The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1897-10-10

Ed Burleson OF San Marcos to raise COM
pany OF Texas Rangers for service on the
northwestern frontier. Some ten On fifteen
Austin boys Joined the company, among
them being my old Confederate compadre,
Mr.. Robert Cotter Of this city. William a.
a brother of MIR. X. F. George. and myself
At San Antonio we recruited Mr. 10 G..
Booth, at present president of our ASSOC
citation.
The company was mustered in at San
Marcos, January %, 1860, and by the middle
OF February we had headquarters estab-
lished on Home creek, in sight OF Santa
Annals mountain in Coleman county Cap
tain E. Kirby Smith was stationed at Camp
Colorado, about twenty-five miles north of
our camp, in command of p company, Sec
end United States cavalry. fitahugh Lee
was one OF his lieutenants. The nearest
settlement to our camp WAS the small town
of San Saba, some sixty or seventy miles
distant, southeast of us.
Captain Burleson lost no time In pre-
pairing for and executing the important
duties which had called him into the serv-
ice Of his State, and a number of small
scouting parties were sent out in differ
emit directions, with eight and ten days
rations. These forays were well calculated
to "break in the boys for the harder
service soon to follow.
About the middle OF March Captain
Burleson received orders from Governor
Houston to organize en- expedition and go
to the cedar brake mountains on the Big
Wichita, where the noted Comanche chief,
Buffalo Hump was reported TO be lodged
with large band of his braves with their
war paint on. Taking fifty of his own men
and twenty from Captain John H. Connors
comImny stationed between our camp
and the town of San Saba Captain Burle-
son left camp on Home creek for the scene
OF an anticipated scrap with Mr.. b. Hump.
The command drew twenty-five days ra-
tions OF -four bacon, salt, sugar and COT
fee and was made up into misses OF
about eight mel each mess being furnished
with a pack mule After marching eight
l or ten DAYS we struck the Big Wichita at
paint about days travel above where
I the Comanches were supposed to be lodged
! in the mountain Businesses along tnGt
stream. We travelled down the stream IN
| column OF twos for couple OF days, SEND
| ing out accommodating parties to ascertain
| If there Were any "lnjuns in sight none
were to be found. for the willy CHIEF nad
"humped himself" to his hunting grounds
| in New Mexico.
| The men and horses suffered terribly on
! that expedition. which lasted thirty-one
days. We had nothing 10 eat but ''1erked
buffalo meat for about ten days. and many
! of the horses were past carrying their
riders. the DuuAlOtS tn1t liteIdtiS to't'S
| that entire country having demolished
every blade of grass. leaving the prairies
! and valleys as barren OF growth as the
/ business streets OF this city.
| But there was an amusing side TO all
this hardship. My mess was the first whose
! flour gave out being the baker, vas
rather lavish in the size OF "poneS
gave out, and the twenty-hrst day su'
| found us without bread-not even crumb
! However, we had a man in the mess VIC
was equal to the emergency, and that was
President 10 Booth. Being related by bls2o
10 the famous actors Of that name. &C
4 was I'D in stage business and even
evening, while camp fires we're burmee
| brightly, he would take an empty sack
make the rounds Of all the messts. dc
a song and dance" or spout SNAKES,
! peare.'' and the result would be bag fui
Of biscuits, Clipped in as long as the boys
| flour lasted. We were indeed a sorry look
ing set when we reached headquarters OF
| Home creek. The return march brought
US through the cavalry posts OF Caml
! Cooper srd Camp Colorado, and at eacf
! place the army officers treated US iik'
lords. We toasted on Uncle Sans grub
and enjoyed the ''goodies' to be found u
the post sutler stores.
In June, same year. Governor Houston
i commissioned CoIoGel n. =. Johnson O