The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1897-10-26
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"REMINISCENCES OF FRONTIER LIFE
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there were hut few resident Americans
Among the families were those Of q A.
Maverick, William ID. Jaques William Ell
hot. Henjrack Arnold In that Of Deaf
smith, to which he was related; there was
also MIR. Small, dawn Ut tho Mission San
Juan. There were Inba W. Smith. Mr.
Lindsey, the county surveyor; MIR. True
heart. Mr. J. l.. Trucl,cart Mr.. Lander
dale and two other surveyors.
Colonel II. w. karnes. Major George.
Mr. Garrity. MIR. King. had small stocks
Of merchandise, dealing principally with
the Western Mexicans.
There were small squads OF furioughed
soldiers camred IN the vicinity awaiting
an opportunity for the surveying Of their
bounty land warrants,
The Indians had been ostcnsibly friend
~. having recently heen In town and re-
Moved their treaty. They, however, pro-
tested against surveyors mais<lng their
trees: and findtng shortly afterward a
small party of Americans exploring on the
Rio Tfric. they allowed the youag braves
TO take Off two or three of their for~es,
and upon cxpostuiatton by the hunters,
Mr., Campbell, the surveyor. was ktiiod
Josh Threadgill and others narrowly rs-
caped, Captain Gage receiving an arrow IN
his cheek. tho copper barD 81 wnicn oouiu
tmt be extricated until his ARRIVAL tn town,
whore " was skiAully taken out by old
DIR. Smithers, one of the heroes OF vo-
lasco. 1872.
As It was now evident that land locat-
Ing could only be successfully accom-
plished by well armed companies. better
preparation anu more caution WAS used.
On September II John G. Hays (thcn q
young man and afterward our celebrated
started to survey the lands on the Ieona
river. l Joined tho company. and after
several days was much surprised at the
arrival mr. Ib in camp Of an ola asds al
miles alone through THE wilderness to join
us. hoping we would get into an Indian
encampment and he would have an oppor-
tunity TO learn from them something
about his children that had been stolen
from his old home on the Guadalupe,
where he was one of the earliest settlers
lie was fond OF going alone 70 spy, out
tho Indians, and mo was 80 skillful In
hunting that we armed and mounted him
and engaged him to supply us with fat
yenson.
On this expedition "Indian sign and
encampmcnts were seen, but no important
conflict occurred: and. intending TO join
another party, Captain William II: Pat"
ton, William X Hargls and myself loft
tho company on the Leona and secuted
two or three days. subsisting on coffee
and yen!son.
on the 18th Instant. in company with
Hendrck Arnold, we formed a camp on
the old road to Preside Rio Grande at
the Leon creek. about seven miles from
town. Mr.. Arnold was an experienced
scout who was contemporary with Deaf
Smith In plotting the Americans in their
siege of Bexar In 1895
A drizzling rain setting in, our men did
not move and on the lath the camp was
broken up by Indians. Mr. Jones OF Rus-
trop was killed. with Moses Lspham, who
had been a soldier at San Jacinto. Mr..
Earnest and others escaping on foot to
town.
Mexicans from tho ranches came In
great alarm. reporting hostile visits from
Comanches Mr. Arnold took five or six
mon Immediately 10 reconnoiter. Others In
town wero willing 10 go. but demanded
fresh horses and an outfit, Captain Cage,
upon application for horses TO Major Ben
net, quartermaster In charge of govern
ment property succeeded In mounting
himself and nine others, starting out In
nigh glee II being remarked: Cage Is In
his glory now.
Court being In session there were an I'M.
usual number Of visitors In town, some
OF whom wanted to see Indians, and, hav-
ing good horses. rode out in company.
Those remaining were all on the qul
| vive. Captain Antonio Manchaca and
some of his companions stationed them
selves on the high. fiat roof of the old
| Caliboso. and having lookouts In the old
| church tower and other high places.
| AT that date the mesquite bushes had
not grown up no generally, and the open
| prairie, with only an occasional bunch OF
| trees, afforded an unobstructed view 70,
| hours passed on the suspense OF the town
| increased. heightened by the occasional
| arrival OF Mexican iherdsmcn, who, firing
| their escopetas over their shonldcrs as
| they ran, dashed in. all excitement and
voclfeTation
A party Of Indians passing near the
| town had killed Mexican teamster and
| his oxen about 400 yards from San Pedro
| ditch.
| In the afternoon Irish Campbell, riding
fine mare, came from Cages party for
tftf pp al
men were about four miles off Mt n live
| oak, near the Preside road surrounded
| by. Comanches. whom they were SUCCESS
fn'ly hold holding 81 by Before the Indians
| Hood proposed to try to gain bunch OF
timber In sight, but the Indians closed
around Immediately. Hood and Bailey
| broke through the crowd of savages, but
| finding that they were not followed by the
| men. returned and tried to reio4n their
comrades; but Bailey's gun would not fire.
munition. being twice wounded with ar
| rows, and seeing his young friend Lee
| shot from his horse. he with Bailey made
his. escape. Judge Hood was afterward
| slain In the old court house In San An
| tonic In the memorable conflict with the
| Comanche cheftalns.)
Cage called out, Don't leave US. boys.
| for Gods sake" and followed by tho
| brave DR.. o'Boyle and others. dlsmounted
at the tree, where a desperate encounter
| cnsued. An intelllgent Mexican. who was
a captive WIN tine Inulans at the TIME
and saw the fight. said that the captain
and the few men who rallied around him
| fought bravely, killing several savages,
| The Indians In their attack had very
! adroitly left an opening in their line In the
| direction Of the town, through which the
| mounted men dashed, hoping to escape.
| but the enemy closing In behind them as
they ran, lanced all whom they could
| oyertake.
| Our men who escaped came In one by
| one. General Dunlap tried 10 raise more
| men IN town TO 20 against the enemy. and
1 after much delay n small party. well
mounted ana armed, went, arriving al the
| place Of conflict about dark, Tho Indians
| had gone but the bodies OF Cage and The
| young DR. O'Boyle (who had hut recently
| with Dunlap come from Mississippi were
| brought to town.
| Mr.. Lees horse came back 70 our stable
wounded. arrows still sticking In the sad.
/, die and blanket, which were covered with
| blood. The next day the other bodies
! were brought In, much mutilated by
wolves, except that ~ Mr. Lee. whom the
| Indians had not scalped and whose rings
and breastpin were iiniisturbcd.
| The weather now became vet and in
! clement and there was much difficulty IN
| having graves dug and collins made. Ma