The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1888-04-27
Cambria County Martyrs.


yesterday week, recently came across a copy
of the Te1as Farm and Ranch, aud in it /
found an account of the massacre of two
Cambria county families. peIusal of which
he thought would interest many old citizens
of this county. Captain Smith informs us
that he knew the writer of the article very
well. His name is John Henry Brown,
with the prefix of "ColoueL" He is a gen
tIeman of great literary ability. and has
written many sketches of Indian wars aud |
pioneer history. The Captain also knew |
Captain McHenry, the husband OF the /
Douglass girl mentioned in the sketch.
We omit the first part of Col Browns /
narrative which relates to the invasion of |
Texas in March 1896 by Santa Anna and |
his Mexican army. which was followed by /
his defeat and capture by Gen. Sam Hous- |
ton atSan Jacinto. OF the massacre by the |
Indians of John Douglass, Cor Jack"
Douglass as he was called when he went |
from this county to Texas in 1922 his wife. |
one son and one daughter, and OF -
Dougherty (who went with him) his son
and two daughters, Col. Brown saysi
While these grand events were transpir-
iring, the American settlers on the Guada-
lupe. the Lavaea, and farther east were re-
moving their families eastTardly, flying
from the legions of Santa Anna as from
wild beasts. Many had 20 vehicles and
used horses, oxen, sleds or whatever could
be improvised to transport the women, chill
dren, bedding, and food. Among those
J thus situated were two Isolated families, liv-
! ing on Douglass or Clark's Greek. about
twelve miles southwest OF Hallettsvile,
/ in Tnhu
| Douglass, wife and children, and -
/ Dougberty. a widower. with three children.
/ The parents were natives of Ireland. but
had lived and probably married in Cambria
county, Pennsylvania, where their children
were bOrE and from which they came to
Texas In 1882. They were worthy and use
/ full citizens. and lived together. They pre-
pared sleds on which to transport their er-
fects. but when these were completed tie
few people In that section had already left
for the east.
On the morning OF the 4th OF March Au.
gustine Douglass, aged fifteen. and Thad-
deus Douglass, aged thirteen. were sent out
by their father to find and bring in the OK
en- designed to draw the sleds. Returning
in the afternoon, at a short distance from
home, they saw that the cabins were on fire,
and heard such screams and war-whoops as
to admonish them that their parents and
kindred were being butchered but they
were unaImed and powerless, and realized
that to save their own lives they must seek a
hiding-place. This they found in a thieket
near by, and there remained concealed till
night. When darkness came they cautious
ly approached the smoldering ruins and
found that the savages had left. a brief
examination revealed to them the dead and
scalped bodies of their father, mother, sister,
. and little brother, and of Mr.. Dougherty,
one son and two daughters, lying naked in
the yard-eighJ souls thus brutally snatched
from earth. Imagination, especially when
! assured that those two boys were noted foI
gentle and affectionate natures, as person
ally known TO the writer for n number oi
years, may depict the forlorn anguish pierc
] ing their young hearts. 1t was a scene ovel
, which angels weep.
There were scarcely anything more thar
, paths, and few Of them, through that sec
tion. Augustine had some idea as t.
courses, ana speedily determined on q policy
With his little brother he proceeded to :h,
little settlement in the vicinity OF whert
, Hanettsyille is, but found that every on
, had retreated. They then followed tht
LaYaca down about thirty-five miles u
where there older sister-the wife of Cap
tain John McHenry-and a few others lived
but found that all had been gone some time
They then took the old Atascosita road from
GOliad which crossed the Colorado a feJ
: miles below where Columbia Is. Near th
Colorado. almost starved TO death, they fel
, in with some Mexican scouts and were con
ducted to the camp of the Mexican general
Adrian Vol, a French man, who could speal
English and to whom they narrated thei
sad story. Woll received them kindly an
had al needful care taken of them.
In few days the boys were taken by
Frenchman named Auguste, a traitor I
> Texas. to his place on Cummins' Creek
, where be had collected lot OF negroes an
a great many cattle belonging to the retreat
ing citizens from which he was suppIyin
General Vol with beef at enormous prices
! : The 2ls. of April passed and San Jacin:,
was won. Very soon the Mexicans began
preparations for retreat. Aususte, mount
, ing Augustine Douglas on a fne horse, sen
, hin down to learn when Vol could start.
In the meantime a party of Texans, head
ed by Allison York, who had heard of Au
2uste's theiving den. hurried forward TO chs S
tise him before be could leave the country
with his booty. He punished them severely
all who could fleeing into the bottom AID
thence to WOll'S camp. When York's party
opened fire little Tha ideus Douglas. not un-
derstanding tie cause, 1ed down the road
and in about a mile met his brother return
ing from WolFs camp on Auguste's I'm,
horse.
With equal prudence and financial skill
they determined to save both themselves and
tie horse. Tbaddeus mounting behind, they
started ~ doubie-quick for the BrazOs. They
had not travelled many miles, however. wher
they met the gallant Capt. Henry W. KArnas
at the head Of some cavalry, from WHOM
they learned for the first time of the victory
OF San Jaeinto, and that they yet would see
their only surviving sister aud brother-in-
law, Captain and Mrs. McHenry. In writ.
ing Of this incident in De BOtc's Rerietc q
December. 1858. eighteen years after thei
occurrence, Captain Brown used this Ian
guage:
These boys, thus rendered objects of sym.
pa;hy. formed link in the legends of :h,
old Texans. and still reside on tie Layaca
much respected for their courage and mora
. department"
This was said thirty four years ago. Ii il
stiI greater pleasure, the Captain de-
clares, to say now that they ever after bore
hOuora5Ie characters and were both living
short time since. as be thinks their sister is
but the noble Old patriot in three reTOlutioni
. Mexico In 1870, SORth America in 1922
and Texas in 1S55-precedei by gallant con
duet at New Orleans when only sixteen
years old-the honest, brave, and ever true