through the town of Montague with the captured horses. Mr. Wayburn, the first sheriff of Montague County, Colonel Maynes and Uncle Johnnie Morris recognized the brands on the Box horses and went to Captain Erwin and told him to whom the horses belonged. The captain said: "If the parties owning the horses will be in Montague County on a certain Saturday they can have the horses." When Saturday came Joe Box went to Montague to claim his horses. When he arrived there he found the captain gone, and learned that he had refused, at the last, to give up the horses, say- ing he was going to sell them. The injustice of such an action made Joe very indignant, and he told the sheriff if his brothers came there looking for him to
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tell them he had started after the soldiers, and not to look for him until they saw him coming.
Joe followed the trail of the soldiers until night. Not being much more than a mere boy, he began to get very lonesome, with nothing to eat, no place to When it sleep and no lariat to tie his horse with. began to get dark he skylighted a man on a high ridge in front of him on a horse. Knowing that if he were an Indian he would be likely to get him any- way, and if he were a white man, he wanted to see him, Joe rode on toward him. In approaching the man he discovered a band of men, who had stopped in a valley near by. He didn't know whether they were Indians or not, but he had lost the soldiers' trail, and he decided to go to them, as he felt sure they had already seen him. As he drew near he could see a tent and heard a man say, "I guess that is the man who owns these horses." Sure enough, the men proved to be the soldiers he had been fol- lowing all day. He rode up to the camp and told the men why he was there, at the same time describ- ing the brand of his horses. One of the soldiers said, "We have them." They asked him if his horse was not tired, and invited him to get down and rest. Joe asked one of the soldiers to tell Captain Erwin he was there, why he had come and that he would like to see him.
The captain sent him word that he was engaged in a game of cards and couldn't see him until morn- ing, but to issue him rations, give him a bed and
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take care of his horse. Joe slept with a soldier that night, using his saddle for a pillow and with the stake rope at his head.
In the night Joe heard his horse snort. Being a Spanish horse he was a splendid guard. Joe peeped from under his blanket and saw a man standing be- tween him and his horse. He looked first at Joe and then at the horse and cautiously picked up the rope with the intention of leading the horse away. Joe raised up with gun in hand. The man hastily dropped the rope and ran off through a lake of water near by, splashing the water as he went. Joe was never sure whether the man was an Indian or not. He did not arouse anyone, but again lay down upon his pallet. The next day was Sunday. After breakfast Joe held a conversation with Captain Er- win. He told him how anxious his mother must be at his continued absence, and how badly they needed their horses at home. He then asked permis- sion to take his horses and go. After listening to his story, the captain said: "I sympathize with your mother, but I have let one of my men ride one of your horses. I can't set him down here on foot. If you will go with me to headquarters I'll turn the horses over to you."
He ordered his men to mount. The next order was to march. There was nothing left for Joe to do but go with them. They reached headquarters that day, and Joe remained with them until the next morning.
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The horses were turned over to him free of charge. He had his horse saddled by daylight and ready to start. He waited for the sun to rise before starting, so that he would know which direction to take. There were no roads, and he had never been in that part of the country before, and he had to take the sun as a guide. The soldiers gave him a lunch to take with him, but he never stopped to eat it until he reached Queen's Peak, which was at sundown. Hastily eating it he started on to Montague, ten miles away.
Joe had one little scare that day. He had seen what he took to be a band of Indians. He thought they were traveling like they intended to meet him. There was no choice in the matter, so he went on. But he had his trusty rifle ready to fire. When he reached the creek where he first saw them he failed to find any Indian signs, so he concluded it was a herd of buffalo that he had seen. When Joe reached Montague he heard from home. Some of the neigh- bors were there attending district court. They told him his mother and family were well and tried to get him to stay all night, but he said, "No, I must see mother before I sleep." After resting his horses for a while he started for home. He reached home at 1 o'clock that night, having ridden nearly one hundred miles. He found his mother walking the yard, consumed with anxiety and grief over her ab- sent boy. She clasped him to her breast, as she
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wept tears of joy over his return. The little chil- dren heard her and they came out to add their joy- ous welcome to hers.
His mother told him that they had decided that he had been killed by the Indians, and that his brother, Milo, was out then with a party of friends searching for him. When she told him this Joe fired two shots from his gun, which sounded long and loud. This was to let the searching party know that he had re- turned.
After he had put up the horses he went into the house and found his mother preparing him a good hot supper. He said, "Why, mother, I didn't want you to cook supper for me at this hour of the night." His mother laid her hand tenderly on his head as she said, in tender tones, "Nothing is too good for my boy." When the meal was ready the family gathered around the table, each one striving to pass him something, while they plied him with questions about his trip.
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