The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1900-04-15
cor Decpwater, Texas.J

their scalping knives, They were large
bright knives, curved backward and we
had been told that the Comanches could
scalp q person at a single stroke Tue
work being done the Comanche chief made
ready TO take the place by force when
Francisco uttered warwhoop suoh as
| never heard before or since aud In d
few seconds Bedlas warriors, who had been
awaiting the signal, game running from
every direction by tie hundreds. The
Comauches, seeing that they were out
numbered, dashed their horses and in q
few seconds a cloud OF dust hid the dusky
demons from our view.
meanwhile the battle OF Gonzales had
been fought and the Mexicaus were beaten
but General Houston, seeing that his army
was too small to stop the enemy. decided
that he must retreat, and that the women
and children must retreat also. or be mut
dered outright. SO General Houston sent
one man to each settlement to prepare
and help the white people across the Sa-
blne' My father was sent to the Cypress:
and Spring Creek settlements and after
several days riding he had the people, all
warned that they must flee for their lives
Then came the queerest looking re-
treat perhaps, that ever occurred. The
women had TO drive their own wagons
II wagons they be called The wheel:
we're made by saving of cuts of sweetgum
logs about six inches In thickness They
We're, OF course. without tires A large
hole was bored through the center fol
the axle which was also made OF wood
"A saplng split about one third of It's
length served for both tongue and har-
ness, Two unruly oxen, with a lariat oil
rawhide rope around their horns COM
pleted the outfit. We are informed these
days that an OK driver cant be a church
member, and, according to this, one can
gain some idea Qs TO the kind OF time
the women and children had MANAGING
these spanish steers When on the
journey day or two one wagon was
loaded with crowd Of children. OF which
was one, and a small boy was elected
TO drive the team About midday we
came TO creek with very steep banks
and the steers being very thirsty plunged
rapidly into the stream 20 drink They
turned tho wagon upside down. spilling It's
cargo out in the soft mud, where it was
easy TO sink out Of sight. This some OF
the children proceeded to do. The women.
Of course, jumped into the mud to rescue
their mud-strangled little ones and as We
We're so muddy as to make Il Impossible
to tell one from the other. we were
counted 10 ascertain II we were an safe.
This trouble being mended the march
was resumed. AZ night the oxen were ali
hobbled TO prevent them from rambling
too far and bell was tied to the meek
OF each to betray their whereabouts. OF
course these tingling tolling bells would
have been great assistance 10 Msxican
spies In locating our camp but they had
TO be used just the same, as there was
no one to herd the oxen during the night,
my father having to scout the road behind
us.
Finally. the San Jaciuto river Was
reached. and there we found great many
families waiting Tor assistance to cross
The river was not wide al that point, but
was deep enough 20 swim the teams, and
as the heavy wagons would sink under
water, my father had to carry the whole
army Of women and children ncross. Two
children at time and one woman at 3
time was his load, the water Just coming
up under his arms. The teams be com
PEELED to swim over and pull the wagon