Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1889-02-21

SVF7 n 1881 occurred
lE one of the most
M remarka BILE n
!. !. :. ! !: ! !.
Sl1fLEA lM dian battles on
Nv zSE record. Consid-
@SsSA lE ering the M
z55&Sll I Sbers engaged and
sYR - 10y he resu is, it
y ~ scarcely has an
- ~ ~ equal 1t was
I@4T1SSsSes~se- fought by James
-1sy5&.s,Ss fS>'' Bowie, Rezin p.
Bowie, David Buchanan, Robert Arm
strong, Jessie Wallace, Matthew Doyle.
Cephas ID. Hamm, James Coryell,
Thomas McCasliu, and two servant boys,
Charles and Gonzales.
They set out from San Antonio, No
vember Cd, in search OF old silver
mines on the San Saba river. "Nothing
particular occurred" says Rein +.
Bowie, who gives the account, "untl
the 18th, on which day, about 10 n. M,
we were overhaulel by two Comanche
Indians and Mexican captive. They
stated that they belonged to Isaonie's
band Ia chief Of the Comanche tribe),
and were ON their way to San Antonio
with drove of horses which they had
taken from the Wacos and rehuacanas
and were returning to their owners,
citizens of San Antonio. After smoking
and talking with them an hour, and
making them few presents of tobacco,
powder, shot, ETC., they returned to their
party, who were waiting on the Llano
river.
"We continued our journey until
night closing upon MS, we encamped.
The next morning between daylight and
sunup, the above named Mexican cap
tive came to our camp, his horse very
much fatigued, and after eating aud
smoking, stated to us that he had been
sent by his chief, Isaonie, to inform us
that we we're pursued by l2i Tehacanas
and that forty Caddos had joined them,
who were determined to have our scalps
at all risks. Isaonie had held talk
with them all the previous evening, and
had endeavored to dissuade them from
their purpose, but they still perse-
vered, and left him enraged, and pur-
sued our trail As q voucher for tho
truth of the above the Mexican pro
duced the silver medal of his chief, which
is common among the natives in such
cases. ne btttIh lilAl HIS NlltA
requested him to state that he had but
sixteen men, but if they would return
and join him, such succor as he could
give us he would. But knowing that
the enemy lay between us we deemed 1T
moro prudent to pursue our journey
and endeavor to reach the old fort on
the San Saba river, distance of about
forty miles. The Mexicsn then returned
to his party and we proceeded. Through
out the day We encountered bad roads,
being covered with wild rocks, and the
feet OF the horses being worn out, we
were disappointed in not reaching
the fort. In the evening we had
some little difficulty in picking out an
advantageous spot to camp for the
night. We however made choice of the
best that offered, which was cluster OF
live oak trees, some thirty or forty IN
number. about the size OF n mans body.
60 the north of them was thicket Of
live oak bushes about ten feet high,
forty yards in length and twenty III
breadth. To the west, at distance OF
thirty-fiv or forty yards, ran stream
of water. The surrounding country was
an open prairie, interspersed with few
trees. some rocks and broken land. The
trail which we came on lay to the east
of our encampment Alter taking the
precaution to prepare for defense by cut
ting a road inside the thicket of bushes
ten feet from the edge all around, and
clearing the prickly pears from among
the bushes. we hoppled our horses and
nlaced sentries for the night. We were
~, s;x miles distant from the old fort
above mentioned. Nothing occurred
through the night, and we lost no time
in the morning in making preparations
for continuing our journey to the tort;
and when in the act OF starting we DIS
covered the Indians on our trail to the
east and n footman about fifty yards
ahead of the main body, with his face
to the ground tracking. The cry Q, IN
diansl' was given, and AL hahos 70
armsl' We dismounted, ana potn SAD
die and pack horses were lmmedia,ely
made fast to the trees. As soon as they
found we had discovered them they gave
tLe war uhoop. halted, and commenced
10 prepare for the fight A namDer OF
Indians we're accommodating the GROUND.
Arono them we discovered afew Caddo
Tndians-by the cut Of their hair.wno
had always previously been irlendiy 10
the Americans. 1879
Their number being so much greater
az, ours fls4 to eleyen), 1t was agreed
.bat Rsz;n p Bowie should be sent out
- eavor 70 compromise rather than
stts-nnt to fight He accordingly start
81 viii Dayie Buchanan IN company
and walked mp to within ao9u. i9lsy
yards of where they had halted, ana Re.
ones,ed them in their own tongue 70
ssod forward their chief as we wanted
- talk with him. Their answer was,
.How de dog Hov de dot IN Engl.sh
and discharge Of twelve shots al US
one ~ which broke Buchanan ieg.
1ne :, -.,,,--s5 their salutation with the