Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1890-09-18

doubtless owed his escape to that fact, as
the COmanches were afraid If they shot
the CeddO they would kill the little girl
This whole scene trsnspired in a few
minutes, and Van Dorm, although badly
wounded, had possession OF the entire
village, and the surviving COmenches had
fed to the almost impenetrable brusby
hills, leaving their dead and their prop
erty behind them. consisting of ninety
nVo good Indians being dead 1ndians), a
number Of wounded and captiVes, about
four hundred horses, and ali the spoils OF
their camp.
The Texas troops had five killed and
several wounded, including Major Van
Dorm and myself. My recollection is
that Lieut.. Van Camp was q protege of
Hon. ThRd Stevens, Of Pennsylvania,
and had but recently come from West
Point. He was a gallant and chivalrous
officer, and though at the time in deadly
peril myself, and entirely bereft Of all
hope OF escape, ] shall never forget the
emotions of horror that seized me when
saw the Indian warrior, standing not
five feet away, send his arrow, clear to
the feather, into the heart of that noble
young officer.
No trace of the parentage or kindred Of
the little gil captive could ever be found
and / adopted, reared, and educated her,
giving her the name Of Lizzie Ross, the
former being in honor Of Miss Lizzie
Ilnsley the young lady to whom was
then engaged to be married, and who has
been my wife since May, 1861. Lizzie
Ross, the captive girl, grew into hand
some young woman, and married hap
PLY, but died a few years since at Los
Angeles, Cal.
lay upon the battle field for FIVE DAYS.
unable to be moved, when litter was
constructed and I was carried on the
backs of my faithful Caddos ninety
fau -, LFt-,1sE EFa.rlT Oh
able I returned 10 my alma mater, Flor
ence (Ala.) Wesleyan University, where
finished my education, and returned to
Texas in 1859. At the period Of which I
write, 1 was out on vacation.
For some time after the battle Of
Wichita the COmanche5 were less trou-
blesome to the people Of the Texas
frontier, but in 1859 and 1850 the condi-
ton. OF the frontier was again truly de-
piQrable, The loud and c1amoro6s
demands Of the settlers induced the
State Government to send out a regiment
under Col. NJ. Z. johnson for public de-
Tense. The expedition, though of great
expense to the State, failed to accomplish
anything. Having just graduated and
returned to my home at Waco, I was
commissioned as Captain by Gov, Sam
Houston, and directed to organize a com
pany OF sixty men, with orders to repair
to Fort Belknap, in Young County, re-
ceiVe from Col. Johnson all Government
property, as his regiment was disbanded,
and offer the frontier such protection as
was possible from so small a force.
The necessity for vigorous measures
soon became so pressing, however, that I de-
termined to attempt to curb the insolence
OF these 1mpIacable, hereditary enemies Of
Texas, who we're greatly embOldened by
the small force left to confront them, and
to accomplish this by following them in
to their Businesses. and carry the war in
to their own homes. I was compelled.
after establishing post. to leave twenty
OF my men to guard the Government
property, and give some show of protec-
tlOn to the frightened settlers, and as I
could take but forty Of my men request
ed Capt. n. G. Evans, in command of the
United States troops at Fort Cooper. to
send me a detachment Of the Second
United States Cavalry. We had been in
connected in the Van Dorm cam
paign in 1858, during which L was the re-
cipient Of much kindness from him
while 1 was suffering from the severe
wound received in the battle Of the
Wichita. He promptly sent me a sergeant
and twenty well mounted men, thus in
creasing my force to sixty. My force
was still further augmented by some
seventy volunteer citizens, under the
brave old frOntiersman, Capt. Jack Cure
ton, of BOsque County.
On Dec. Is, 1860, while marching up
Rease River, 1 had suspicious that In
diens were in the vicinity by reason of
the great number Of buffalo which came
toward us from the north, and
while my command moved in the low
ground visited neighboring high points
TO make discoveries. On one of these
sand hills found four fresh pony tracks, I
and being satisfied that Indian Videttes
had just gone, galIOped forward about
q mile to still higher point, and riding
to- the top to my inexpressible surprise
found myself within two hundred yards
OF large COmanchs village, located on a
small stream. winding around the base
Of hill. It was most happy circum-
stance that cold, piercing wind from the
north was blowing, bearing with it clouds /
OF dust and my presence was thus un-
observed and the surprise complete. By
my men as I stood concealed
they reached me- without being discover
sd by the Indians who were busy pack |
ing up, preparatory to move.
BY the time my men reached me the
Indians had mounted and moved of north
across the level plain. My command, in
Guiding the detachment of the Second
Cavalry, had Outmarched and become
from the citizen command of
seventy, which left me about sixty men. /
In making disposition for the attack, the
and his twenty men were sent at
3 galIOp behind a chain Of sandhiIIs to
encompass them and cut off their retreat,
while with my forty men charged. The
attack was so sudden that q large number \
were killed before they could prepare for
defense. They fed precipitateIy right into
the arms of the sergeant and his twenty
men. Here they met with a warm reception,
and, finding themselves completely en-
comprised, every one fed his own way
and was holly pursued and hard pressed.
The chief, a noted warrior Of great re-
pute. named Pe-ta- no-cO-na with a young
Indian girl about fifteen years Of age
on his horse behind him, and
Cynthia Ann Parker, his squaw, with a
girl child about two years old in her
arms and mounted on O feet pony, fed
together. Lieutenant Tom KeIlihe1r and
1 pursued them, and after running about
q mile Aelliheir ran up by the side Of
Cynthia AIMS horse, and supposing her
to be man, was in the act OF shooting
No g-1