The Washington herald., 1909-02-21
TALES OF TEXAN VALOR
Battles Between Frontiersmen and Indians lllumine
PAGES of History with Deeds of Bravery.

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He was born in jefferson County. hyp /
six miles from Louisville. January Is. lSll' 1
and in his early manhood removed 10 I
Iowa. where he engaged IN agricultural
pursuits until 1859. when, with his family 4
he emigrated 10 Texas and settled at
what was known as "Old" Nashville. on 1
the Brazos River, in Milan County. /
planting small crop OF corn and killing /
buffalo 70 supply the family larder-
The Ross family and others afterward
removed 70 Little River. in Bell County,
and formed a settlement for mutual
protection against the Indians. with
whom they had many encounter On
one occasion during MT. Ross absence
the savages made an incursiOn and stole
an his horses. He returned with fine
mare. which he turned out TO Craze. and
when he went in search Of the animal
discovered indications Of the presence OF
Indians in the vicinity. The next morn
Ing Mr.. Ross learned that several horses
had been stolen in the settlement. snd
It was decided 70 60 in pursuit Of the
savages
The pursuing party consisted OF Capt
-.
Cant. Monroe, and man named Bry-
ant The trail Of the Indians was soon
discovered and il was plainly 10 be dis
cerned the tracks made by hercuiean
savage known as Big Foot CHIEF
noted for his prowess. The trail was,
however. lost. and the pursueTs returned
70 Rryant's house, where they were JOIN
ed by two more settlers. and the next
morning resumed the pursuit, travelling
in a rainstOrm, until they Teacned a
r,oint known as the Knobs. within a
few miles OF where the town Of Temple
Is now located. Here they overlook four
Indians with the stolen stock, who IN
mediately fled.
Left on the Trail.
Thinking further pursuit useless. part
Of the party returned home. leaving Capt
Ross and three others 70 continue on the
trail Within a short time the Indians
were discovered in The act OF butchering
a buffalo they had killed The savages
had covered their guns with blankets to
protect them from the rain
Ross and his party Immediately charged,
bur their flintlOCk weapons had been rem
dered useless by the rain, and the gun OF
Can't. Ross was the only one which did
not miss fire. and its discharge resulted
in no damage. BY this time the Indians
had their guns uncovered and took deI0-
crate aim at the four Texans, but their
powder being also damp the weapons
missed fire.
Although the pursueTs had approached
the savages suddenly. the latter succeed
ed in catching their horses and attempted
10 seek safety in flight, when Bryant
rushed in, and striking one OF them with
l--L 41s--aze
dubbed their guns. and the death strus-
gle began
At this junCture Capt. Ross saw the
notorious Big Foot advancing on him.
He tried both Of his pistols, says VII
barger in his account. but neither would
fre He hurled one Of them AT Big
Foot hitting him on the shoulder and
then started 10 strike him over the head
with his gun. unaware Of the presence
Of an Indian just in his rear, who would
have dealt a fatal blow had < net been
for the timely aid OF his nephew Wool
fork. who knocked the Indian from his
horse. but IN falling the savage dismount-
ed WoolfOrk and then jumped up behind
Big Foot who was riding q fine mare
which he had stolen from Capt Monroe
The two Indians were almost out o.
sight before Capt Ross and his nephew
started in pursuit, as they were consider
ably DELAYED in catching WOOlfork
horse. Having succeeded in this. Pos!
and his nephew were quickly in not pUr
suit Of the fleeing savages. and were fas
gaining upon them Capt Ross was nd
ing a fine animal, which, being feet o.
foot. soon put him some distance IN ad
vance Of WOolfork-
Big Foot and his companions wer'
so closely pursued that when they CAM
Inf Hl- nr~f~
Ing suddenly stopped and the two Indian
plunged headlong into the mud and va
ter. Ross, seeing this, checked his hors
when within about forty yards Of the In
dams but WOolfork was not so fOrtu
nate. and when his horse reached In
bluff he made a similar tumble 10 that o
the two Indians. and before he knew
was right in among them
Separated Indians.
AT this juncture Capt Ross rushed ul
and ran in between them in order TO sep
arate the Indians. whereupon Big Foot
made for him with his butcher knife
They were both now on the ground; bot
had on mOccaslns- Big Foot had on
pair Of Ieggings and vas wearing check
ed cotton shirt. while his long platte
hair hung down his back between nj
shoulders.
capt. Ross spoke 10 Big Foot in sig
language. as he was approaching. tellin
him TO surrender and he would not b
hurt but the defiant chief had no ide
Of being taken prisoner, and, shaking hi
finger al Ross in a taunting manner, be
gan 70 advance. As he came 70 clos
quarters Big Foot made a furious lung
at the captain with his butcher knife. bu
as he did 50 his foot slipped and he miss
ed his aim. and before he could recove
himself, Ross with one hand grasped hi
plated hair, and with the other droy
his hunting knife I'D 70 the hilt in 'Bi
FOot's' body. killing him instantly
IN the mainline WOOlfrok had dI:
patched and scalped his antagonist
Just after they had started back 10 n
others, WOOlf0rk asked his uncle whs
lie mad done with Big Foors' scalp. an
when Capt Ross replied that K was sti
on his head, he begged him 20 90 hac
and take Il of. as otherwise the boy
would always believe that Big Foo
got away. The captain returned an
lifted the hair from Big FOots' hea
when Ross and his nephew had rejoil
ed their two companions they found Il
bodies Of the two Indians whom BryaI
and Monroe had dispatched After e.
changing congratulations over their haI
earned victory they gathered their stole
) horses and returned home.
This was indeed a remarkable fight
was fought without the firing Of a gu
and without the shooting OF an arroJ
Not a white man was hurt. and ever
Indian was slain
Capt Ross survived for many yea,
after this encounter, spending the evel
ing Of his days at his residence in Souf
Waco. where he passed away Septemb
j., 1SSs, few months more than sevent
eight years Of age
The late Capt. r B. Barry, Of Bosal
County, who had a widely extended g
, perience in fighting Indians on the fro,