Jefferson jimplecute. (Jefferson, Tex.) 1907-1926, 1913-11-13
strenuous Incident
ON The Frontier
Four Men Travel 200 Miles Through
Stronghold Section Of the Com
anChe Indians

sons OF Jefferson, got together
and went to Marshall and joined
a company organizing there
made up of 102 from about five
or six counties-enthusiastic
young fellows, ripe for the first
military experiences. OIt OF
this II come the first two killed
and one wounded-V o n d e h #
killed and Bann lost an arm
early in the war. The company
made up and marched to Austin
for orders. Finding no Confed
crate authority there we pro
ceeded to San Antonio and organ
lied under state orders. The
state authorities sent us on to
the Frontier where the Indians
were taking advantage of tragic
conditions and were depredating
all over the sparsely settled sec
tons. One section Of the com
pany occupied Camp Wood, near
the head OF Neueces river-and
scouts were continually out to
meet their maruding attcks and
did much service in protecting
the ranchers from their ferocious
attacks.
All these outposts were served
with pack mules, to carry the
provisions Of the men-and they
were the best trained animals [
ever saw-alWays keeping up
with the squad, and seemed to
have a perfect intuition Of indian
attacks on their close approach.
The mules had had a life time eX-
perience on the frontier and were
pretty we'll up in all the Indian
cunning and daring ways Of tax
ing advantage OF the weaker
point, and some Of them had been
wounded by the arrows of the
Red men. These mules we're in
dispensable on scout occasions -
to carry all the provisions and
thus leave the men free and ready
to meet any attacks on the of
funsive or defensive as it were.
We would stop almost every
night, and camp that our horses
might feed on the luxurious grass
all over that country. That was
one of the natural advantages, as
there would have been no way
for carrying feed on such extern
sive journeys through the Indian
country. On one Of the camping
occasions on the Aoruo river a
false alarm was given by our out
er guards, and every man rush
ing for his horse staked close by
and in the melee this scribe had
cactus thorn stuck deep in the
top Of his right foot. BY morn.
ing the foot was terribly swollen
and too painful TO proceed with
the scout. Lieut., HoIcombe,
commanding, asked me if | could
select 3 on men to stay with me
in the mean time where we could
take advantage Of chapparal in
case of attack. We were all
we'll armed with pistols and Mis-
sissippi rifles. | selected John
NJ. Vines and left to him the Sc.
lection of the other , or 3. Next
day we held a counsel of war"
and decided to leave those peril
Gus regions and the boys prom
iSed to stay with me at all haz-
ards as | had to ride with my
game leg across the horse S
neck, which made me at a great
disadvantage in case of a run
ming fight. But the boys prom
Used to stay with me-and they
did-tWo or three times when it
seemed a conflict was imminent.
1T was about POO miles back TO
the post where the main compa-
ny was stationed. We were
forced to traverse the famous
Indian country and liable to
come in conflict any moment
with them while ON one of their
marauding trips seeking death
and destruction to all white men.
But fortunately after the end of
| this perilOuS trip we reached
camp with most our clothes torn
of i'm passing through dense for
eStS and cducbrakes. The most
/ impressive incidents, perhaps, on
/ that perl.Ouo plains ride We're the
crossing of great gulcheS that
/ lay Ina the way. Their sides were
lined with rocks and huge boul
derS. and the boys bad 10 lead
'aud drive our horses down 10 the
bottom Sometimes "a horse or
. "a pack mule would fan and roll
20 feet before he caught his foot
I ing Then the boys would help
me down, and 10 Was "a painful
slide.
. On o.e ul these occasions / be-
came discouraged and worn out,
and / told tae Uoy, 20 ~ and
. ieayy me to my fate But ~ pos
. >luIe. that seemed to make them
mon. determined newer by dee
~.lt mc. as5 ihey didn't And
referring fH tl- Incident. even
t1 tl.~ u.y. d la.. grateful tD tl-
e..... H...r .....t..I ma. fH.I........ y.