New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-07-02
OUR SAN ANTONIO LETTER.

Since my last communication, WRITER
about two weeks ago, nothing of much i'm
portaDce has occurred on the Rio Grande-
q calm, possible, that may signify storm
Quien sabe?
But while all is quiet on the Rio Grande
the Kickapoo Indians from Santa Rosa
Mexico, not more than 200 miles distan
from this point, have been taking advan
tage of the cloudless beauty of our moon
light nights to diminish the horse stock il
half dozen counties west Of San Antonio
They were not only successful in driving of
nearly hundred horses, but they killed
out of pure malice, great many more. Ii
no instance do hear of any Of the three o.
four bands engaged in the raid being over
taken and punished, an immunity they viii
not be apt to enjoy as soon as the frontier
military telegraph line is completed. These
| are the Indians who were taught such &
severe lesson by General Mackenzie veal
ago last fall. The story of how this tribe
living previous to the rebellion in the Indian
Territory, came to settle in Mexico, and the
consequences that have resulted from such
removal, is very interesting and not gener
ally known.
The Kickapo0s were semi civilized tribes
living in about the same state of culture
in the Indian Territory, or that vicinity,
along with the CherOkees and Choctaws.
When the war broke out q large portion OF
the tribe embraced, as did about half Of
the go. called civilized Indians, the side of
the COnfederacy. The fortunes of war soon
made their homes distasteful to them, owing
to the hostile proximity of the federal
troops and their Indian allies, whose
activity was sufficiently demonstrative
to induce the Kickapoos to seek security in
Texas. While peacefully pursuing their
way through Northern Texas, at q time
when most of the men were away from
camp, engaged in hunting, the defenseless
Kickapoos were attacked with reckless i'm
petuosity by some of the stay -at-home mill
tia, who were burning for an opportunity
to wade in gore, so to speak. Quite large
number Of the Kickapoos were murdered,
and the rest, becoming distrustfui of this
kind of protection and security, made their
way across the State to Mexico. They set-
tied dswn in a number of small villages
Santa Rosa, Remolino, Sargossa and other
places, in tbe State of Coahuila. and not far
from Fort Duncan, on the Rio Grande,
within 200 miles of San Antonio.
From that day to the present time those
red skins have been the scourge of the
frontier. General Reynolds, while in COM
mand of this department, made frequent
but futile efforts to induce them to return
to the reservation. The first successful
attempt to induce them to return to the
reservation was made by General r. s.
Mackenzie. He followed band of them,
who were stealing horses, across the Rio
Grande, and coming upon them at Remolino,
he killed dozen or go, and took prisoners
about forty women and children and an old
chief, perfect Methusalah of wickedness
and of ugliness, and sent them on to the
under guard, with the excep-
tion, b however, Of the old chief C0stalitos,
who made his escape from the pen here in
San Antonio, to perish for lack of food on
the prairie about twelve miles from town.
This old sinner was, properly speaking,
not Kickapoo, but an Apache, and had
been the terror of this frontier from
his youth up. The stories that are
told of his boldness and cruelty fifty years
ago on the Mexican and first white settlers
are many and we'll authenticated. During
The latter portion of his life he had been
living in Mexico in peaceful retirement on
of his age, until he was captured
With the rest of the prisoners by Mac
kenzie. As stated, he succeeded in getting
,ut of the prison pen unobservea by the |
.uard, made his way through the city, and,
liter several weeks delay, his body was
ound near the ashes of a little fire he had |
'uilt (the weather was not favorable for |
amping out), about twelve miles from |
own. The Indications were that he had |
u stained life for some time, at least, by
eeding on bird and rabbit, the remnants
f wh ich were found.
By strange coincidence, the old man
led within very few miles of the very
pot where he was born, about ninety
ears ago, period when the old white in
abit ants Of our ancient city were the
ha ven and shorn monks Of St. Francis
|sse ssi, who reared the venerable missions
nat strangers are even now willing to pay
10 ney to inspect, and stately Spanish dons,
ith plumes and swords; chivalrous garlic
ating sons of Don Quixote de la Mancha,
no have long since passed away, and
hoee promiscuous descendants are re.
ar kable for nothing except the docility
ith which they vote (under the quiet
q nipulation of their prieste) the straight
emocratic ticket.
But as the old Apache chief was decently
, ried where he was found by the United
;stes troops, we can afford to let him
Q ep on while we pay little more atten-
IN to the live Kickapoos, who refuse to
{ our stock men sleep at all during the full
the moon.
The arrival of the Kickapoos, burning
ith an unquenchsble thirst for vengeance
d Texas horses, was perfect bonanza to
Q Mexicans on the other side of the Rio ,,
.ande. They made q catspaw of these
disns to rake all the Texas thorse) chest
ts out of the fire. The Mexicans furnish !.
Q Indians with arms and equipments, and
,rt them across the Rio Grande. In about
, DAYS or two weeks our Kickspoos re-
IN to their benefactors with long droves
fine American horses, which the Mexi-
ns purchase for song. and sell at high ,
ices in the interior of Mexico.
rh;a horsa stealinr has become q separate
anch of industry, 80 to speak, and has