The Snyder signal. (Snyder, Tex.) 1887-????, 1913-11-07
By Col. Acie Sooner

the Indians were pressing them hard. Men
rode at full speed against the fence, endeav-
oring to get through the gaps. Captain row
land was about the last man to get through:
He had purposely kept near the rear, and did
what he could to protect the hindmost OF the
men, reserving his fire until a shot. was abb
sohltelv demanded Just before riding into
the field he fired his double barrel shotgun
at an Indian not more than thirty yards from
him, and at the fire the Indian dropped his
shield and gave signs OF being badly nurt:
II was afterward learned that this shot killed
him and that he was the chief. When the
Indians saw the men forming behind the fence
they fled. Captain Rowland attemptef to
encourage his men to again attack them, but
they were too much demoralized to renew
the fight against such odds. Finding thHt he
could not hope to again fight the INDIANS
with the force he then had Captain RowlGnd
dispatched couriers TO different points 10 4
give the alarm and with few men he weIH'
to the head of Elm in Montague coun(
where there were few families without pro-
lection. The Indians continued their rRIds,
going south and east and soon reached the
Jones settlement on Dry Elm. Here they
came upon and mortally wounded Mr.. White
and dangerously wounded his step-son, young
Parker. Mr.. Jones, their companion, escaped.
Parker belonged to Wood IS company Of Fitz-
hugh's regiment. He had been severely
wounded in the battle at Mllican's Bend, on
June 7, 1868, and was home on sick furlough.
The Indians beat a hasty retreat that night,
and crossed Red River with large number
of stolen horses before daylight next morn
ing. Small squads of Indians would scatter
from the main body and commit all sorts OF
depredatons. One of these squads came up
on Miss Gouna, who was carrying water from
Il spring some distance from the house. They
thrust their spears into her body in several
places and cut off her hair, but she escaped
and finally recovered from her wounds.
Young Parker, earlier alluded to, saw the
Indians and heard the shooting in their fight
with Captain Rowland, but did not believe
ii was Indians and kept riding toward them,
against the protests of his companion, Mr..
Miles Jones. He did not discover that it was
Indians until squad of them dashed upon
and MORALLY wounded him. He died in ten
days.
The following additional facts are taken
from a letter written at the time to the Hous-
ton Telegraph
cat every house burnt, the savages de-
risively left hanging blanket marked TT.
s.. During the night of the 23rd, they made
q hasty retreat, left about fifty Indian sad
dies, numerous blankets and buffalo robes
and considerable Of the booty they had taken
from houses.
"In the meantime nearly 1000 men had
reached Gainesville and made pursuit next
day as soon as the trail could be found; but
n start of twenty-four hours by fleeing saw
ages cannot be overcome in the short cold
days of winter, when they could travel at
night and only be followed in daylight The
pursuit though energetic under Major Dia-
mond and aided by Chickasaws, was fruitless.
GAS soon as the news reached Colonel
Bourland at Bonham, that old veteran spared
neither himself nor horse till he was on the
ground doing his duty Captains Patton,
Mosby and many citizens were in the pur-
suit under Diamond Lieutenant Colonel
Showalter, with Captains William S. Rather
(then and now of Belton), Wilson and Car
penter with their companies made forced
march from Bonham, hoping for tilt with
the Indians, but on reaching Red River, some
twenty miles northwest of Gainesville. infor-
nation from the advanced pursuers rendered
the effort hopeless"