The Dallas weekly herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1885, 1874-08-15
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IS 10 revive lllv lntllullVa VI "ul 'l"i
but more particularly for the enter
talnmcnt of our new fell0w-cltihenS.
This article shall he devoted to n con-
dcnsed narration Of the great Indian
raid In August, 1910.
The Mexican government, after lis
defeat in Texas in lsSG, being still con-
trolled by the central or monarchical
party, rs against the federal, liberal,
republican or democratic party tas va
riously called, first melted the Next
can rebellion under Cordova. nj Ma
cogdoches in 1883, the Cherokee
war of 1889, and finally this
great raid in 1910. At that time Gene
raj Nalentln Canallzo, n distinguished
Mexican officer, commanded northern
Mexico, with headquarters Mt Malta
moras. Ii was through him that these
Vaccinations, through shrewd ennis
saries, were put in operation, causing
great loss to Texas, but utter ruin to
most of the tribes seduced into. his
plans.
The raid of 1910 was composed OF
about one thousand warriors, consist
ing mostly of Comanches and renegade
MeXicans, Cherokees, Pawnees, Kick
apoos and others. In passing, let 1t
be understood that nearly all the acts
of the Mexican government in those
days, against which humanity pro-
tests, were committed by the central
or monarchical party, while they were
opposed by the intelligent patriots OF
the party of liberty. The names OF
Pedraaa, Nalentin Gomez Farias,
Mariana .Arista and other eminent
leaders of the liberal or democratic
party, will ever be associated, relative
", with those antagonistic principles
which are assimilated 10 the spirits
and doctrines of lI16.
The Nachogdoches and Cherokee re-
bellion having been crushed in 1889
General Canalizo, the fast friend OF
Santa Anna, persevered until, by the
spring of 1910, he had perfected the
combination among the wild tribes
and renegade bands rs previously
stated.
At that time there was no human
habitation between Austin and Sar
Antonio, but two between Austin anC
Gonzales, but one between LaGrange
and Gonzales, and none between the
Lavaca settlements and the Guada
lupe. Starting from Victoria or Linn
Vile, the one on and the other neal
the coast, there was an open country
for from forty to eighty miles wide, tt
the Austin and San Antonio road, ant
beyond that not n house short of d
Paso, Santa Fe, Fort Smith, or indie
pendence, Missouri, hundreds of mile'
away. Through this wilderness thi:
large confederation of wild Indians
and their half civilized but renegade
allies passed down to the coast, during
the light of the moon, in August, lo4O
They had few squaws, children anC
old men, in addition to their available
force.
Their first encounter with white mer
was near the IIavaca river on the 9th o
August, where twenty-seven of thei
tlanlsers chased two men for four miles
Tucker Foley and Joel Ponton. Foley
was caught, his left foot skinned ant
he was made to walk mile over burn
prairie-then shot and scalped. Pom
ton was dangerously wounded, but es
capped into thicket. He yet lives,
think, in Lavaca county. One o
Foleys brothers had been killed IL
Fannin's massacre in 1896, and an
other by Mexicans on the Sal Colorado
in 1889. Ponton's father had beel
killed in 1885 by the Indians.
On the afternoon of August 9th, tn,
whole body suddenly dashed upon tn
town of Victoria, killing several per
sons in the vicinity, white and black
and chasing Others into the very hear
of the town, among them Judg
Palmer, father Of Mrs. Guedry of Dial
las. The people were panic-stricken
No one ever dreamed of such al
Invasion. A. few men of merry
: rallied and attempted to hoit
them at bay, but they were soon over
powered and killed-among them DR.
GRAY, McNuner and others. Colone
Pinkney Caldwell, q gallant and dis
tinguished soldier, was killed while
entering the place from trip to tho
east. families were speedily "forted'
| into log houses, and the suburbs left II
be plundered. Over two thousand
horses and mules, herded on the prai
RE, were easily captured. The Indians
retired, but returned next day, killed
several persons and added largely tt
their herds, then passed down nine
miles, where they captured Mrs. eros
by Ia granddaughter of Daniel Boone
and her child. Thence they passed
across the prairie during the night
TWENTY-FIVE miles in the direction %
Linnville, on the bay. They killed
one or two teamsters OH the way, ano
camped Cor q portion of the night
Linnvijle stood near where Layaca
now is, and was the only town on the
west side of Matagorda and Lavaca
bays. The whole of that part of the
coast region was otherwise unsettled
Linnville was small seaport, its ware
houses containing three hundred thou
sand dollars worth of goods for the
Mexican trade.
Al sunrise, August 8, the vast caval-
cade approached thapnsuspeotlng town
the few people astir, supposing it to bt
'cavalladosn of animals coming in for
sale. Not a gun was tit for use in the
place. A moment undeceived the OBJ
servers, and shouts Of alarm were rails
ed. Some one, whose head was cool,
shouted 10 the people to rush for the
boats. There were several small boats
anchored about hundred yards from
the shore and every one who could
took the advice. Most of the people
got to the boats by wading, but few
were nliowed into the shallow water
and killed. Among the latter was
Captain III. o. Watts, recently married.
7 a T.. Ia ~ ~