Smyrna times., 1890-01-29
A CATTLE WITH INDIANS.
How the Famous Bowie Brothers Whipped
a Hundred Savages.

How the Famous Bowie Brothers Whipped
a Hundred Savages.
Col. John S. Moore, of New Orleans.
grand nephew of the celebrated Jim
Bowie, the inventor Of the knife which
bears his name, and one Of the Alamo
heroes, contributes the following to the
archives Of the Alamo Monument asso-
citation:
'1n 1881 a small party of adventurous
spirits, eleven in number, consisting of
Rein P. and James Bowie, their two
servant boys, Messrs. Buchanan, Maca-
line, Stern, Cephas Hamm and three
other persons, left San Antonio to visit
the old San Saba silver mines. On the
morning Of the third day of their Journey
they were visited by an Indian, who
claimed to be a messenger from Chief
Isaonia, and whose medal he exhibited
as his credentials, bearing them warn.
ing from IsaOnia that about 100 unfriend-
ly savages were on their trail. Rein
Bowie, who spoke mSny Indian dialects.
conferred with the messenger in his
tongue, after which he advised his partv
to select favorable spot and intrench
themselves. A position was chosen near
a hill, where the ground was covered
with few trees and some thick under
brush, amidst which a spring gushed
from the earth. Working all night, the
travellers finally completed breastwork
OF sods around the thicket. They placed
the servants, horses and pack mules in a
covered situation at the spring, and
rested awhile to await events. About 6
in the morning, when the sun lit ND the
hill in front Of them, it revealed It's sum
NIT covered with Indians, who hoisted a
white flag. After a consultation Rez
Bowie and Buchanan passed outside the
trench works to parley with them. AS
they approached the hill the savages
waved their flag and called out: How
dye doS How dye dor and fred on them
at the same time. Several bullets passed
through Bowie's hunting blouse, leaving
him unscratched. Poor Buchanan was
not so fortunate, for a bullet struck his
leg, breaking it. AS Buchanan fell.
Bowie caught him by the arm, and lift
ing him by the shoulder, started to carry
him back to shelter. Eight Indians armed
with tomahawks pursued Bowie, who,
thus heavily burdened, could i'll have de-
Tended himself, but his party fired from
their intrenchments on the advancing
foes, killing four of them, and the re-
naming four ran back to their shelter.
Firing now began in earnest between
the opposing forces, and fortunately the
Indians could not discover what number
OF men were concealed in the bushes
back of the little Notifications. The
small force, reduced by two-for in ad-
dition to Buchanan being wounded, Mas.
caline was killed-fought increasingly
the entire day. Those engaged in the
fight said that the contrast in the manner
OF the two Bowies was most striking.
James passed from one point to another,
giving orders, looking, and firing. AT
the same time Rein maintained an un.
broken silence, raised his gun with cool
ness and deiberation, bringing down a
redslKin at each shot. During the night
the Indians passed the time mourning
their dead, and with the coming Of day
vanished as quietly as they had appeared.
The whites now made preparations for
returning to San Antonio. Poor Masca.
Line was buried and rocks piled over his
grave to secure 1t from depredations of
wolves. The great trouble was what to
do with Buchanan. Rein Bowie, ever
prolific in expedients, made a strong de-
coction Of oak bark by boiling the bark
In water. This he thickened with corn
meal, and, spreading it on a cloth and
sprinkling it with gunpowder, he formed
poultice which he wrapped about Bu-
chanan's leg. Around this he tightly
sewed a covering Of buckslrin, and, pack
ing the patient on his horse, off the
party started. After several days travel
Bowie examined Buchanap's leg, and.
finding 1t in fair way to recovery, re.
newed tho same dressing, and under this
rough and singular treatment the limb
recovered entirely. This party of men
never made another attempt to reach
the San Saba mines. San Antonio Cor
ST. Louis Globe-Democrat.