, 1888-09-16
RAMSTIEN

AT Fort DAVIS Capt. Kness was en-
ployed by the Butterfield company, and
put in charge Of the supply train as
wagon master, the train consisting of
five eight mule teams and eleven well
armed men as escort and teamsters.
On his return from FL Paso, Kness en-
camped for the night at the South Con-
cho station. The freight mules were
herded in n separate bunch from the
stage stock, and were placed in charge of
five well armed and resolute men. Early
the next morning a band of Mescaleros
swooped down upon the stage herd and
killed two herders. When the station
keeper heard the firing he caught up his
gun and ran for the herd, but was soon
shot down and his body horribly cut to
pieces. The Indians drove off all the
stage stock before Capt. Kness could
give help. A few days afterwards the
same band of Indians attacked
Grape creek station, and drove off all
the stock, but killed no one. Two weeks
later, however, Mr.. Ramstien, station
agent at La Muerto, or Dead Mans Hole,
in company with a Mexican, had gone
on a blackboard to Van Horns Wells,
about twenty-seven miles to the west, on
business connected with the mail line;
and on his return some Comanches
killed him, captured the mules and de-
stroyed the blackboard. The Mexican
made his escape, but was afterward
killed by some of the stagemen, who &C
cused him of having ''stood in" with the
savages.
This Ramstien, an educated German,
had emigrated to Texas during her revo-
lutionary struggles with Mexico for in
dependence, and had been a ranger I'M
der Gen. Houston. He was by nature
cool and calculating, and his long career
on the frontier had won for him the rep
utation of being n of the most daring
and skillful Indian fighters of his day.
His invariable success in outwitting them
made them dread him all the more, and
whenever ''Ram's Horn" as they called
him, was about, they were in
constant dread. Frequently when
they made a big stock steal
Ramstien would go alone and dog
them for days and weeks until they be-
came careless; then he would charge upon
the stock single handed and drive it off
in triumph. This he did several times,
until the Indians believed that rams
Horn" spirited the stock away, as they
were never able to come up with it, or to
get sight of their dreaded enemy, to kill
whom they were willing to take desperate
chances. After they had murdered him,
his murderers fled from his dead body as
though from some dreadful impending
calamity.
One of Ramstien's exploits is worth
stopping to tell here. During the July
of 1851, the Comanches killed a German
family living in one of the frontier settle
ments of Texas, and carried away cap
tive the only daughter, a girl of about
IA. Ramstien, learning of the outrage,
resolved to rescue her if possible, and
being then on friendly terms with the
principal chief of the Comanches, he de-
termined to utilize the chiefs good will
to accomplish his designs. Accordingly,
towards the last of August he mounted
his horse and set out alone across the
trackless plains to visit the Comanche
rancheria, situated at the time on the
Salt Fork of the Brazos. Over $50 miles
had to be traversed through a country
continually beset with wild tribes of In
dams to reach the Comanche camp, but
the daring Ramstien cared not q whit
for the danger and hardships; they only
lent enchantment to the forlorn hope he
had undertaken. Onward he sped over
the green sward and the barren plains,
ready for anything, and luckily for him
without encounteing any rowing bands
of Indians until be reached the vicinity
of the rancheria. Here he suddenly en-
countered a band Of Comanches under a
sub-chief, who, knowing of the friend
ship between Rams Horn" and HIS
superior Chief, volunteered to accompany
him to the camp. The offer was gra-
ciously accepted, and on reaching the
tepee of the chief Ramstien was cordially
received and a sumptuous Indian repast
was 500 spread before him.
One day and night had passed before
he dared breach the subject of the cap
tive girl. The chief readily consented to
allow her to be returned to her own peo-
pie upon the payment of 100 ponies as q
ransom, but refused to tell him where
she was, or to allow him to see her. The
required ransom was by far too large q
sum for Ramstien's purse, and he at once
resolved to resort to strategy as a cheap
er means of effecting her release.
Five long days of intense anxiety had
passed, and nothing accomplished, and
he began to despair of success. Several
hundred Comanche warriors thronged the
rancheria, who cast suspicious looks upon
Ramstien as he passed to and fro over the
ground, on purpose to learn who had the
girl in charge. He did not lose courage,
however, relying upon his own ability to
outwit them, even should they learn his
object in visiting their camp, which he
thought not likely, as the old chief was
very cautious and reticent.
More by good fortune than design
Ramstiel had with him a very fine scar
let silk scarf. such rs l. frnnnnntlv worn