The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1899-02-15
JOHN HITTsoNss ROUND UP.
Els Invasion of New A4exico With an
Army of Texan Cowhoxs

Orf sn-1ilnef1can territory,
New Mexico, underwent many in
vasions from the time the Toltecs
and Aztecs camped in her valleys
on their long march southwark to
the valley of Mexico up to the un.
f1rling of the United States flag in
Sante Fe by General Phil Kearney
in 1916, said the man from Colo.
RADIO in al up town hotel last night.
"But doubt if any other conquer
ing hero ever created quite the sen.
sation among her people that Cat
tleman John Hittson did with his
army of Texan cowboys when, in
the early seventies, he marched
across her eastern border and began
to round up the cattle 1t was pri-
watering expedition, and the leader
bore letters Of marque, issued by
the governor of Texas, empowering
him to contiscate and appropriate
any cattle he should find beyond the
western limit Of the state bearing
the brands of Texan owners.
"Thero had been preparing for
many years a foundation and pre-
text for just such raid in tie
f-ightfui trade that certain New
l-exicans conducted with the Co.
l4:.ncl.es and zioYTas. These Indians.
forever preyiag on the frontier set
tllsrs il I'eEas and Ire northern
ssases Of Mexico, found q market
foi. their pluader among the people
OF no-tlleln -cw Mexico. The trade
was conducted through the agency
Of renegade whites and half breeds,
known rs Comancheros. But the
spoils often found their way to the
possession of people ranking high
in wealth, respectabil;ty and official
station. This traffic had gradually
become q settled business, and ii
amounted to Offering to the Indians
premium for raiding on the inhab-
itants Of Texas. 1t enlarged their
field of pernicious activity, fol-,
where formerly they killed cattle
only as they needed them for food,
now that they could trade them in
New Mexico for articles they covet-
ed, tho Comancllcs took to rounding
I'D the Texas herds and driving
them across the border AS these
forays were often accompanied by
thcattondant horrors of savage war
fare, OF which murder was the least,
the Texans naturally set on foot q
scheme TO make themselves whole,
in shape OF q counter raid on the
people who prcftel by the Co.
.nanches' iacursions.
John T4i.tson, q rough and ready
cattsslellan, handy with lis pistol
and possessing qualities Of leader
ship. was the man selected TO COM
n.anC. the expedition. The men en-
listed sor The raid were typical Tex
an cowboys, wild horscmen, who
lived in the saddle, and would rath-
er any time fight than eat. Each
man carried two rcvolvers and Il
Spencer carbine, which he was
prompt to use for cause shown, and
often without cause With his band
OF 200 men Of this quality Hittson
entered New Mexico without an
nounccmcnt, and distributing his
forces so as to sweep wide strip Of
country, proceeded to gather in all
the cattle bearing Texas brands,
driving them before him as he ad-
vanced. There was no force that
could be gathered in time to resist
him, and, in fact, of those who had
proited by the traffic with the In
dians there were many New Mexi-
cans who thought the raid justified,
or at least were not disposed to op-
pose it. For this reason there was
little resistance as he swept the
country clear of Texas cattle be-
tween the Pecos and the Red river,
and swung back across the Texas
border with the biggest herd OF
stock ever gathered on the New
Mexican plains. In rounding up the
Texas cattle undoubtedly great
many were included belonging leg
itimately to New Mexican owners,
for John Hittson was not man to
waive points when on the cattle
trail with band of armed followers
at his back. In Texas the cattle were
redistributed to the original owners
on terms highly profitable to Hit
son and his men.
"This technically lawless raid led
to the breaking up of the border
trade with the Comanches, although
the Indians were not fully repressed
for some years after. What particu-
larly danpened the ardor of these
men who had dealt in Comanche
booty was the issuance by the gov
ernor Of Texas Of acquisitions FOR
certain New Mcxicans who wero
known to have protited largely by
the traffic BY common report it
cost one man in Santa Fe $40, 600 to
persuade tho governor of New Mex
leo to refuse to honor the Texas gov