The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1875-04-29
LIFE ON THE RIO GRANDE.
ack BradIey's Adventure with Mexican
- Bandits. 80

a [Corresponaence of the n ~ world.
SAN ANTONIO, April 5.-When the re
cent furry broke, out in the western par
I Of this State, between the Rio Grande an,
the Nueces, there were several of us wht
thought at once Of Jack Bradley, who's,
cattle ranch was in the very heart of tn,
Eexposed territory, and who was, therefore
peculiarly open to the Mexican raids.
Jack is an old campaigner, well known
/ to many in this city. He is nearly sixty
years Of age, lived entirely alone, with al
sbuli-dog, and with ne neighbol
within miles. Two or three times a yeal
be comes up to San Antonio on business
\ connected with his cattle, of which he al
ways owns several thousand. he has beer
az this sort of business OF aud on for ovel
q dozen years. and beyond question j:
wealthy so far as this worlds goods ar,
| concerned.
1 Jack was afair specimen of the daring
half-ciYiiized bOrderer, such as has beer
| developed by the settlement of all Oul
States and Territories. Thirty-nine wears
ago, or more, he was with the little com
pany Of Texans in the Alamo, to which
Santa Anna and his army laid siege. Be
I fore the Investment was complete, Jack
and a eomrade were sent out on little
fort was surrounded by MeXicans, and il
was impossible to get through the lines.
They tried it repeatedly during the night
Hntil the companion of Jack was shot,
and he himself decided to draw off for the
time.
But Jack, though he hovered around
like hawk, could do nothing except lie
hidden in the woods and content himself
with picking off a 50 greaser" when he got
the chance. He saw the assault of Santa
Anna on the 9th of March, 1889, when the
Mexicans, numbering ten times as many as
the Texans, swarmed over the walls like a
drove of. sheep, and every one of the
Texans was massacred. 1t was there tina
Colonel Travis went down with pile of
the towards all around him-that Colonel
Bowie (the originator of the. terrible
weapon which bears his name) was shot
in sick bed, his very last act being to
bury his knife in one of his assassins, and
Colonel David Crockett, finding they had
all been betrayed, made rush for Santa
Anna, bat was killed before he could reach
him. E# E W
There is no telling how many times
Jack got into scrimmages with his
neighbors. His cattle were not such an
object, for they are too plenty in these
parts, but he was an object to white and
red men alike: Some years ago the Co
manches would swoop down upon his
property, and then the fun was in. Beyond
question Jack enjoyed it, for no Conan
che could surpass him in his skill in
horsemanship, and there was never a one
that was his equal in the unerring accu-
racy of his rifle aim. fK
He had it back and forth with these red
skins and greasers, and when the late war
broke out Jack became one of Ben McCul-
loch's, Texan Rangers. That kept him
busy for time. but in '66 he took up his
quarters again in his castle, and there he
has been ever since.
In the early part of March Jack was
here in San Antonio, and be told US the
greasers were getting sassy" and he
shouldn't be surprised upon going back to
his rancho to find that they had been fool
ing round the cattle. He had left Rough
and Ready in chsrge, although for that
mater there was no necessity for any
thing of the kind, as the cattle were given
such grazing area that they could
scarcely wander beyond its limits, but the
bulldog was useful to prevent strangers
meddling with his castle.
Jack did not remain in San Antonio as
long as was his intention. on account of
the news which came up from Corpus
Christi. He had his fleetest mustang Will:
MIN, and, leaving our city, he struck off
in northwest direction, taking the most
direct route hOmewaId.
This morning the old fellow put in an
appearance with his arm in sling, and
the experience which he has had is worth
giving.
The distance from San Antonio to Jacks
ranch, in direct line, must be all of one
hundred and fifty miles, and he scarcely
halted until he came in sight of the little
stone building which had answered as his
home for so many years. 1t was just at
the close Of day, and he noticed nothing
unusual as be approached hishouse, which
stood on rising ground near a small stream
of water.
1t was too near night to find out whether
his cattle had been disturbed. They might
be anywhere within dozen miles, and it
would be all right; but he had been very
observapt of the siops as he came along,
and they were not calculated to suit him.
Two or three times smoke was visible in
the horizon, showing that burning of some
nature was going on bodies of horsemen
were distinguished which his spy-glass re-
solved inUo uiarauding Mexicans and
gressers Oh tour along our border. while
the United States cavalI y were called away!
to other States and Territories TO make
sure the elections were conducted in the
interests of the Administration. He was
pretty cnnfdentthat hehad received call
from some of these gentry, and was great
'iy surprised TO observe especial change
in he appearance of his castle as ne drew
near; but at the very moment of leaping
from the saddle of the mustang the latter
sprang aside with. such a snort. that he
knew something was wrong.
Every Texan is prepared for such emer-
gencies, and Jack approached the door of
his house on tiptOe, ready for danger in
Whatever shape il might come. --,
But there was nothing to cause alarm.
The greasers had done themselves the
honor of call during his absence, and
that there might be no doubt in his mind
as to their identity, they riddled the bull
dog with some twenty. bullets, siashed and
cut up every thing within, and carried
away all that was worth taking.
Jack stood awhile surveying the spolia-
ton, and then he relieved himself with a
few oaths. such as are indigenous to the
border. aud then, lighting his pine. he sat
down to consider what was best to be
done.
He would have continued the search
that evening except for the exhaustion of
his mustang. He had never seen his speed
equaled, and he knew that a nights rest
would make him himself again. He would
be as fresh as rose in the morning, eager
to bear his master wheresoeverhe wished.
His other animals were among the best.
but they were off somewhere, and he pre-
ferred to trust only his favorite in the
business contemplated. q yzisr,a 80
Jack sat nearly the entire night, smoking
his pipe and speculating upon the course
he had decided to follow on the morrow.
He was 1.-the, sinewy and irOn-limbed, and
one OF those grizzly borderers, who seem
lnsenslhte TO fatigue. W~
. AT daylight he took nothing but long
draught of cold water from the stream that
ran near his house, called his pet mustang
10 him, and five minutes later was speed
ing away with arrowy swiftress in a
southwest direction. He had learned that
his visitors numbered only three horse
men, and if he could come up with them
before they could join a larger body, he
felt himself equal to the occasion.
There was no trouble in keeping the
1ail. The thieves were driving the .;attie
before them in the direction of the Rio
Gralde. no dOuht with the inr.nt of ruD-