San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1883-02-01
Written for the FHEE PREss,
"reminiscences of Texas syeteran...The
Santa Fe Expedition, etc.
BY G. ERHARD.
tCopy rigbted,l
TX.

The Comanche was the largest and prin-
cipal tribe in Texas; there were some other
tribes in northeastern Texas, who were
probably expelled from the United States, or
left voluntarily, to hunt better hunting
grounds. Besides the Comanches, we
had in western Texas two friendly tribes
the Lipans and Tonkaways. The men of
these latter small tribes served as spies for
the Texans in pursuit of the wild Indians,
and aided in attacks while their squaws and
children perhaps picked cotton for the
plantors, to be furnished in beef, powder,
and tobacco, by the latter The warrior is
too proud to condescend to work; their
women have to pitch tents, dress hides, in
fact do all the manual labor such as they
need.
The Comnncha is not the daring Indian
of the North. I do not know an instance
where they attacked a house or party of
men equal to their forces. Stealthily they
would surprise a single party, or one nu-
merically weaker.
Iremember only one instance, in the sum-
mer of 1870, when large party of Conan
ches attacked aud sacked the little village
of Lnnville, near Port Lavaca. They
robbed the inhabitants of such goods us
they wanted and gained without fight, and
took white lady prisoner. The alarm of
this bold attack soon spread. Gen'l. Ed.
Burleson, after short notice, gathered to-
gether few volunteers from Bastrop, Con
zales and Guadalupe counties; they over
tool, the Indians between present Loclihart
and Prairie Lea, and in running fight de-
feated them and rescued the white woman
but in revenge, seeing they could not secure
her. one Of them shot her in the breast; she
recovered. but must have suffered terribly
from the wound. This fight is known i'll
history as the Plum Creek fight The Com
anche always fights on horseback, unless
he is surprised and has to figat on foot
They are expert riders, having i'll a manner
no saddle, unless 1 may call two bonrds,
secured by fork of wool before and Le-
hind. saddle yet they can run what we
would call broke down pony at full speed,
they can hide their person behind their
horse the only support they w:nt is one
leg to rest on the back OF the horse, with
thair arms they cling to the horses noah,
and from under tlo nec's they axe expert
enough to shoot their arrows. Their oaly
weapons are the bow. a qu;yer OF arrows
and spear a lance with a kini of long
bladel knife attached TO a long pole y their
shields were stretched c)w hides over a
hoop, but always double, SO that if a
bullet or arrow should reilly peaet-a.o one
the next wouli give rebound The
Comanches are said)m folad in very large
bodies: the followed the gl.as all princi-
pally the buffalo: they with tnem N; grated,
and hunted grounds better ailp.el for sup-
port.
The Texas Iudiau would prowl about the
settlements on moonlight nights in orler 70
steal horses: on such occasions he would
avoid to Kill settler. unless himself dIssOy-
cred by the white rnaa. FOR he vel knew II
he killed white man he would be pursued. T.
and In that event il yorii fristrlte MS tliev-
ing expedition But to follow a party Of
Indians j. a diaic1lt task they with al the
energy and vigilance of the ssttlsrs had gem
srslly many hours Start az.d i the INDIANS
re-e too closely r1rsasl they scattered over 4
a co-ut-v uel .-noza - iheIa. they select- .
= the nos; busly and a1oz-ia.noGs rO1 :