Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1886-01-24
FRONTIER SKETCHES.
A Party Of Four Whites Surprised by a
Small Army Of Comanchcs-.T
Cedar Gap Raid.
The Red Devils are Followed Into the
Mountain. whore Long and Bloody
Battle Is Fought.


Written Tor tin Gazette.
7 II was IN the fall OF 1906, about the
time that the inhabitants in an Indian and
I frontier country begin to procure pro.
visions necessary for the ensuing winter
and spring, that Col William Stone, an
old Texan and frontiersman, got ready
I his wagons and teams and started for
San Saba mills, in San Saba county, 10
/ procure his supplies for the coming year.
There were two wagons and three men.
I The men were Frank Brown, Larkin
Stone and another gentleman, whose
I name we do not remember. Larkln Stone
was a brother Of Col. william Stone, who
! died not long since Ia Comanche county.
The road leading from Comanche 10 San
Saba passes through a noted Indian gap.
! Some sixteen miles southwest from the
town OF Comanche is a small pool, or wa
/ ter-hole, the only water on the road from
! Comanche 70 the mills. The boys had
+ stopped here 20 water and Craze their
teams and to take lunch, when up drove
( John Roach, who was on his way return
I ing from San Saba to Comanche. The
four friends had soon heartily dined and
after preparing their pipes for their ac-
customed smoke, were lazily grouped
around tnelr wagons admiring the beauty
of the surrounding country. just as they
/ were thinking Of renewing their journey
they were charged upon by band of In
/ dian warriors, painted up in the most
I hideous styles and colors. They were a
/ party OF Comanohes who were down
! from Uncle SANS reservation on pros
( pecting tour, looking at the country and
intent on carrying back TO their homes
few white scalps and bunch Of horses,
1 10 show their kinsmen that the whites
/ were not all gone yet. In other words,
| they were out upon the warpath for the
| purpose Of stealing horses and carrying
off captive women aud children, TO be re-
claimed at high ransom. Besides this
they did not hesitate 70 murder any help
less Victim that they might come upon
4 There were twenty-five or thirty OF the
red devils, all well mounted on the best
American horses they could find in
/ Brown, Hamilton, Lampasas and Coryell
counties. They were armed with the
latest improved guns and pistols. On
seeing that there were only four whites
and knowing that they had good teams,
the Indians thought it would be an easy
matter to pounce down upon
their unsuspecting victims, Kill and
scalp them and take four white scalps
along with the other booty TO their chief
as trophies OF their valor. In this they
were mistaken, for they met with most
determined resistance by the four boys
who were also well armed with guns and
pistols and who were all brave, cool and
determined men. Instead of giving up
and suffering themselves TO be murdered
In cold blood, the boys answered the In
dams volley OF shot with missives Of
powder and lead that carried death and
destruction with them. AT the first fire
three Indians reeled in their saddles,
which showed the accuracy Of the Texans
aim. The second yolley caused one 10
! fall from his horse. He was Immediately
picked up and carried away by his COM
rndes, but Frank Brown had taken true
aim aud his trusty rifle had done good
service. The spirit of the Conan
ches' brave chief had been
waited to the happy hunting grounds,
During this short time the Indians had
kept busy and their rapid firing had not
been without effect. Roach had been bad
~ wounded and Brown had received an
ugly aud painful wound in the face, How
4 ever, the fall of their chief had thrown the
Indians into considerable confusion and
seeing that the entire party had Withdrawn
a short distance the boys took advantage
OF the opportunity and securing their ami
mails each man mounted horse or mule
and made break for liberty,
Brown, Stone and the gentleman whose
name Is not remembered, each made his
escape and succeeded In reaching the set
Elements without any further injury cx-
cept few scratches They, however,
had a close ride and u bad scare. Roach
was not so fortunate. There he was thou
sands OF miles away from his native homs,
the Emerald island, surrounded by a body
OF Comanche Indians, who were maddened
beyond reason by the escape Of
the other three men and who
were intent upon having his
scalp-locks, aud OF knowing that one of
the white braves had shared the fate of
their dead chief. The Indians were toe
close TO him TO allow him 10 get good
start, and after reaching his mule and
mounting II the animal became unruly,
II was shot with an arrow and commenced
pitching, throwing Roach OFF, He had
already received one or two shots through
the body, aud after falling he was shot
time and again, hut he made his way off
and by the hand OF God alone succeeded
in getting out OF the range of the savages'
guns. and by crawling and dragging him
self along on the ground he succeeded in
making his way some distance, where he
was found, bloody, MISUNDERSTANDING
mass, shot all over and suffering thou
sand deaths from his wounds aud almost
dying for water. The three other men
: having reached the settlement OF old Capt.
James Cunningham, Sr,, who lived about
four or i've miles from the
scene OF the attack, sounded the
alarm that Indians were in the
neighborhood and related the tragic death,
as they supposed, OF their comrade,
Roach.
Under the leadership OF old Uncle
Jimmy Cunningham, company Of tried
and true men was soon In readiness and
Immediately went in pursuit Of the depre-
dntors. About one mile from the wagons
they found poor Roach, more dead than
alive, as above described. Arriving az
the scene OF the attack, the party found
the broken and demolished wagons still
there, but the mules aud horses had been
carried OF by the red-handed murdelers
who had left for other scenes. The trail
was quickly found and followed up by the
. Texans, recruits coming In from all
! quarters. After following tine trail some
/ three miles II entered the mountains
Just at the foot Of the mountains was
& found newly made grave. Upon exam.
3 lnation Il was found TO contain the body
/ OF the lamented chief, whose death had
been caused BY Frank Browns superior
/ craftsmanship. As Is their custom, the
! chief had been buried with all his arms
! and equipments and among other things
7 was found very line iron shield, through
! which the fatal bah had penetrated, On.