The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-12-26
THE CHIEFS LAST FIGHT.
EX-SENATOR REAGAN TELLS OF AN
AGED WARRIORS DEATH.
The Rattle THAT TacsuIted in the Expulsion or
tho Cherokees from Erst Texas-CouraEe
ana Dignity shown by Chier Dovlcs at tho
Head or ITis Tribe-His Fail In battle.

tho Cherokees from Enst T~exas-Cournge
ana Dignity shown by CHIEF BowIcs ut tho
Head OF RFis Tribe-His Fail In battle.
SAN ANTONIO. Tex, Dec. 2l.-John II. Rca.
gan, ex.Unitcd States Senator and Confederate
Postmaster.Ge General, has contributed an interest.
Ing account Of the expulsion Of the Chcrokccs
from east Texas to the Texas Historical Asso.
citation. He says:
I'm the first half OF the year 1880 the Chero.
kee Indians occupied that part Of Texas which
is bounded on the west by the Neches River, on
the south by the old San Antonio road, on tho east
by tho Angelina River and on the north by tho
Sabine River. Complaints of thefts and muir.
ders by the Cherokees became so frequent and
were 80 authenticated as to cause the President
OF the Texas republic, Gen. NJ. b. Lamar, to
send a communication 10 Chief Bowles, through
the Indian agent, Martin Lacy. making certain
recitals evidencing hostility to the white poo.
pie, and saying that Texas could not permit such
an enemy to live in the heart Of the country
and that Chief Bowles must take his tribe to
the nation north of the Red River. The Presi.
dent said that they could take all of their nova
BILE property and go in peace, but that go they
must; poaceably IL they would, but forcibly II
they must. DR.. w. g. W. Covers and myself
and one Corda. a half breed interpreter, accom-.
panied Mr.. Lacy when he took the Presidents
communication 10 Bowles.
when we reached the home OF Chief Bowles
he invited us to a spring a few rods from his
house, and, seated on a log, received the COM
munication Of the President. After 1t was read
and interpreted he remained silent for n time
and then made a denial of the charges con-
tanned in that communication and sold the
wild Indians had done the killing and stealing
and not his people. He then sail that he
could not make answer to the communication
Of the President without consulting his chiefs
and head men, and requested time to convene
his council. Thereupon II was agreed to have
another meeting a week or ten days later. On
the day appointed Agent Lacy returned to the
homo OF Chief Bowles, accompanied by Cordn,
the interpreter, DIR. Covers and myself. We
were again invited to the spring, as upon our
FIRST visit.
THE grave department of Chief owles indi-
GATED that he felt the seriousness of his position.
He told Mr.. Lacy that there had been a meeting
Of the chiefs and head men in council; that his
young men were for war; that all who were in
the council were for war except himself and
Big Mush; that his young men believed they
could whip the whites; that he knew the whites
could ultimately whip them. but that 1t would
cost them ten years of bloody frontier war.
He inquired of Mr.. Lacy II action on the rresi-
dents demand could not be postponed until his
people could make and gather their crops. Mr..
Lacy informed him that he had no authority or
discretion beyond what was said in the COM
munication Of the President. The language of
Chief Bowles indicated that he regarded this
as settling the question and that war must
ensue. He said TO Mr.. Lacy that he was an old
man tbeing then SO years Of age, but looking
vigorous and strong) and that in the course of
nature he could not live much longer, and that
as to him 1t mattered little. But he added that
he felt much solicitude for his three wives and
-. 1T, .I,na tl-.V & l.. E,,-Nt NL- IL
would kill him, and If he refused to fight his
own people would kill him. He said he had led
his people a long time, and that he felt 1T TO be
his duty 10 stand by them whatever fate might
bcfall him.. l was strongly impressed by the
manly bearing and frankness and candor Of the
agent and the chief. Neither could read nor
write. except that Mr.. Lacy could mechani-
cally sign his name. And during their two
conferences they exhibited a dignity OF bearing
most enlightened diplomats. There was no at
tempt made to deceive or mislead BY, either;
on the other at once began preparations for the
conflict. Chief Bowles took bis position east
ri piors and cole Collecting his families there. lie was
joined by the ~Shawnees, the Delawares: and by
Warriors from all the wild tribes of Indians.
and at that time there were u good many Of
them. Col. Rusk, with a regiment Of volun.
teers, was first in the field on the side of the
Texans: Vice-Presidcnt Bnrnet, then acting
Johnston; the Secretary Of War, and Adjt.:Gen.
Hugh Mcleod, accompanied this regiment
1t went into camp about six miles to the east of
Bowles's camp. and for ten days or more nego.
r rsuts Ro wsre E csgrif =, i Gm pc Sa;n tine, ine Pel cGI.
lect the warriors from the wild tribes. and the
Texans negotiating 10 gain time for the arrival
of Col. BurlesOn.s regiment of regulars from
the West and Col. Landrum's regiment of vol.
unteers from the red lands. An agreement
camp nor make any move without giving notice
to tho other party,
of regulars ard Col. Landrnm's regiment of vol.
unteers reached the camp OF the Texas forces;
Bowles sent his sol, John Bewios, accompanied
by FOx.Fields. under a flag of truce. to notify the
Texans that he would break UP camp that morn
ing and move to the west of the Neches River.
Gen. Johnston told them to inform Chief Bowles
that our Texas forces would break camp that
"On the assembling Of this little army Of
three regiments the volunteers, wanted Col.
preferred Col. Burioson., These two patriots
and heroes Of the revolution which made Texas
other, and either Of them was willing that the
other should command; But IT was agreed TO
Doug sss o HIsstssdiG asB S{ naElnG Ge Ssn; a Msii plsc ed
in the chief command. And when this army
broke up its camp on tie morning Of July Is,
River and be in a position to intercept the In.
Rusk and Col; Burieson moved to the west
ptssiIlP tuToukh III camp NHiCn Dceu pCru'
+, pied bv the Indians and crossing the Ncches
on their trail. Chief Bowles had taken n posi-
5 tion on q creek some six miles west of the NcChes
with a part of his warriors: He had sent thu
families with the balance Of the warriors TO Il
, position about six miles north of where he made
l this stand. His men occupied the bed OF Il
. 'reek, which, running from north to south, made
t a sudden bend to the east. and his position was
Immediately above this bend.
t the command advanced and when the
firing of our scouts was heard, Col. Rusk,s reg
3 iment was ordered to advance on the north side
D of the creek, and Col. Burleson's regiment wal
ordered TO cross the creek and advance on tho
south side OF that stream, so as to put the In
dians between these two regiments. When the
troops reached the bend OF the creek, which wa,
tho extreme right of tho line occupied by tn,
u Indians. Rusk's regiment wheeled to the right
and formed in front OF the Indians. while Burle
, sons regiment turned to the right and passed
u to the rear, OF the Indians. This, was al
hour or two before shutdown. A battle onsued
t which. however, did not last long. DIR. Roger
and Col. Grain were killed, and some Blk o.
eight Texans were wounded, and IL was re
8 ported that the Indians left. eighteen dead OF
n the field and the remainder of them were rOutet
and Joined the Others some six miles to tn,
" north. near the Neches and just north OF tn
naIa A. - a uilaua Tho TnynnS n m =, nod IA, ID.