The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1866-10-26
EXECUTIVE OEEiCE.


AUSTIN, Texas, October 2, 1866.
Gentlemen oJ the Senate and Hous Sc of Rep
TeSentdtires:
1t Is with emotions which have no lam
guaSo to express. that l announce to you
the return OF eleven OF our unfortunate
people from captivity among the Indians,
Eight of them left the city this morning Oh
their way to their homes in Gillespie
County, with an escort kindly furnished bv
Lieut.. Col. Morris, the commanding officer
OF this post Three of the prisoners-Mr.
SpraSuc, of Young County, and James and
William Ball, OF Montague County-aro
now with their friends in Northern Texas.
Mrs SpraSue was captured about three
years ago: At what time the Bal children
were carried off, have not learned,
Mrs. Caroline Mcdonald and her three
children, Mahala, Rebecca Jane and Eli,
Alice and James Taylor, and their halt
sister, Dorcus Taylor and Jamas Benson,
have been seen and conversed with this
morning by quite number Of the gentle
men of your honorable body. From their
own lips you have learned the melancholy
story OF their sufferings, and in their per-
sons You have witnessed the living testi-
monies of the wretched and unhappy con-
dition OF our frontier people. The story
OF the long suffering Of these helpless wo-
men and little children constitute but q
terrible calamities encountered by the
people of the frontier. Mrs. Mcdonald
and those with her, except the lad. James
Benson, were captured in Gillespie County,
on the Sth of June, 1865. Her husband
was murdered at the time James Benson
was captured in Hamilton County, but has
no recollection Of the time. I learn that
his widowed mother resides near Frcde.
ricksburg.
These prisoners were brought in bv the
hlowas and Camanches, and delivered to
the United States Indian Agent. at tho
ArEa al, 1,sk
at which time treaty was made with
those and other wild tribes. These added
to others reclaimed heretofore, make
twenty-five persons recovered from tho
Indians within the last eighteen months
There are quite q number of prisoners vet
in the hands of the Indians, some of whom
were captured before the making of the
treaty referred to, and others taken since.
1t has been but few days ago, in Cook
County, that a Mr. Box was murdered, and
his wife and two grown daughters and two
younger daughters We're carried off, The
last mail brought the intelligence of the
murder, in Jack County, of Mr.. Enoch
Jones and son and two negroes, after a
most desperate struggle with the savages.
SO that we see that treaties with these
pertidious people are of no avail. I trust
the day of retrlbutIon Is not far distant.
The time has come when every impulse Of
the heart demands that this long CONT
nucd scene of murder and rapine should
cease. | shall use every means in my
power to impress upon the military au-
thorities the necessity OF action and yigor-
Gus operations against these marauding
bands that have SO long been the scourge
Of our people. In the event OF failure to
accomplish this, it must be done by our
selves.
IT il proper that should inform you that
the returned prisoners had no means of
reaching their homes, after their release
from captivity, and waited long and anx=
iously, expecting assistance from the GoA
vernment: In this they were disappointed.
Mr.. Joseph Dunlap, citizen of Kansas,
commisserating their situation, fitted up
teams, purchased provisions, and other
wise furnished their wants ais he was able,
and has accompanied them home. He has
made no charge, and leaves it to your
nberallty to compensate him as you may
deem proper. Such an act of humanity.
by stranger, to these suffering women
and children of Texas, under the attend
ing circumstances Of their history, chal-
lenges our gratitude, and should be re-
sponded to in a spirit of liberalitv, that
will show the hearty appreciation enter
tanned by us of conduct so humane and
most respectfully sug-
Gest the necessary appropriation.
J. w. THROCKMORTON.