St. Landry democrat., 1892-06-18
WHITE AGAINST RED
BY NJ. QUAD.

| They were arrogant and blOOdthlrSty
and were at war with all the world.
They would not make peace with other
tribes, but waged constant and vindictive
warfare on white and red alike. They
were rich strong in numbers, and the
best horsemen in the world, and they
made war because they loved the adven
ture of it.
In May of the year named Texan
known as Capt. Gordon, who was an old
Indian fighter, learned that there was
gold in the Big Wichita Mountains of
western Texas. This chain of mountains
forms the eastern boundary of the Great
Staked Plains, but the Comanches ranged
as far west as the Rio Pecos River. Capt
Gordon called for volunteers to explore
the gold fields, and the expedition was
fitted out at Santa Fe. He knew what
was before him, and he did not cut loose
until he had secured 139 men. They
we've all border men, and each furnished
his own horse and arms. Every one had
rife and most of them a revolver as
well, and Gordon got the loan Of two
field pieces WIND trained a crew to work
them. There were about forty pack
mules, loaded with provisions and ammu-
milton, and it was believed that the COM
pany was strong enough to take care of
itself under any circumstances. 1t was
so long in getting ready that the Indians
heard of it's object, and Eagle Feather,
then the head chief of the Comanches,
sent this to Capt. Gordon:
| want scalps, horses, rifles, and powder
| Come as fast as YOU can
No one was frightened over the mes
sage and in due time the expedition set
out. Capt. Gordon was confident that he
would be attacked before crossing the
Canadian River, and he was not surprised
at finding the Indians all about him as
the command emerged into the Chico
Valley t, the west of old Fort Bascom
Eagle Feather had gathered together 4S2
warriors. the flower Of his tribe. They
were ordinary warriors, but each could
boast of having killed an enemy. They
were mounted on the finest war ponies,
and every one had lance and a rifle,
and some had bows and arrows in add
ton. A more notable war party was
never raised and it started out to meet
the invaders boasting thatit would bring
back the seal p of every white man in the
expedition.
Gordon was familiar with the Chico
and knew where the attack would be
made. The Indians would wait until he
was ready to enter the pass leading
through the Oh co Mountains to the river
and beyond. 1t was position they
could hold against 10000 men, and he
h,f I, Il
from it. The command marched to
within three miles of the pass and then
turned to the north. as if to seek for an
other. For a distance of twelve miles
the two commands held parallel course,
and were not over two miles apart The
Indians Rugged the base of the ;ngc SO
as to prevent the white mon from enter
ing any OF the passes, while Gordon
watched for battle ground in the val
ley. He found it twelve miles above the
p SIS just at shutdown on June day
Tne spot selected was a natural sink on
the crest OF a mound or series of
mounds, taking in an area of about two
acres.
There was wall of earth around this
sink, as if a small lake had once occu-
pied the spot. To the north was a still
lower and deeper basin, large enough to
shelter all the horses, and so strategic
that a few men could defend it. There
was big spring on the plateau with
grass enough to last the horses for three
or four days, and Capt. Gordon's idea
was to force the Indians to attack him
in his position. A renegade white man
named Gerry, who had served in the reg
ular cavalry and deserted to the red
skins, had drilled them in cavalry tactics
and he was with them at this time Out
i'll the open $50 Comanches, each armed
with a twelve-foot lance-a weapon they
knew how to use with murderous effect
would have proved too strong for the |
gold hunters. Behind the defences the
case would be different
There was onl y one place where the
sink could be approached by horsemen,
and that was on the south side There |
was "a clear road POO feet wide, and the |
cannon were posted to cross fire over |
this. They had been kept covered on
the march, and the Indians had no suspi-
cion of their presence. Just at dusk
Eagle Feather sent in word for the white |
men to go TO sleep without fear, as he |
should not attack until next day This |
Was no ruse on his part, for he made his
camp two miles away, and that Of the
gold hunters was undisturbed by even a |
shot During the night Gordon's men
threw up further defences and cleared .
the sink of every incumbrance, Twenty
men were told Off to guard the animals,
and when the sun rose again every one
was ready for what was to happen.
Eagle Feather was in no hurry. 1t
was 9 o'clock before he marshalled his
warriors on the prairie, a mile to the
south OF the plateau. He then sent in
word that'he hoped the white men would
fight. He did not demand surrender,
and he wanted it plainly understood
that he would grant no quarter. His
hrm purpose was to wipe out every man
in the expedition, and thus deter all
thought OF future invasion of his terri
tory. From the way he disposed of his
forces he must have been confident of
speedy success. The mounted warriors
We're marshalled in lines having front
of thirty men. They were eight lines
deep, making 240 horsemen. The re-
mainder of the force was held as a re-
serve. Not a warrior was dismounted,
and no attack was made on the men
guarding the lower basin. The Conan
ches, under cavalry tactics as taught by
the renegade, had charged en- masse with
lances, and they had won victory every
time. The chief had never fought a
large body of white men, and perhaps
he wanted to test the value of the tactics
on them. He was brave general but
a poor strategist,
When Gordon saw that no attack