Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1884-05-04
FRONTIER SKETCHES.
A Period of Comparative Quiet-Forays
OF Indian Horse Thieves.

ing the years OF 1870, '5l,
'5s. 1913 and '5l, heavy immigra-
ton was annually pouring into Texas.
The war with Mexico had put stop
to Mexican depredations on the Rio
Grande, and allaycd all fears of any
further trouble in that quarter. Tr, nj.
les had been made with the Southern
Comanchts and Caddo Indians. and
they were placed ON reservations near
Fort Belknap. The Northern %.
manches had emigrated north of the
Canadian river, and perfect safety
seemed apparent all along the exten.
sive line of frontier from Red river to
the Rio Grande. The alarming
and hidcous war-whoop of
the savage had ceased. and
the many tragic and pathetic scenes.
caused by Indian butchery and cruelty
were. rapidly fading away, aud the
bloody garments dyed with the blood
of men, women and children who had
fallen victims to savage cruelty and
vengeance, were passing away and be-
ing forgotten. Old Texans, the vete-
rams of The Texas revolution, were all
confident and hopeful of the future.
The claDgor of Mexican arms had
been hushed, and the iron heel of
tyranny removed by their unequaled
courage displayed at the memorable
battle of san Jacinto. During the
period of which i am now writing, ALI
Texas was enjoying that rich boon of
peace and safety purchased with the
wisdom, blood. valor and untold hard.
ships OF the Texas veterans. And
surely IL would be an impossibility TO
lind in all this broad, prosperous, hap
ny land of Texas, any so destitute of
patriotism and gratitude as not to
revere Texas veterans. Echo certainly
answers, No.
Houston, with his inperfections,
both political and personal-and who
that is mortal has them not.-erected
an everlasting column of fame, around
which clusters host of other equally
worthy names that will stand firm and
immovable against the mighty waves
of the ocean of time, which awakens
In every true patriotic Texas breast Il
hallowed association of thoughts. to
be obliterated alone by the loss of
memory. They builded well, and left
for US a foundation on which to erect
and build state superstructrrs, des-
tined in the near future to be the
l = TIC NOIlu ever SAW. lDul
VIII re am going?
Excuse this depression, and will re-
turn TO my subject, Indian depreda-
tons. The first Indian depreciation
/ that was committed between the
Brazos aud Colorado rivers, after the
organization OF Bosque aud Coryell
COUNTIES in 1854, was by two Canadian
Indians, q buck and squaw, who were
! travelling the old trail leading from
Red river to the Rio Grande. This
trail passes through the territory first
embraced in Comanche county, but
now i'll Hamilton. In August, 1856.
one j. II. Adams was Navigating TO
the Me:cer settlement, and camped on
/ Wsrren's creek, twenty-five miles
southeast of the present town of Co.
manche, in II valley now in VIM. Ia.
tum'sfsrm. The COmanche trail crossed
the creek at this place. Adams had
some thirty head If good horses. The
Indians travelling along ut night came
upon the horses, and like monkey
by basket of apples, conduit pass
them; and on looking for his horses
next morning, all that Adams could
find was their tracks going the north
end of the Comauche trail, course
that at once satisfied Adams that his
horses were stolen, and he proceeded Ia
hitch up his oxen and drive on up Ia
our settlement, twenty miles, and
report his mishap-no small thing To
him, for he had not a single horse left
: and ask for help to follow the Indian
trail. The boys in the settlement, with
. more eagerness and zeal than expert.
ence i'll Indian hunting at that time
readily raised scout and proceeded to
, the trail, then five days old, and pur.
: sued II to the upper Brazos, and re-
turned without overtasing the
Indians. The Indians and Adams
, horses had crossed the Canadian before
The boys had started on the trail. T.
j. ana J NJ. Holmsley,-J. and William
Reed, Tom Neal, Bill Cameron and
I Adams son and son.in-law consti
tuted this the first scout to follow this
5 the first Indian trail in this portion o.
J the frontier.
! The next depreciation was the steal.
ing OF f. ID. Gentry's horses, in Tia.
Leon valley near Gentry's present res
J idence, now in Hamilton county. This
depreciation was committed, if my
memoryts not at fault, in December
1906. Gentry saw two Indians driving
MS horses, forty head, out of the valley
J.. ms depreciation was committed bN
two Southern Comanches from til,
/. reservation, government pets and not
! exactly lawful 10 kill them at time. es
pecially sfter they would reach thei,
: city of refuge--the reservation, Gen
!, try afterwards found portion of hi.
j horses on the reservation, and Mai
|. Neighbors, Indian agent ut that time
! did after considerable parleying, In tht
5 pienitude of his arrogance, agree fol
/, GENTRY TO have his horses but insisted
y n on ms honest indians being paid a lib
i. eral reward for their generosity to en-
, courage them in well-doing.
!, The next. depreciation was the steal
Ii ing OF Ike Muilens' whole cavayard
800 head. Mullens had in 1856 located
!, ranch ON Pecan bayou in the eastern
: part OF Brown county, and carried a
o large stock of cattle and horses there
ana Kept his horses under what was
a tnen called loose herd-that Il. ride
h around them once each day. During
o the month of June, 1857, while the
herder was gone to get his dinner. a
!. squad OF four Comanche Indian,
rounded up the whole herd and moved
u rapidly northward, and before Mini.
e ieps could get q scout to follow The
l. .rail, there being only few scattering
ranches in Pecan valley at that time
: .he Indians had got SO far the star,
.nat Mullens, with ali his
d plucR and energy, could moi
n oVeitake them, but Afterwards fonnd
q ana recovered few OF his horses I'm
!, Nansas, that had been dIsnnaad 81 H..