CHAPTER XXXVII.

PERSONAL--CONCLUSION 391

SCOUT AND RANGER.

_CHAPTER I._

MY FIRST EFFORT AT SEEING LIFE--A TRIP TO TEXAS.

I have not the vanity to suppose the details of my career in life, other

than as it has been connected with the public service, would be of the

slightest interest to the reader; and, therefore, I shall not dwell upon

them. But I can not but believe that my adventures in that most

dangerous and romantic of all branches of the service--while acting the

part of a scout--during the late long and bloody war against the most

gigantic rebellion known to history, will be read with interest, not

only by the patriotic people of the loyal states, for whom my life was

risked, but by thousands in the South--violent rebels--who will, in

these pages first recognize me, in my true character, as a soldier of

the Union; though oft I have partaken of their hospitalities, and been

their familiar companion; and many a rebel officer will, in the

following narrative, for the first time learn that they have

communicated much valuable information to one who was in the service of

the nation against which they had arrayed the whole power, and chivalry

of half a score of powerful and flourishing states, extending from the

Gulf of Mexico to the thirty-seventh parallel of north latitude.

My career as a scout was commenced under Gen. O. M. Mitchell, who, in

1862, commanded the Third Division of the Cumberland Army; General

Mitchell, who united in himself the qualities of a noble man, a thorough

scholar, and a dashing officer, and whose death, before the nation could

well spare his services, caused a deep despondency to pervade every

loyal breast. When he was removed from command in Tennessee, I was

turned over to General Rosecrans; who, in turn, on leaving, recommended

me to General Thomas. I have also served with Gens. D. S. Stanley, George

Crook, Lytle, Sheridan, Grant, and Sherman; so that the reader will not

be at a loss to imagine that my term of service has been an eventful

one; and that vanity does not inspire me to write an account of those

wild and almost incredible adventures, which are naturally incident to

the branch of the service to which I was devoted.

But why engage in the dangerous vocation, and risk life, amid enemies

who, had they known my character, would gladly have suspended me to the

nearest limb? Say, like Shylock, it was my nature, and the reader has it

all. I had been well trained in such service, having left my home in

Ohio, long since, and migrated to Texas, where I was schooled as a

"Ranger" and hunter--the latter character being a necessary

accompaniment of the former, as the ranger draws little or no

subsistence from the government, but obeys the injunction of Scripture,

and takes neither brass nor postal currency in his purse, nor hard tack

in his haversack, relying almost entirely on his trusty rifle, for

subsistence, from the first to the last of his term of enlistment.

But why should an Ohioan, and a printer, be induced to migrate to Texas,

where civilization has but begun, and where men still fancy that there

is something diabolical in the process of producing books and

newspapers? In Texas--a land of contrarities, where all is abundance, by

the mere act of nature, or sterility beyond the power of art to

fertilize; where one only looks up stream for water; where rivers are

narrow at their mouths, and wide at their fountains; where the ground is

never dusty, though parched with drouth; where grass grows green in

winter; where neither the horse nor the cow can be tempted to eat corn;

where the widest extremes of heat and cold are often felt in a day; and

where the unfortunate immigrant, if he murmurs, or shows surprise, at

all he sees and feels, is at once pronounced "green from the states,"

and looked upon as an object of commiseration? Well, perhaps it is

strange that I should find myself there--but it is not more strange than

true.

I had been working at my trade in Jefferson City, Missouri, during the

winter of 1858-9, and in the spring resolved to go to Kansas, which was

yet disturbed by factions, and consequently the very place for one fond

of adventure; and, as my nature prompted me to ramble, I saw no other

section half so inviting; and accordingly, having armed myself, "as the

law directs," I started for the territory on foot.

I had traveled but half a day, however, when I stopped for dinner at a

wayside inn, kept by a plethoric old man, the possessor of a young wife

and half a dozen worthless darkies. While at dinner, some one rode up to

the gate and inquired of the landlord if there was a young man there,

who was traveling on foot.

"That's my name," I said, and went to the door, to ascertain: what was

wanted.

"Say, young man," said the party, "don't you want to go to Texas?"

"Don't care if I do," said I.

"Well," he replied, "my name is Colonel Johnston; I live twelve miles

south of Dallas; I am taking down a drove of horses, and want help; I

will furnish you with a horse, saddle, and bridle, and pay your way."

In an instant, all desire to visit Kansas, and participate in the

partisan turmoils, which were continually agitating the territory,

"vanished into thin air," and in their stead arose visions of wild horse

chases, buffalo hunts, Indian fights, and a thousand other "manly

sports," which I knew to be the chief sources of amusement and

excitement, in that wild, celebrated region.

"But where were you going?" queried the Colonel.

"To Kansas," I replied.

"What were you going there for?" he continued.

"For fun," was my sententious, but truthful answer.

"Well," he responded, "if you want fun, just go to Texas; that is the

place to find it; plenty of all sorts of game, fine horses, and clever

people. It's just the spot for a young man. If ever you go there, you

will like the country so well, that you will never leave it."

"Hold on, then, till I get my dinner, and I'll go," was the only reply I

stopped to make, till I had satisfied my appetite.

Dinner over, I mounted the animal designated, and we proceeded to gather

up the horses, which had scattered about to graze, while the Colonel was

waiting on me. There were in the drove an unusually fine lot of northern

mares, which Johnston stated would be very valuable in Texas, besides a

number of magnificent geldings.

As soon as we were fairly on our way, my employer took care to remind me

that his name was _Colonel_ Johnston, and inquired mine. He then went on

to enlighten me, by saying, that, in Texas, every man of any note had

some title; was either dubbed General, Colonel, Major, Captain, Judge,

or Esquire; that his friends had given him the title of Colonel, though

he had never held any military position, the term being merely

complimentary. He further informed me, that at one time in his life, he

had been a mate on board of a river steamer, and then began to relate

various feats of personal prowess, which at once inspired me with a high

regard for both his physical and intellectual endowments. He was really

a fine looking, robust man, about thirty-five years of age, of a very

generous, and manly disposition; and but for a superfluity of vanity and

self-importance, was an exceedingly agreeable companion. He had been in

Illinois, settling up his wife's estate, and had taken her share of the

property in horses; and, by the way, one of the first things he told me

was, that he had married a widow.

We traveled fast; I thought _very fast_; and as day after day came and

went, and we were in the saddle early and late, I began to imagine

something must be wrong about the man and his horses; but I said

nothing. On the second day after we had joined fortunes, he began to

deprecate the fact that he would have to force a sale of a horse in

order to raise money; whereupon I loaned him a sufficient sum (I think

about forty dollars in gold), to take him through. The reader will say

that this was indiscreet on such a short acquaintance, and that I ought

not to have been so free with my money with a stranger. But it was

always a fault of mine to confide in strangers, and in this case I did

not lose anything, though at one time I believed the chances good to

lose all; for Johnston sought a quarrel with me in the Indian Nation,

while near Boggy river, and I detected him in the act of drawing his

six-shooter on me, at a time when he thought I did not observe him. My

rifle was near at hand, and I quickly had him at my mercy, with my piece

leveled on his breast, and my finger on the trigger. We had differed the

evening before as to which side of the mountain the road went, and I was

found to be in the right. But this was such a trifling excuse for a

quarrel, that I naturally concluded he entertained the notion of putting

me out of the way, and thus get, not only all I had loaned him, but all

I had on my person. My advice to young men is, not to be too free in

showing money to strangers; nor ought they to do as I have often done,

make loans when there was no way of getting the money back when it is

wanted. In this instance I might have lost every dollar I possessed, and

my life, too, by my freedom in letting a stranger know my resources. I

was green then, but am wiser now.

Our route lay through South Missouri, along a high barren ridge, for

eighty miles. If I remember rightly, we passed no town till we came to

Linn creek, where we crossed the Osage river, which, I believe, is the

head of navigation. It is a small town but is a very business like

little place. As we crossed the river a little boat steamed away from

the landing, loaded, as I afterward learned, with nineteen tons of deer

hides, besides other peltries and furs. The town is hemmed in by the

Osage range, which although very high and abrupt, should rather be

called hills than mountains. The rock of this range is a sort of lava

concrete on the surface, while the tops of the ridges and level benches

in the mountains were covered with bowlders, evidently of volcanic

origin, as they have the appearance of having been melted in a little

round-bottomed pot, from which, after cooling, they had been dumped.

This portion of the country abounds in minerals, especially lead and

iron; and it is, perhaps, the best watered region in the United States;

thousands of large, clear springs burst out from beneath the mountain

ranges; but very few issue from their sides, however, which is somewhat

remarkable.

We passed through Springfield, which at that time was a beautiful and

flourishing little city. A school dismissed while we were riding through

the streets, and from the walls of the large seminary issued such a

swarm of pretty girls, as would make any young man's head swim with

delight as he viewed them. I have always had a curiosity to go back

there.

From Springfield our route was through a good country for some distance,

until we reached Barry county, in which the land is too poor and rocky

to talk about. While traveling through it, we managed to tear off nearly

every shoe from the horses' feet, and this caused some delay, in getting

them re-set.

Getting on our way again, we passed through Cassville. The country was

still so rocky that the geese couldn't walk about to graze; at least so

I concluded, from the fact that I saw one sitting on a hill-side, some

distance from a house, and a woman carrying it food. The goose made no

effort to help itself, and the woman had to rough it over the rocks the

entire distance.

Crossing the Arkansas line, we reached Bentonville, a very thriving

village in the Ozark mountains; thence we went to Fayetteville, a town

of considerable importance, to the north, but in sight of the Boston

mountain, a spur of the Ozark range. As we passed through, we met the

overland mail stage, coming at full speed, or at least as fast as mule

flesh could move it.

When stages were first put on this line, considerable excitement was

created in Western Arkansas; it was a new thing--an eighth wonder of the

world; and to the great disgust of the "natives," some of the managers

and their wives, feeling the importance of their "posish," put on

considerable "style;" and the popular disgust would manifest itself on

every possible occasion, much to the annoyance, both of employees and

passengers. The children readily imbibed the spirit of their seniors and

would continually reiterate the slang of their parents. On this

particular occasion, as the coach came down a steep hill into the town,

a crowd of little urchins was standing by the roadside, waiting to see

the "sights;" when one of them, a bright looking boy, but as ragged as

only Arkansas children are, elbows and knees out, with a huge rent in

that part of his pants covering the spot "where mothers smite their

young," from which protruded a piece of muslin very much the color of

the surrounding soil,--shouted at the top of his voice: "The g-r-e-a-t

O-v-e-r-l-a-n-d M-a-i-l C-o-m-p-a-n-y--" and was, evidently, going to

add something more, when a huge, muscular, six-footer of a passenger

thrust his head out of the window and yelled: "Dry up, you little

reprobate, or I'll jump out and raise a crowd and clean you out in a

minute." The little urchin and his party, not exactly expecting such a

reception, took to their heels, each with his flag of truce flying

behind him almost horizontally. The sight was immensely enjoyed by the

wearied passengers, who greeted the retreating boys with roars of

laughter. The lumbering of the coach and the shouts of the passengers so

frightened our horses that we had a stampede for the next five miles,

but fortunately, no harm resulted.

Boston mountain was the next difficulty we had to surmount. The road

over it is fifteen miles long, and the ascent was exceedingly steep; but

there are several steppes, or benches, on the sides, and these afford

good resting places for travelers. Every acre on these steppes is good

tillable land, and would be admirably adapted to vine growing; while

upon the very summit is one of the finest farms in Arkansas. We stopped

here for the night and were generously entertained, as indeed we always

were; for the people of this State, before the war, were ever noted for

their hospitality.

On the following morning we started down the mountain. The sky wore a

threatening appearance; great banks of clouds seemed to rise from the

horizon, and, as it were, to be sucked or drawn from every direction

toward the mountain by some powerful current or attraction, until,

finally, as we reached the first bench from the top, they met with such

violence that the concussion seemed to jar the mountain itself, as if it

had been shaken by an earthquake. Peal upon peal of thunder rolled

through the clouds, accompanied by terrific flashes of glittering

lightning, that seemed to leap from heaven to earth, and from earth

again through boundless space. To add to the terrific noise of the

thunder, it bellowed through the mountain gorges, reverberating from

cliff to cliff, like volleys of musketry, and was accompanied by the

sound of creaking boughs, falling trees, and of rocks loosed by the

winds, tumbling from the summit of the mountain to the abysses below.

The falling rain soon accumulated into torrents, and these added to the

din, as they fell over precipices, until one could scarcely do other

than conclude that harmony had been broken up in the heavens and that

the elements were engaging in one long, desperate, and terrific strife.

We did not stop--we could not; the storm came sweeping down the mountain

with a fury that was irresistible; and nearly carried our animals over

the cliffs. The clouds themselves seemed to be falling, for in addition

to the torrents of rain which drenched us, we were closely enveloped in

a thick mist which shut out from our view all surrounding objects. The

horses entirely bewildered, became frantic, and dashed off in all

directions, but chiefly up the sides of the gorge, down which our route

lay. Some were speedily lost to view, while others almost precipitated

themselves down the mountain side, regardless of danger. As for

ourselves, we were powerless, and could only await the dispersion of the

clouds that we might see what to do; and fortunately we were not

compelled to wait long, as the storm was brief; it however made up in

fury what it lacked in duration. One by one we discovered our horses on

the mountain side, trembling at the giddy hight to which, in their

terror, and while enveloped in fog, they had clambered. To get them down

was a work of no little difficulty and danger, but it was accomplished,

however, without accident, and we sped away for Lee's creek, a mountain

stream which was known to rise with great rapidity, and when up was not

fordable. The prospect of being water bound in the mountains for two or

three days without provisions, the reader will admit, was not very

inviting; and so we concluded, and we put on our best speed and gained

the ford just in time; for five minutes later and it was a roaring

torrent.

[Illustration: "When we first discovered them, they were under full

headway, coming around a point of timber; and the next instant they came

down upon us at a charge."--=Page 48.=]

Not far from the foot of Boston mountain we passed through a little

village of sixty or eighty houses, the inhabitants of which appeared to

be settling some question of vital importance to the community, as they

were engaged in a free fight after the most approved style--every body

being in; and oaths, rocks, clubs, and pistol-shots were the order of

the day. Not receiving any invitation to participate, and being firm

adherents of the theory that every community should be allowed to settle

its domestic affairs in its own way, subject only to the Constitution of

the United States--even though that way was a little rough--we passed

along on our route, through a shower of ill-aimed missiles; and for once

denied ourselves the luxury of engaging in a free fight.

We crossed the Arkansas river at Van Buren, and stopped with very good

will at a plantation owned by a handsome widow, whose husband had been

an officer in the regular service. Our entertainment was superb, and at

nine o'clock we retired, and, being wearied, were soon enjoying a

profound sleep. Toward midnight we were aroused by a loud barking in the

yard from half a score or so of dogs. On going to the door I looked out

and discovered a man in the act of turning our horses out of the lot.

Seizing my rifle, I aroused Johnston, and started for the scene of

operations. Luckily the animals were tired, and moved slowly, so that I

was on the thief in a minute; and he, seeing that I was armed, loosed

his hold, fired a shot, and fled. I returned his fire in haste and at

random; so the ball did not take effect. The thief ran down the lane, at

the end of which an accomplice was standing, and in a moment they both

mounted their horses, and were soon out of sight.

At Fort Smith we entered the Indian Nation--the first we met being

Choctaws. They had long been on friendly terms with the whites, and

traveling through their country was as safe as, and perhaps safer than,

in Arkansas. But few of the Indians build their houses on public roads,

the exceptions generally being half-breeds. The full Indian always seeks

some secluded spot on which to build. There were some handsomely

improved farms through the country, but they were mostly owned by white

men who had married Indian wives.

We camped out through the Nation, and procured our food, ready cooked,

from the people. The squaws make excellent bread, and they supplied us

bountifully with stewed venison. One may go to the Indian's house when

he will, and he will find the kettle on and boiling, filled with the

choicest meat. I invariably found the natives kind and obliging, and

very reasonable in their charges. I often left Johnston to wait in the

woods for his rations, while I sat down with the Indians, and enjoyed a

warm meal. They had milk, eggs, and butter in abundance. All eat soup,

succotash, and other "spoon victuals," out of the same dish, and with

the same spoon; not from a scarcity of either, but from their laws of

etiquette. He is regarded as exceedingly rude who refuses to eat soup

from the same bowl with them, though each is supplied with separate

plates, knives, and forks for the eating of meat, eggs, fruit, etc.

Although I did not discover any malicious disposition among the natives,

I was informed that human life was held very cheap by them; although

they seldom molest white men traveling through their country, they

frequently engage in deadly strife among themselves. I do not think much

of their progress in civilization as a general thing. Here and there a

farm and residence evinced industry and taste; but on the next, perhaps,

one will see a crowd of grown young men and women, stark naked, playing

marbles.

Their police regulations were well adapted to preserve order. In every

township of six miles square there was a mounted force of ten men, one

relief of whom was almost constantly in the saddle, traveling the

country in all directions; and their mode of transmitting intelligence

from one beat to another was only excelled by the telegraph.

The country is beautifully diversified with mountains, bold, rugged, and

often isolated, rising from the surface of a level valley. They are

covered with pine and cedar and other evergreens. The valleys are well

adapted to grazing, and hence the principal wealth of the country is in

horses, cattle, and hogs. We were often stopped at the bridges to pay

toll. As the streams throughout the entire region usually have quicksand

bottoms, it is a great convenience to travelers to have these bridges,

although it is rather disagreeable to encounter a squaw every few miles

vigorously demanding toll.

On Boggy River we were out in the rain for some time, and, being wet

without, we were naturally dry within; and as the water in the Indian

Nation does not possess sufficient consistency to quench thirst on such

occasions, we resolved to procure some whisky. But how? That was the

question. The law was very strict in prohibiting its importation or

manufacture, and it was not easy to evade it. However, we must procure

some; and, seeing a house at a short distance from the road, we stopped

the horses to graze while I set out on the questionable mission of

purchasing whisky, without knowing what to call it in Choctaw.

At the house I found no one at home except a squaw so old that her teeth

were worn off even with her gums, and a young girl--very pretty, but

very shy. I made known the object of my visit by telling her, in the

very best English I could command, that I desired to purchase some

whisky; but she failed to comprehend my meaning. I thought for a moment,

and then concluded that as they had to smuggle it, perhaps they would

be more familiar with bottled liquors, and I said "brandy," but was

still not understood. "Morning-glory," "eye-opener," "whisky-cocktail,"

"gin-sling," "stone-wall," and the names of a host of other drinks arose

in my mind, but were discarded, one after another, as altogether unknown

in that barbarous locality; and I began to indulge in unavailing regrets

that I had not learned to speak Choctaw before visiting the country. But

at this moment a happy idea presented itself, and I forthwith proceeded

to put it into execution. Up to this time the Indian girl had stood

resolutely in the middle of the floor, as if prepared to dispute my

further advance. I now passed by her, and walked to a table where there

was a gourd. Seeing the movement, she sprang to it, and filled it with

water from a bucket near by, and presented it to me to drink with every

expression of kindness. Reader, I must own it was a most eloquent

temperance lecture; and, perhaps, had I been alone, I should have made

no further attempt to make myself understood; but Johnston was out on

the prairie, thoroughly _drenched_, while I--well, for my part, I was

_dry_. Pouring the water back into the bucket, I raised the gourd to my

mouth, pretended to take a long drink, then made a wry face, smacked my

lips, touched my breast with my forefinger, and then staggered a little.

In an instant I was understood. Her black eye sparkled with delight, and

she indulged in a merry laugh. Running out into the yard, she spent some

time looking up and down as if in fear; then hastily entering the house,

she lifted a board in the floor under the table, and drew forth a quart

flask nearly full of the desired article, and handed it to me. I

produced some money to pay for it, but she put back my hand in an

agitated manner, pointed to the path by which I came, and patted her

hands together several times hastily, which I interpreted into "go

quick;" so without waiting to return thanks which she could not

understand, to her evident satisfaction, I left.

That night we encamped on Boggy River, which, I believe, divides the

lands of the Choctaws and Chickasaws. It is a very considerable stream,

with broad, rich valleys, finely timbered. The land has been but little

improved by labor. It was here that Johnston took it into his head to be

"unlawful;" but that was the only difficulty I ever had with him.

At Boggy Depot we saw a great many Choctaws and Chickasaws assembled to

hold a grand council, and, like all political gatherings, it was a mixed

crowd. Some were gay, some were quiet, some were noisy, and, despite of

stringent prohibition, some were _drunk_, and consequently boisterous.

This depot is a great resort for all classes of traders.

From Boggy we traveled through a well-timbered country, occupied by the

Chickasaws. It is not so mountainous as the Choctaw country, and I do

not consider the people nearly so far advanced in civilization as the

Choctaws, but far more docile and kind in their manners.

We crossed the Red river at Colbert's ferry, when the Colonel gave a

shout of delight as he once more landed in Texas. My first impressions

of the country were not pleasing. For twelve miles our way lay through a

country heavily timbered and thickly interlaced with vines. A sandy

soil, with, once in a while, a badly-managed farm and shabby log house,

did not agree with my preconceived notions of the State; but after

having traveled twelve miles, the landscape began to change. We reached

high prairies, covered with luxuriant grass, and dotted with

highly-cultivated plantations and beautiful groves. Immense herds of

cattle were seen in every direction, and although this is not the chief

grazing part of the State, there were many herds of horses, and flocks

of sheep interspersed among the cattle. The soil is black and waxy, and

no matter how much the roads are traveled they are never dusty, but

become beaten down, like a cake of beeswax; and this species of soil

extends as far south as Austin.

We passed through Sherman, a place of great commercial importance in

Northern Texas, which at that time bid fair to be a large city; and the

next place we reached was Dallas, celebrated for its mills which produce

the best flour in Texas. The staple of the surrounding country is wheat,

the soil being peculiarly adapted to its culture. Northern Texas is

settled almost exclusively by people from Kentucky, Tennessee, and the

West; and there is consequently more energy displayed in that section

than in other portions of the State.

We reached Mr. Johnston's house, twelve miles south of Dallas, and were

welcomed by his wife and daughter. They went out on the prairie to

examine the stock; and as part of the horses had been represented as

belonging to the estate of his wife's first husband, I naturally

expected that the lady would recognize some of them, and call them by

name, or otherwise particularly designate them; but to my astonishment

she seemed never to have seen any of them before. I now remembered our

haste, and the Colonel's unaccountable excitement at times; and I could

not escape the conviction that I had helped to run off a drove of stolen

horses.

As my contract was now up, the Colonel pressed me to continue with him;

and his solicitations were cordially seconded by his wife and daughter;

but as soon as I had secured a settlement with him, and received my

money, I pushed on to Austin, where I expected to find employment as a

printer.

_CHAPTER II._

MY FIRST INDIAN CAMPAIGN.

My expectations of finding employment as a printer, at Austin, were not

realized, and I went back to Bell county, and turned my attention for a

while to horse taming; but it was not long before there was found more

congenial employment for me. The Kiowa, Comanche, and Kickapoo Indians

suddenly began to wage a most relentless and cruel warfare upon the

frontier settlements. Their first act of barbarity was committed far

down in the country, within a few miles of where I was employed. About

the 1st of May, 1859, a small detachment of Comanches appeared on the

west side of Bell county, stole some horses, and drove a lance through

the body of a little boy about twelve years of age; the act being done

in the presence of an agonized mother, and of sisters frantic with grief

and fear. The Indians, after mocking their terrified actions, galloped

away, laughing and sneering at their agony. The neighborhood was at once

aroused, and a few men went in pursuit; I, myself, constituting one of

the party. The savages fled toward the mountains, at the head waters of

the Colorado river; and high up on the San Gabriel, we came in sight of

them; and at once the chase became so hot that the Indians

"scattered,"--always their last strategic resort. We only succeeded in

finding one, a gigantic fellow, who had long been known on the frontier,

and was recognized by some of the pursuing party, as a famous Comanche

warrior, called Big Foot. True to his own manhood, he sustained his

reputation as a warrior to the very last, and ceased to resist only as

he fell into the rolling waters of the San Gabriel, pierced with more

than a dozen bullets from trusty Texan rifles. His body was swept away

by the swift running stream; but his rifle, lance, and bow and arrows

were captured, and divided out among the party as trophies. Big Foot was

a giant in size and strength, being about seven feet high, and in all

respects well proportioned; and his loss must have been severely felt by

his tribe.

Their next outrage worthy of note, was the capture of two beautiful

young ladies, named Whitson, whose persons they brutally violated. The

ladies were walking home from a neighbor's house, where they had been on

a visit, when they were suddenly surrounded by twenty-five savages, who

committed the fearful deed already indicated, and then carried them away

into a captivity a thousand times worse than death.

They lived near Weatherford, on the Brazos river, and after capturing

them, the Indians carried them far out on the Staked Plains, stripped

them, and left them on the open prairie, without a morsel of food, or a

drop of water, and far away from any civilized habitation. When found

they were lying beneath a little mesquit bush, locked in each other's

arms, and quietly awaiting the approach of death. It was evident that

they had been crazed by hunger, thirst, and cruel treatment, as their

hands and arms were lacerated, as if they had struggled to tear the

flesh from their own limbs. Luckily, we had a skillful surgeon and

physician among our party, who immediately set about restoring them. We

gave them liberally of our clothing and sewed blankets into skirts, so

that they were soon as comfortable as could be expected. It was about

two hours before sundown when we discovered them on a high plain,

between the waters of the Colorado and the Double Mountain fork of the

Brazos; and I do not think they could have survived more than thirty-six

hours longer if left to themselves.

We started that night and went a short distance, and in the morning

began our journey to the settlements in earnest. On the Clear fork of

the Brazos the party separated; those of us who belonged down the

country taking the route to Gatesville, while the friends and neighbors

of the girls made haste to restore them to their sorrow-stricken parents

and family. It was some time before they were sufficiently recovered to

tell us their heart-rending story. Although they expressed their

gratitude in the most fervent manner, and their eyes beamed with delight

at the prospect of being restored to their home, their features wore a

sad expression; and although we did all in our power to revive their

spirits while they were with us, they were never seen to smile.

[Illustration: "His sufferings were excruciating, and the crackling fire

was built so as to throw out a strong heat on his lacerated

back."--=Page 56.=]

This outrage threw the whole frontier into a frenzy of excitement, and

wherever the story of their wrongs was repeated, it enkindled a blaze of

indignation which only the blood of the Comanche could quench.

From this time every species of depredation became common. Horses were

stolen; cattle shot; men, women, and children murdered, and their

residences committed to the flames; the mangled bodies being thrown

within and consumed by the devouring element; and to make matters worse,

the people were unfortunately divided in sentiment, relative to which

was the guilty tribe. One faction, led by the redoubtable John R.

Baylor, ascribed the murders to the Reserve Indians of Texas;

notwithstanding the fact that these tribes were under the care and

supervision of Major Neighbors, a careful, energetic, and strictly

honest agent, who had the roll called frequently; and no warriors were

allowed to be absent from either of the two reservations without a

written permission.

Capt. Ross was the recognized leader of the other party, and contended

stoutly for the innocence of the Reserve Indians, and alleged that the

depredations were committed by the Comanches. But the fact that Baylor

had once been the agent of the upper, or Clear fork Reserves, caused his

statements to be believed, and secured him numerous followers. Major

Neighbors, the agent of the Reserve Indians, denounced him as a liar;

and this was the cause, and the only cause, of Baylor's warlike

demonstration. Raising about four hundred men, he marched to the Lower

Reserve, vowing vengeance at every step. He was met about a mile from

the agency by a small body of Caddoes, Tonchues,[1] and Wacos, and a

skirmish ensued, and Baylor was handsomely whipped, and compelled to

retreat toward the Clear fork of the Brazos. His men then soon began to

break up in squads, and scatter off--some to go home, others to hunt,

while a few of the most daring ones pushed out after the wild Comanches.

While these stirring events were transpiring, Governor Runnells was not

idle. He hastily fitted out a squadron of rangers, under command of

Capt. John Henry Brown, an energetic and courageous man, who had had a

wide experience in previous contests with the Indians, and was perfectly

familiar with the frontier. This command was mustered at Belton, in Bell

county, and left for the Indian country about the middle of June. I

enlisted for six months, unless sooner discharged, and I presume the

others entered for the same term.

Perhaps a description of our appearance will interest the reader.

Imagine two hundred men dressed in every variety of costume, except the

ordinary uniform, armed with double-barreled shot-guns, squirrel rifles,

and Colt's six shooters, mounted on small, wiry, half wild horses, with

Spanish saddles and Mexican spurs; unshaven, unwashed, undisciplined,

but brave and generous men, riding pell-mell along roads, over the

prairies, and through the woods, and you will be able to form a correct

conception of a squad of Texan Rangers on the march. In such a band it

is impossible to distinguish officers from privates, as the former have

no distinct dress; and all act alike.

Usually, we encamped in a hollow square, placing our tents at regular

intervals around the outside. The horses were tied to stakes by a forty

foot rope, and allowed to graze outside the camp until "retreat," when

they were led inside, and the rope shortened. Guards were posted outside

the tents, and at some distance off; while the horse guards were inside

the square. From Belton, we started in the direction of Gatesville,

going up Cow House creek, and crossing the Owl creek mountains.

Encamping on Owl creek, we disposed ourselves for the night, and felt

felicitated at the prospect of several hours' rest after a hard day's

travel; but our hopes were fallacious.

At about two o'clock in the morning, when all were wrapped in deep

slumber--the previous quiet having been perfect--we were suddenly

aroused by a terrific scream; the horses surged, and pranced around

their stakes, their eyes glittering, and their nostrils distended, while

they made the air reverberate with sharp piercing snorts of rage and

fear. It became evident that an enemy of no mean pretensions was upon

us; and the men, springing to their guns, at once prepared for a

defense. For perhaps five minutes the camp was hushed and still; then

again that fearful shriek rang out, and a large panther sprang from a

tree almost over the Captain's tent, seized a piece of raw beef, which

lay convenient, and was off with his booty so suddenly, that not a shot

was fired. The animal was so large and powerful, that although the beef

weighed at least thirty pounds, yet its flight was not in the least

impeded. After indulging in a hearty laugh, and numerous speculations as

to how the animal passed the guards unobserved, quiet was restored in

the camp; and while most of the men again resigned themselves to

slumber, the old hunters gathered in groups around the camp-fires,

"spinning yarns," and relating remarkable adventures with "panter,"

"bar," and catamount, till daylight.

On the following day we passed through Gatesville, and encamped on the

north side of town. The inhabitants insisted on presenting us with

cakes, and pies, in lavish profusion, simply because, as one old man

expressed it, while dealing out a basket full: "youre gwine whar you

wont git no more soon." From Gatesville, our route lay through the

"Cross Timbers," to the Red fork of the Brazos. We hunted deer, wild

turkeys, and musk hogs; fished in the little streams on the route; had

bullfights at almost every camp; had horse-races, foot-races, and all

sorts of sports; had plenty to eat and drink; and, in short, a good time

generally.

About the 8th of July, we reached the Caddoe village, and encamped at a

famous chalybeate spring, the waters of which are slightly tinctured

with salt. It was some time before we could reconcile ourselves to the

drinking of salt water, but as it was all that was to be had, we were

compelled to come to it. After we had pitched our tents, I was detailed

with a squad of fifteen, to accompany Captain Brown to the agency, where

he had orders to report.

After scrambling over a very high mountain, and getting a horse killed,

and a man accidently shot in the leg, we came in sight of the agency,

where everything appeared to be in a high state of excitement. Captain

Ross, the sub-agent, and Captain Plummer, commanding the United States

regulars, at the post, had mistaken us for Baylor's men, and had

accordingly prepared for a vigorous defense. The Indians were mustered

in the rear of the regulars, who were drawn up in line, so as to command

the approaches to the palisade fort; while two pieces of artillery,

loaded with grape, were placed so as to sweep the road, by which we were

approaching, and a small body of cavalry stood prepared to distinguish

itself, whenever opportunity offered. We held on the even tenor of our

way, until arriving within short pistol range, when the troops were

dismissed, and all gathered around us, to know who we were, where we

came from, what we were going to do, and _how_ we were going to do it?

They were glad to see us, and treated us with every kindness. When

Captain Brown explained his business to the Indians, and told them he

had orders to whip Baylor off and away from their country, they were so

delighted, that they could scarcely find words or means to express their

joy. The chiefs of the different tribes crowded around the Captain,

followed by their principal warriors, and in their eloquent sign

language, and in broken English, expressed their friendship, as

manifestly, as the most polished phrases could have portrayed it.

This was the Lower Reserve--the upper manifesting a different temper.

Their head chief, Katampsie, possessed a warlike disposition.

Exceedingly suspicious in all his dealings with the whites, and crafty

as a fox, he was not so easily satisfied of our good intentions. He was

at a loss to understand how one portion of the people of Texas should

want to wage war on him, while another party, claiming to be the troops

of the governor, should come professing friendship to the Indians, and

hostilities to the white men, who had recently paid him a visit. He

knew, and recognized no authority but the United States, and his own

free will. When, therefore, he was informed that we were ordered to

shoot any of his warriors found off the reservation, he regarded us as

open enemies, and he himself was the first to set our authority at

defiance.

After the first interview, we went back to our camp at the Caddoe

village. A few days afterward, Lieut. Tob. Carmack, with twelve men was

sent up the Clear fork of the Brazos, with orders to scour the river

bottom, in every direction, to see that none of the wild Comanches were

lurking in the thick timber along the river--a very dangerous service;

and we had orders not to fire a shot in any emergency, unless at an

Indian.

After scouting the country a considerable time, we discovered signs of

Indians, of a nature to lead us to believe that we were in the vicinity

of a considerable force of Comanche, or Kiowa warriors. We struck the

trail just before night, and consequently had but little daylight by

which to follow it; and we consequently left it, and went down near the

river bank to encamp. We tied our horses in a well concealed place, and

established ourselves in a strongly defensive position, by the side of a

bluff, on the second bank of the river, and kindled but a single small

fire, to favor the guard, who had to watch both camps, and horses; after

which we laid down to sleep. I came on guard, as the first relief, and

Old Sharp as the second; and I was also to stand the last relief, in

place of a young man who was sick; so that the guard duty for that night

fell exclusively on Old Sharp and myself. Sharp was an experienced

hunter and woodsman, and had had many an encounter with the Indians. He

was social and lively, and about forty years of age; well built, with

dark, keen eyes, black hair, and of swarthy complexion, with wiry

frame; he was active and brave, and he received the name of "Old Sharp,"

not on account of age, but because of his expression and quaint manner.

Never was the camp safer from surprise, than when he stood sentinel.

Time wore on slowly that night, as it is a lonely task to stand guard,

in the depths of the trackless forests of the southwest, with no sound

reaching the ear, except the twitter of the night bird, the hoot of the

owl, the occasional sighing of a tired horse, or the breathing of one's

wearied companions. Perhaps the sentinel, at such a time, may find that

his thoughts have left him, and are wandering away amid more pleasant

scenes--by chance reveling with delighted friends, or lingering around

loved ones at home, who anxiously await his tardy coming. It is a cruel

thing, when one is lost in sweet reverie, to be recalled to a sense of

his isolated and dangerous situation, by the melancholy howl of a wolf,

the agonized screaming of the panther, or, as is often the case, by the

muffled sound of moccasined feet, stealing around him. Not unfrequently

is the sentinel first made aware of the danger which surrounds him, by

the sharp twang of the bowstring, and the plunging of an arrow deep into

his flesh. I had become wearied with watching on this night, and my mind

was lost in a dreamy reverie; I had done my best to pierce the gloom of

the forest with my eye, in order to detect the slightest movement; I had

listened to every sound, with an eagerness, which those who have stood

sentinel, and have had the lives of hundreds of their companions

entrusted to their care, can readily comprehend; I saw around me the

sleeping forms of my companions, and felt, and knew, that upon my

watchfulness, and fidelity, depended their safety, and their lives. My

time had passed away slowly enough. Not an unwonted sound had broken in

upon the solemn stillness of the night; and at length, when my time had

expired, I went to arouse Old Sharp; but had scarcely touched him, when

a loud rattling of rocks at the water edge, brought him to his feet

instantaneously. "What's that?" said he, in a whisper. "Horse loose, I

reckon," was my reply, in an undertone, and leaving Sharp on guard, I

slipped down to the river bank, which was here about eight feet high,

and perpendicular. I was advancing rapidly, with my left hand raised

before me, to protect my face from overhanging boughs, and my right on

the stock of my "Navy Six," when the sound of rattling rocks was

repeated, but I failed to detect the hard ring of horses' hoofs, and I

therefore at once concluded an Indian was secreted in the vicinity. I

was going rapidly toward the sound, which, in turn, seemed to approach

me, when I suddenly stepped over the bank down on the hard rocks, and

found myself confronted by a full grown black bear; indeed, I had almost

fallen on his head.

I sprang to my feet without delay, and drew my pistol as quickly as

possible, but it was too late. Just as I regained my feet, the bear

reared upon his hind legs, bellowed piteously with fright, almost turned

a back summersault, and then fled precipitately across the shoal, and

into the thickets on the opposite bank of the river.

Returning to Sharp, he wanted to know what the "row" was, and I informed

him that it was a bear that had made the noise. "Yes, yes," he replied,

"but I allowed you had knifed the 'cuss,' from the way he 'bellered.'"

This was the first time I thought of my knife, though I then carried a

splendid Bowie knife in my belt. The bear had awaked some of the men by

his bellowing, but as soon as they discovered that no harm had been

done, and that the "varmint" had made his escape, they lazily rolled

themselves up in their blankets and slept again.

Sharp was fully aroused by this little incident, but was not at all

pleased that I had suffered the "bar" to escape. "You had oughter have

knifed him," he insisted; but I was satisfied to let the bear off with

Uncle Toby's address to the fly: "go, poor devil, the world is big

enough for me and thee."

Old Sharp now seated himself on the ranger's chair, that is, an inverted

saddle, and I took a seat beside him, to see what would turn up next, or

if our nocturnal friend would pay us another visit. The little affair at

once roused in Old Sharp's mind the recollection of many a scene, and

hair-breadth escape, and he went on to relate several adventures of his

own, with "bar;" our conversation, of course, being carried on in a

whisper; and he concluded his narratives with: "but la, boy, the bars

a'in't savage in this country like they are furder north; they git

plenty to eat in the southern country, but furder north, 'specially in

the winter season, when pressed with hunger, they git terribly severe."

By the time he had concluded his stories, I was too sleepy to continue

the confab, so I picked out a good place by the side of an old log,

where there were plenty of dry leaves, for a bed, and laid down to

sleep, although I was some distance from the remainder of the party. I

had been asleep some time, when I felt a sense of closeness or warmness,

and woke up; and judge my surprise on finding myself entirely covered up

with the leaves, and I felt Sharp's hand upon me, at the same moment.

"Come, my boy," said he, "there is danger here."

In an instant I was on my feet, rifle in hand, ready for any emergency.

"Injuns?" I asked.

"Look thar," said he, pointing to a dark object, slowly retreating into

the shadows of the timber.

Instantly I brought my rifle to bear upon it, when Sharp laid his hand

on my shoulder, saying, in a whisper,

"Stop, boy, thar's Injuns about, and ye musn't shoot."

At this moment, the animal turned around, and came back a few paces

toward us, stopped with one fore foot partially raised, and glared upon

us in an apparently mingled rage and astonishment. Sharp only tightened

his grip on my shoulder, and whispered:

"Look him right straight in the eyes, boy."

Instinctively I did as I was ordered; never moving a muscle, but gazing

straight into those two great, fiery eyeballs. We stood thus for perhaps

twenty seconds, when the animal, putting its foot softly to the ground,

stepped half a dozen paces toward us, and stooped upon its hinder legs

for a moment, while its tail moved gracefully to and fro. It eyed us

thus for perhaps five seconds, then turned itself and again retreated

into the depths of the forest, looking back as it went, until it got a

considerable distance from us, when it uttered a scream so loud and

shrill, that it echoed through the woods like the shriek of a terrified

woman, except that it was louder than the human voice. It was a panther

of the largest size; and as it disappeared, Old Sharp relaxed his grasp

upon my shoulder, saying slowly:

"I thought that varmint war about to give us some trouble. Pick up your

blanket, boy, and come up where we kin see the horses, thar's danger

here; thar's Injuns in these woods. I've bin oneasy for some time; wake

up t'other chap if you're sleepy, we must have two men out at onct."

I declined, however, to awaken the sick man, who, though an agreeable

companion and a good soldier, was in too feeble health to endure the

fatigues of so rugged a service. I then informed Sharp that I was

willing to stand with him till morning; and from that time till daylight

nothing occurred to further disturb the camp.

Early next morning we dispatched our breakfast, mounted our horses and

again struck out on the trail, keeping a good lookout for Indians. It

was scarcely half an hour after sunrise when we descried a faint smoke

curling up through the timber on the river bottoms, but apparently not

in the direction in which we were traveling. Leaving the trail, we moved

directly toward the smoke at a charge; and as we entered the timber, we

could see ten or a dozen Indians spring up from the ground, rifles in

hand, the whole party scampering off toward a thicket some distance

away. There was no chance to cut them off from the thicket before they

could enter it; but we kept up the charge until we had come within two

hundred yards of it, when we received a pretty well-directed volley from

behind the bushes. We then hastened to surround the thicket as quickly

as possible; but while we were doing this, the savages mounted their

horses, and charged out upon and over us, I might almost say, for we had

deployed too far to be able to rally in time to prevent it.

Lieut. Carmack rallied his men and made preparations for a pursuit. We

had discharged a portion of our yagers and pistols in the melee, which

had to be reloaded; and one of our men had received a wound in the arm

from an arrow, and two horses had been hurt in the charge. It was a

short job to extract the arrows from the horses, though they fought and

kicked frantically; but not so with the man. Carmack tried to pull the

arrow out, but it was no go. Next Sharp proposed to try it; he had had

some experience in such matters, having been wounded more than once with

arrows in his time. Opening his hands, he took the arrow between his

palms and began rolling and lifting it, at the same time. The wounded

man whose name was Williams, sat still on a log and endured the torture

heroically. It lasted a full minute--this rolling and twisting--before

the dull arrow had cut its way out of the flesh. His success so elated

Sharp, that he held it up triumphantly, saying:

"Thar, now, I told you so; ef you'd a pulled agin on that arrer, you'd a

did the business for that arm. Do you see that?" he continued, pointing

to where the arrow was bent against the bone; "now the wonder is, that

the spike hadn't a come out the fust pull you made."

Hastily bandaging Williams' arm, we mounted and commenced the pursuit.

The Indians had headed directly for the Upper Reserve, now about twelve

miles distant. We pursued till we were satisfied they belonged to

Katampsie's band of Reserve Comanches, when turning, we struck out on

our return to the Caddoe village. While passing through the settlements

we were informed of a great many petty outrages committed by both

Reserves, since their fight with Baylor's party. At one place they had

robbed a man's dwelling; at another, thrown down the fences, and rode

through and trampled down whole fields of corn; one man had been robbed

of a fine mare; several watermelon patches had been plundered; and in

one of the last-named offenses, we chanced to catch a party; but they

mounted their horses and were quickly off. Not content with what they

could eat, each man had some sort of a sack, and some of them, two or

three, all filled with melons. As they fled we closed in on them at a

charge, but our horses were tired, and no match for their fresh ponies.

When the pursuit was at its hight, they hastily cut their sacks loose

from their saddles and dropped them on the trail.

Not desiring to provoke hostilities with the Lower Reserve, to which

these Indians belonged, we did not fire upon them; nor did they attempt

to fire upon us. They perfectly understood our orders whenever found off

their Reserves; but they evidently did not fear us much, for when they

were high up on the mountain, one of them turned in his saddle and

shouted back:

"White man's hoss no good; Injun's hoss heap good; white man no catch

um. You go home; hoss heap sick; me see um." Then, with a loud laugh, he

pressed on with his companions. Carmack did not fancy following them

into the mountain, for there were at least thirty of them; and they

would have been more than a match for us, if they assumed a hostile

attitude. We dismounted here and helped ourselves to the captured melons

and encamped near by for the night. We procured milk from the settlers

in the vicinity; and the women brought us warm bread, fresh butter,

etc., which proved a great treat, as we had been living for some days on

meat alone.

On the following day we rode back to the Caddoe village and once more

found everything in excitement; the cause being a report to the effect

that the wild Comanches had come down on the Lower Reserve and stolen

seventy-five head of horses, and then made good their escape. Captain

Brown, with as many of his men as could be spared, and a large force of

regulars and friendly Indians, were soon on the trail, while a party of

us that were left, had nothing to do but to rest ourselves and horses

until they returned.

About the first of August, Captain Brown sent Captain Knowlin to the

fork, with similar orders given to Lieut. Carmack, viz: to fire on any

of Katampsie's band who might be found off their reservation. We had the

usual amount of sport all the way up the Brazos, killing deer, turkeys

and antelope in abundance, together with a venerable bear, so old she

was nearly toothless. We saw no Indian signs until we got within about

three miles of the Reserve line on the east, when we were suddenly

attacked while at dinner, by about ninety Comanches. Our horses were

concealed in a thicket near by, and were not discovered by the Indians

at all, or it would have been impossible for us to have saved them. We

were seated round in a ring, with our smoking mess pans filled with

stewed venison, in the center, when we were suddenly startled by the

long, fierce war-hoop, and looking up, we saw a large party of Comanches

in full war paint and costume, each with every feather that his vanity,

or the custom of his tribe would prompt or allow him to wear, streaming

in the wind, while their horses were literally bedizzened with paint and

silver plate. The warriors' shields and clothing were likewise spangled

all over with silver; but we had no time to enjoy this splendid array of

barbaric pomp, although it was one possessed of fearful interest to us.

When we first discovered them they were under full headway, coming

around a point of timber; and the next instant they came down upon us at

a charge. We had barely time to seize our rifles, which were lying

beside us, and spring to the side of a house near by, when they sent a

shower of arrows among us. We delivered a hasty but well directed volley

as we ran, and emptied seven of their saddles. Staggered and annoyed at

resistance from so small a party, they circled away to a safe distance,

reformed and charged down upon us again; this time sweeping around us in

a complete circle and getting between us and our horses. But their

arrows flew among us harmlessly, while five more of the assailants fell

from our well directed fire. But they were not yet defeated, and

returned upon us a third time. We were then ordered to aim at their

horses, and I think the bullet of every man must have taken effect, and

some must have got two shots, for we killed fifteen horses, and there

were but thirteen of us in our party.

The Indians now circled away out of sight, around the point of timber

where we had first observed them, and did not return. Presently we saw a

runner start for the village at full speed, and in about half an hour

we could see squaws and boys carrying guns and shot pouches to the

Indians in the timber. Seeing this the Lieutenant inquired:

"What do you say, boys, shall we fight with them?"

"Fight them," was the answer on all sides.

We had a hope of being relieved by the regulars from Camp Cooper, and

this, with our recent success, made us confident of victory. By this

time we could see the Indians filing around the point of timber and

approaching us on foot, in the fullest confidence. They moved on toward

us until nearly within rifle range, when they went down into a deep

ravine, which ran nearly in a half circle around the house, and about

one hundred and eighty yards distant from it. It was evident from their

deliberate movements, that they intended to make sure work of it this

time, even if it was slow. For my part, I could almost feel the scalp

slip on my head. The savages followed down the ravine and were soon

within short range, and began to peep over the bank at us. We kept a

close watch but did not fire a gun, for we were expecting a charge. We

kept ourselves well sheltered by the corners of the house, while the

Indians hugged the bank. Presently the report of a rifle was heard in

the ravine, which was followed by a volley, almost as well delivered as

if fired by disciplined soldiers. Then was heard the war-whoop, and the

fire became general, but irregular--each man loading and shooting as

fast as possible. We only discharged our rifles when we saw a sure mark,

always taking care that not more than two or three pieces were fired at

a time, holding our loaded guns and pistols ready to receive a charge;

but it did not come, and the Indians, after keeping up a desultory

firing for an hour and a half, struck out for their village, carrying

with them their dead and wounded.

It was apparent that they had been expecting us, their horses being

ornamented and feathered with great care. Their own faces were also

elaborately painted, and they were decked out in their most fanciful war

dress. After they dismounted they fought us with Mississippi rifles;

and, as evidence of the skill with which they were handled, it is only

necessary to state that over fourteen hundred bullets struck the house,

and perhaps as many more whistled disagreeably near to it. As there were

no loop holes in the house, we were compelled to fight around the

corners, which prevented us from doing as much execution as we otherwise

would have done; but with all this, the savages were severely punished,

as we counted eighteen litters taking off dead and wounded, and found,

beside, three corpses which they had been unable to carry away.

As soon as they commenced leaving we began to fear they would be

reinforced and return, and we immediately dispatched a voting man named

Gus Sublett, for the Caddoe village for more men. He was a manly fellow,

and would do as he promised--_go through or die_! We immediately began

to put the house in a good state of defense, cutting loop holes on every

side, and covering the roof with raw hides, to prevent it from being

fired by burning arrows. We had two men badly wounded who claimed

considerable attention, as they suffered severely; one of them, Patrick

O'Brien, having received a ball in his hip, and the other, whose name

was Terry, had been shot in the calf of the leg.

After twenty-eight hours our reinforcements arrived, when we felt a

perfect ability to hold our own; but we were not attacked; the Indians

remaining on the Reserve without any further admonitions. I do not know

that the savages would have left off where they did, had it not been for

the intervention of Major Lieper, their agent, who appeared on the

ground just after the fight was over; and, on our promise to cease

firing, rode over and had a pow wow with Katampsie, in which the latter

expressed a willingness to "quit and call it even," provided we would do

the same; but Captain Knowlin insisted that Katampsie should give us six

sacks of flour and two hundred pounds of bacon, as "blood money;" and to

this he agreed, but refused to let more than three of our men go into

his village after it.

The Indians then gathered up their fallen braves and returned in sullen

silence to their village; but that silence was not long maintained, for

their women speedily began to "howl" the dead. This is a regular

ceremony among them, at which, in addition to outbursts of grief and

exclamations of sorrow from relatives and friends of the deceased, all

the old crones of the tribe join in howling over the remains. An Indian

"wake" is a noisy concern--especially if the deceased is a man of note.

A wife crops her hair off, even around her neck, and scarifies her

breasts, arms, and thighs, as a token of mourning for her husband; and a

daughter undergoes similar manipulations on the death of her father. The

scarifying knife is fixed in the end of a stick, so as to gauge the cut

to a certain depth, generally well through the skin, in order to form a

tolerably broad scar. Although the process is a severe one, they not

only readily endure it, but use the knife on themselves.

On the day following the fight Sterling White, Sublett, and myself went

into the village after our "blood money." When Katampsie saw us coming

he sprang to his feet, vowing vengeance. The old fellow had several

squaws about his tent, who, I suppose were his wives, as they all seized

hold of him and held him tightly as soon as they saw us prepare to

defend ourselves. The chief raved and tore, jumped up and down, and

cursed us in Spanish, finally worrying the women down till they were

obliged to turn him loose; when, instead of carrying out his threats, he

quietly sat down on a dilapidated cracker box, folded his arms across

his breast, and appeared for some time lost in meditation.

Again we pressed our demand, when he arose, and in company with some of

his leading warriors, went with us to Major Lieper, and requested him to

fill our requisition from the government stores, which was promptly

done, and we left the inhospitable village for camp, well satisfied that

Katampsie's warriors were not inclined to back their chief in his

hostile intentions toward the whites.

A small force was left to patrol the country up and down, to see that

the Indians obeyed orders, while the remainder of our party returned to

the camp at the Caddoe village. The men at the upper agency were left

under charge of Captain Knowlin, while Captain Brown, with the main

force, went down the country to guard the more exposed settlements.

While we were near the Caddoe village, a reliable citizen came into our

camp and reported having seen a considerable force of Indians on Rock

creek, a little over twenty miles distant. Judging from the intelligence

received as to the number of warriors, Captain Brown thought it prudent

to prepare for a defense of his camp rather than to start in pursuit. We

were out of ammunition; and to procure a supply, it was necessary for

some one to go to Belknap, twenty-two miles distant, and it fell to my

lot to be the messenger. It was by no means a pleasant task, partly

because the weather was exceedingly hot, but especially because all the

Indians in that region had come to look upon the Rangers as enemies. I

passed through the agency, and as long as I was near the regulars I felt

perfectly safe; but was a little doubtful as to personal safety outside

of their jurisdiction. About half way between the agency and Belknap, in

going around a short turn in the road, I met sixteen warriors riding

along at a walk. Instantly the foremost of them strung their bows and

unslung their quivers; but I rode deliberately and boldly up, till

within the length of a lance of them, when one of them made signs for me

to stop, which I did. Four of them tried to ride behind me, but having

seen them string their bows, I refused to let them pass; at the same

time throwing my horse around so that a gigantic forest tree covered my

back.

They affected not to understand me, when I drew my pistol from my belt,

and said to them in Mexican, "_parreti, amigos_!"[2] and immediately

they stopped, with a cunning laugh, and turned to their chief, as if

awaiting orders. The Chief, whose name I learned was Placido, and who

was afterward my firm friend, seemed to regard me with suspicion. Eyeing

me from head to foot, he asked me some questions in his own tongue; but

I told him I did not understand him; but he went on, delivering a

lengthy discourse, still speaking in Indian; and seemed to regard me

with an air that said, "I know very well what I am saying, and you must

understand it."

[Illustration: "Seeing myself in a critical position, I drew a box of

prairie matches from my pocket, and then, all at once, threw them into

one of the grass lodges, and in an instant it was in a blaze."--=Page

66=.]

I now said in Mexican--"_no entiende_"--I don't understand. He then

looked at me, for some time, and inquired my name, speaking in Mexican,

and I told him my patronimic. He then accused me of being a Texan and an

enemy. I understood him now perfectly; his eyes fairly blazed with

malicious anger, as I deliberately eyed him from head to foot. I began

to think it was a mixed case as to whether or not I passed further

inspection. The savages stood around me, in a half circle, seemingly

determined to know, for certain, all about me; and at the same time, the

lack of a medium to convey ideas, rendered our situation peculiarly

embarrassing, particularly as they had already begun to show

unmistakable signs of hostility. They held a short consultation in their

own tongue, after which the Chief again asked me my name, speaking in

Mexican. I again favored him with it, but it was evidently not the

information he sought; and he hesitated a moment as if to recall some

forgotten word, when he said:

"Donde vienne usted?" (where do you come from?)

Without hesitation, I answered, "From Fort Arbuckle."

"Por donde vamos?" (where are you going?) he continued.

"To Fort Belknap," was my answer.

"Que quiere alla?" he persisted in inquiring.

I told him I had a "big letter" for Captain Thompson, from Captain

Plummer, and that I was a United States soldier, and not a Texan; and

that I was friendly to them so long as they were friendly to the United

States soldiers; and this being delivered in a very earnest manner, and

tolerable lingo, made some impression; for, pointing to my drawn pistol,

he indicated a desire to have it returned to its scabbard. I pointed to

their bows, and intimated that I wanted them returned to their quivers.

They looked at one another, and laughed, and then unstrung their bows,

while I, at the same time, put my pistol in my belt.

After expressing great love for the United States soldiers, and undying

hatred to all Texans, they bid me "Adios," and galloped away; not,

however, until they had bantered me for a horse race and a horse "swap."

I watched them till they had disappeared, and then resumed my journey. I

got through all right, and with my ammunition and carts, returned to

Caddoe Village.

On my way back, I heard most piercing cries of pain, near an Indian

camp; and as it was quite dark, I approached as nearly as possible, in

order to discover whence it proceeded. Riding cautiously, and keeping on

soft ground, I approached within one hundred and fifty yards of a large

fire, from which the shrieks appeared to emanate, when I discovered

about forty warriors in a circle around a tree to which a prisoner was

tied. From his appearance, I took him to be a Comanche; and his captors

were trying his manhood by threshing him with a raw-hide rope. His

sufferings were excruciating; and the crackling fire was built so as to

throw out a strong heat on his lacerated back. He was greatly exhausted

when I saw him, and he was not bearing himself with that stoicism which

the Indian is supposed to possess. He was probably put to death that

night. His captors were exceedingly grave, and quiet, during the short

time I watched them; not one moving from his place except the one who

applied the lash.

The victim had probably ventured too far, while following the avocation

of a Comanche warrior, viz.: horse stealing, and had fallen into the

hands of the Philistines, who, although they themselves might not set a

better example, were determined to convince the unlucky one that it was

a great crime to be caught. Fearing that, if discovered, I might become

more than a disinterested spectator of the scene, and not relishing the

idea of assisting the prisoner in playing his particular role, I rode

away as quietly as I approached, and put out for our camp, in a hurry.

Residents of a civilized country will find it difficult to believe that

I witnessed this scene within three miles of the agency, and that the

actors were Delawares, who have been for years under the supervision of

the United States authorities; yet the statement is as true as it is

lamentable.

_CHAPTER III._

MORE ADVENTURE--MUSTERED OUT.

The people on the frontier became daily more and more incensed against

the Indians; and although they knew the government intended to remove

them at the earliest practicable moment, to the head waters of the False

Washita river, it required the utmost vigilance to keep citizens off the

Reserves and the Indians on them. At length the preparations for the

removal were complete, and on the 15th of August, 1859, the march to the

Washita agency began. The affair was superintended exclusively by United

States troops, under command of Major Geo. H. Thomas, now Major General

Thomas, who managed matters in an able manner, and gave complete

satisfaction to the people of the frontier. Every warrior was compelled

to be present and answer to his name, at roll call, in the same manner

as the regular soldiers; and in this way, very few had an opportunity to

drop out and lay back, to wreak private vengeance on the settlers;

nevertheless, fearing that some might escape the vigilance of the

regulars, we had orders to follow up, and arrest or kill any Indian

found straggling more than three miles to the rear of the column. We had

but little to do except exercise vigilance. One adventure, however,

shows the partiality of the Indian for horse-flesh. We discovered a

party of horsemen, one day, at a distance from us, and near the west

bank of the Trinity river. We were on rising ground, and they had not

discovered us, and we therefore hastily withdrew and took down the river

under cover of the timber, directly toward them; they were on one side

of the river and we on the other. There were ten or a dozen of them, and

were apparently leading more horses than they were riding. We rode on

till within about a mile of the party, when we could plainly discern

that they were Indians, and immediately we gave chase. Our horses were

put to their best speed, and we rapidly gained on the savages. One by

one their led horses were turned loose, while the "quirt"[3] was

mercilessly used to those they were riding. Soon their baggage was cut

loose and left on the trail to facilitate their escape; and after this

the Indians made much better time, and it became, for a while, about an

even race, we neither gaining nor losing anything; when at length the

Indians began to scatter, with a view to keeping out of our way till

night, when they hoped to escape. Two of their horses were evidently

badly wearied, and were rapidly "giving out;" and, therefore, Jack

Anderson and myself singled them out and followed them, till they

abandoned the animals, which they did in the mouth of the rocky gorge

which led up into a mountain. The savages were about a quarter of a mile

ahead of us, and consequently when we reached the spot, they were

already far up the side of the mountain, which was almost inaccessible;

and seeing that it would be impossible to overtake them, we caught the

abandoned horses and started for our rendezvous on the Little Washita

river. We were much wearied, having run our horses, as we afterward

discovered, about thirty-two miles. We had a rough time finding our way

through a strange country to an unknown place during the night; but it

was accomplished. We found about one-half of the command assembled on

our arrival.

A small detachment was sent out to scout through the country in the rear

of the Indians as far as Red river crossing, while the remainder lay

encamped on the Little Washita, up which stream we reconnoitered till we

reached its head. We then proceeded across to the head-waters of the

Brazos, near the junction of the Double Mountain fork, where we encamped

in an old, deserted cabin on the waters of the Red fork, picketing our

horses on short rope, and putting out a strong guard, for we had been

following a trail all day which seemed to be about two days old. During

the night we were once more visited by a panther, which got in among our

horses, and made them perfectly frantic with fear. I was on guard at the

time, and as it passed very near me I was in nearly the same condition

as the animals. As it was between myself and the camp, I dare not shoot

without danger of hurting either the men or horses, so that I was

obliged to let it pass. It walked along very slowly and deliberately,

apparently inspecting each horse separately; when presently, as if

satisfied in its own mind on some important point, it turned and trotted

out over my beat, eyeing me suspiciously all the time. It made for the

timber, and when it got about thirty yards from where I stood, I blazed

away with my shot-gun, which was charged with heavy buckshot. The

panther bounded into the air, and as it again reached the ground, it

whirled its head around, and bit its side, at the same time uttering

most doleful screams. Knowing that I had done a rash thing in wounding

it in the night, I was considering the propriety of "falling back on the

reserve," when it suddenly seemed to comprehend my intentions, and

started for me. I now saw that there was no chance for retreat. He

cleared nearly half the distance which separated us at the first bound.

Quick as thought I brought down my gun to fire the other barrel; but

before I had time to pull, half a dozen guns cracked near me, and the

panther once more bounded in the air, and fell again to the earth in the

agonies of death. This was the first time I thought of the camp. The men

in it, having heard my shot, rushed out ready for any emergency. I was

considerably relieved when I saw the panther fall, but fearing lest he

might rise again, I fired my remaining load into his side. Some of the

men brought a chunk of fire, and we examined the body, and found it

literally riddled with shot. The animal was both large and old.

This was during the last relief, and as daylight was near at hand, the

men did not again go to bed, and I was accordingly relieved from watch,

and I determined to pay my respects to some turkeys which I had heard

for some time "gobbling" in the distance. Following the direction of the

sound I came to a tree on the bank of a creek, and about three quarters

of a mile from camp. Its branches were literally covered by

turkeys--the number being not less than forty or fifty. I fired and

brought down two, and was tying their feet together, when in the

distance I heard a yell as if from a single Indian. Now, thought I,

here's for glory; I'm in for a single-handed fight, and off I started in

the direction of the sound, taking good care to scrutinize every place

that could conceal a foe. I advanced rapidly, but cautiously, for nearly

a mile when again the shrill whoop rang out, but apparently as far off

as ever, and in the same direction. But this time the yell was answered,

and by at least thirty voices. This was decidedly more than I had

bargained for; it was a perfect extinguisher upon my desire to

distinguish myself, and my ambition for a single-handed fight gave way

to apprehensions for personal safety. I felt certain of my ability to

fight and kill one Indian, but I did not care to engage a greater

number, and I struck out for camp in a hurry. Passing the place where I

"hung my turkeys up," I shouldered the game, and "made tracks

frequently." When in camp I threw down my turkeys, and got soundly

lectured by all hands, as is usual in such cases, for my foolhardiness;

after which I reported to Captain Brown that I had heard Indians.

Breakfast was soon dispatched, horses saddled and mounted, and we

started in the direction of the sounds. After traveling about five miles

we came to another old house, which, although long deserted by its

owner, had evidently been occupied the previous night. A fire was

burning on the hearth, and part of the carcass of a deer was lying on

the ground outside; and there were horse-tracks all around the door, as

if a party had just mounted and ridden away. Taking their trail, which

was broad and plain, we followed at a gallop nearly all day; at times,

however, losing the trail, and then, of course, consuming time in

finding it again. About noon we passed a herd of cattle, several of

which had arrows sticking in their bodies, and were piteously moaning

with pain. During the day we passed several little piles of sticks

crossed on the trail. The Indians evidently had one or more prisoners,

and the sticks meant that they were to be tortured and burned at the

stake. This gave our energies a fresh impetus, and we redoubled our

exertions to overtake the party. Encamping for the night we pushed on

again, following the trail, on the next day, and at about ten o'clock we

found where the Indians had killed a mare, and after taking out her

colt, had devoured it--a very common habit of the Comanches when hard

pushed by a pursuing party. We hurried along till we came in sight of

the hills at the head of the Big Washita river, having ridden at a

gallop nearly all day. Toward night we came to a deserted camp which it

was evident the Indians had but recently left; meat was still roasting

over the fire on their broiling sticks, and a gourd was on the ground

filled with water from a spring near by. The water had not yet become

warm, though the sun shone directly upon it. No shoe tracks were found

near to indicate the presence of white persons; all the feet had been

moccasined, and it was also ascertained that one little child was with

the party. We likewise found a strip of calico with a broad hem on it.

Near the camp it was evident that a captive had been bound, and cut

loose in a hurry to escape. After examining the ground carefully we came

to the conclusion that the prisoner, whoever he might be, was, at least,

an Indian, as was also the little child. We discovered that the savages

had scattered from this camp in different directions, and we found on

one of the trails little bits of paper, strewn along at intervals for

several hundred yards; and a little further along was a pass, given by

Major Leiper to a Reserve Comanche of an unpronounceable name.

Concluding that this was the right trail, we traveled as fast as our now

jaded and starved horses could go for another two hours, when night came

on, and we encamped on the trail, and rested till morning. We were now

on the very head-waters of the Big Washita, about one hundred and fifty

miles north of Fort Belknap. Our horses were jaded, and we tired and out

of provisions, so that the Captain resolved to abandon the pursuit, and

return to our old camp on the Little Washita. Traveling leisurely so as

to recruit our horses, we arrived at our destination, and found Captain

Knowlin and his company anxiously awaiting our arrival.

Having performed the duties assigned to us in that section, we rested

two or three days, and took up our line of march for Fort Belknap.

Heartily tired of an exclusively meat diet, our lively imaginations

conjured up pictures of--bread and butter; for which our stomachs longed

with a hunger that could be appeased by bread and butter alone; and this

article of diet constituted the principal topic of conversation all the

way to Belknap. At Fort Belknap Captain Brown received orders to return

to Belton to muster out his men, as they had now accomplished the

purpose for which they were mustered in. We had glorious times in

fishing and hunting all the way back; traveling all the time just as

fancy or caprice dictated, and living off the best of everything which

the country afforded. On our arrival at Belton the people gave us a

hearty welcome, after which we were honorably discharged; though we had

to wait for our pay till it could be brought from Washington City to

Austin, which consumed several weeks; after which we received it, at the

rate of forty-six dollars per month, in gold.

_CHAPTER IV._

WITH THE RANGERS AGAIN--BUFFALO HUNT--A LONELY JOURNEY.

I now occupied my time in taming wild horses and hunting, having an

occasional chase after the Indians, until winter, when I operated with a

Minute Company from Burnett county; our duties being merely to guard the

frontier from invasion. A Lieut. Hamilton was in command of our company,

and there was a _chain_ of companies of the same class, extending along

the entire frontier, numbering nearly twenty-five men each, under the

command of a Lieutenant. They kept up a constant patrol, across the

country rendering it exceedingly unsafe for the Indians to venture down

on the settlements. Nevertheless, their depredations continued to be of

frequent occurrence. The savages would come in by the mountain trails,

on the Colorado river, until they would get far down in the settlements,

when they would scatter out in small parties of from two to ten, and, by

traveling in the dead hours of the night, they would reach points which

they considered secure; then, by a preconcerted signal, they would raise

havoc in perhaps a dozen different places, at the same time. This kept

the country in a constant fever of excitement, and, as is usual on such

occasions, no one knew who to trust. Although the Minute Men were ever

on the alert, and zealous in their duty, still the Indians were crafty,

and restless in their hostility toward the whites; and, of course, they

often succeeded in their purposes; and this gave rise to many complaints

against the Rangers; and they were charged with being careless in the

discharge of their duties. The two parties referred to in a preceding

chapter, continued their contentions without intermission; and while the

excitement was at its hight, the official term of Governor Runnells

expired, and Gen. Sam. Houston was inaugurated in his place. The

General was entirely conversant with the condition of affairs, and the

first thing he did was to organize a regiment of Rangers, under command

of Col. M. T. Johnston, an able officer, and experienced in Indian

warfare; and in addition, he had been engaged in the Regulator and

Moderator war in Texas, and also in the contest with Mexico, where he

had taken part in the storming of Monterrey. He soon enlisted a fine

regiment, which was ably officered; and the governor and people

naturally expected great success to attend its efforts. Houston's design

was to carry the war into the Comanche and Kiowa country.

I enlisted at Waco, under command of Capt. J. M. Smith, who was likewise

an experienced soldier, and well qualified to do service in an Indian

war. Col. Johnston ordered the different companies to rendezvous at Fort

Belknap, on the 1st of March, 1860. Our company traveled up the Brazos

river from Waco, where it was recruited, to Fort Belknap, and was the

first on the ground.

A few days before we arrived there, a young woman--Miss Murphy--was

carried off from Murphy's ranch, near Belknap. So secretly had the

affair been managed, that not a trace of her was ever discovered; and

all that was known of the presence of the Indians, was, that a few

moccasin tracks were seen in the vicinity of the house. Miss Murphy had

gone to the front yard for wood, while her sister-in-law, a Mrs. Murphy,

was cooking in the house, with the door leading to the yard, wide open.

The young lady did not return with the wood, and Mrs. Murphy went out to

look for her; but failing to see her, at once blew the horn, which soon

brought the men to the house; but after the most thorough search, no

traces of her could be discovered. The neighbors were aroused, and the

search continued, but with no better success than on the previous day;

though it was evident that she had been carried off by the Indians.

Parties scoured the country far and wide, in the hope of finding some

traces of her, but she was never heard of more; at least so long as I

was in the State.

We had scarcely pitched our tents at Belknap, before a citizen came into

camp with the intelligence that the Indians were depredating on the

settlements but three miles distant. We mounted in haste, and were soon

off. We were not troubled by delays in putting our army stores in

motion, for the reason that we had no commissary department, and nothing

for one to do; nor was any time consumed in drawing and cooking rations,

for we had none.

We repaired to the place at once, and found that a man named Peabody had

been brutally murdered. He was shot with arrows, eight or ten times, and

then lanced as often, after which he was scalped. The murder was

committed by nine Comanches, in full view of seven white men, who, had

they been worthy of their race--of the name of men even--could have

whipped the savages off, and perhaps saved Peabody's life. They alleged

a fear that a greater number of Indians were in the vicinity; and so

they mounted their horses and left the prisoner to his fate, in full

view of his agonized family, and within fifty yards of his own home.

Having committed the deed, the Indians mounted and were off, as rapidly

as their horses could carry them.

Capt. Smith took prompt measures to secure redress, and inflict

vengeance upon the savages. He confiscated all the flour in the

neighborhood, and put all the women to baking bread. The murder was

committed just at sunset, and we were there and making preparations for

the pursuit by dark; and at daylight the next morning, were off on the

trail, which we followed with unceasing energy till stopped by

darkness--the Indians, all the time, flying in the direction of the head

waters of the Big Washita.

The trail indicated that they were traveling leisurely; and as they took

no pains to break the trail, we concluded that they were young warriors.

We encamped for the night, and at daylight were again in pursuit, as

rapidly as horse flesh could carry us. Our gait, nearly the whole time,

was a swift gallop; and from indications, it was plain that the Indians

were accelerating or "mending" their pace. At dark, we again encamped on

the trail, and near the head of the Big Washita; and we passed the

night without any disturbance; and at dawn were off once more in

pursuit. But now we came to considerable sign, as if there might be an

important village in the vicinity; and following a path that seemed to

be extensively traveled, we wound around between two high hills, and

into a long, narrow valley, within a short distance of a village

containing eighteen lodges. Everything betokened that the place had been

evacuated very recently. A few horses were staked out to graze near one

of the lodges, and for that point we charged at full speed; and as we

dashed up, we were saluted with the sharp report of several rifles, of

no light caliber; after which arrows fell thick and fast. An order was

then given to surround the whole place. My horse being somewhat

fractious and a good deal braver than I was, dashed right in among the

lodges. Seeing myself in a critical position, I drew a box of prairie

matches from my pocket, and, lighting them all at once, threw them into

one of the dry grass lodges, and in an instant it was in a blaze; and

from it the flames spread rapidly, till they reached the one in which

the Indians were. The savages kept up a pretty good fire for so small a

number, until they saw the flames, when all was still as death for a

minute or more. Our men ceased firing, to let me have a chance to get

out; but my horse continued unmanageable; and though, when the heat

became intense, he made a few lunges to escape it, he again wheeled

around, gazing at the lurid flame, heedless of rein, voice or spur.

Suddenly the Indians began to show a disposition to come out. They made

a racket at the door of the lodge, which they had barricaded, with such

lumbering stuff as they could command; and they were now pulling it

down. In the meantime, our heavy rifle balls were penetrating the grass

walls from every side. Suddenly the Indians raised a piercing whoop, and

five of their number charged out. As they showed themselves, we

discharged more than a hundred guns upon them, and the whole five fell,

either killed outright or mortally wounded; and four more were killed in

the lodge.

We now took time to examine the place, and discovered that in many of

the wigwams were clothing, buffalo robes, and cooking utensils--evidence

that the occupants had but recently decamped. In one of them we captured

a large quantity of jerked buffalo meat, which was about the only thing

saved from the flames.

As soon as the Indians who dashed out were disposed of, one of the men

threw a raw-hide rope over the top of the lodge, so that it caught on

some of the projecting poles, and held fast. Instantly a party of men

caught it, and pulled the frail structure over; and by kicking the

burning grass away, we succeeded, after a severe scorching, in dragging

the bodies of those who had remained inside away from the flames. Two of

them had been shot dead, and two severely wounded.

We scoured the country for some distance thoroughly, in the hope of

discovering other villages; but all the signs went to show that there

were no more, and that the inhabitants of the one destroyed had fled

before the arrival of the Indians we had been pursuing, who, doubtless,

did not belong there, but had only fled to it for safety. It is probable

that a party of hunters had seen us long before our arrival, and had

raised the alarm; and as our animals were much fatigued we did not

pursue their trail as the horses ridden by the Indians were, no doubt,

all fresh. We did not recover Peabody's scalp, as it had probably been

hidden by the savages, and was consumed by the fire. The Indians killed

were all Comanches, but the village had been built and owned by the

Wichitas.

We encamped at the spring near the village for a good rest; and I was

soon astonished to find that I was looked upon as a very brave man; and

as such I was highly complimented by my officers. At first I was

somewhat flattered; but I soon remembered about my horse, and I told

them that the credit of the whole affair belonged exclusively to him; as

he had carried me where it was exceedingly doubtful that I should have

gone with my own free will.

From this place we crossed the Divide, and went down the Red fork of

the Brazos. High up on this stream we had a grand buffalo chase. Keeping

under cover of a ridge, we deployed as skirmishers, so as to surround as

much ground as possible. The wind favored us, and the buffalos did not

discover us until we had marched up over the ridge, and a considerable

distance down toward them; when they began to manifest some uneasiness,

and the Captain at once ordered a charge. As the notes of the bugle rang

out the animals raised their great shaggy heads in stupefied wonder at

the sudden apparition of three hundred men charging down upon them,

yelling, shouting, laughing, and hurrahing like madmen. With a loud,

quick snort the nearest ones would whirl on their hind feet, and dash

into the herd, spreading panic wherever they went. We soon closed upon

them, and the work of destruction commenced; and the rattle of firearms

was constant. The herd of buffalo seemed to roll like black waves over

the ground, and extended as far as the eye could reach. The earth was

jarred by their heavy, lumbering gait, while the air was filled with

dust, and the ear stunned by the rumbling sound. On and on we went, pell

mell, until buffalo, horse, rider--all, brought up with one grand plunge

in the Red fork of the Brazos. The buffalo surging through the swollen

stream, and reaching the opposite bank, scrambled up it in the wildest

confusion--the strong trampling down the weak or such as were unlucky

enough to fall--each only intent upon escape, and only caring for self.

By the time I and my immediate comrades had reached the river, we found

that many of the rangers had become almost inextricably mixed up with

the buffalo, and a few of them were driven into the water by the

struggling mass; but fortunately they all escaped without severe injury,

and joined again in the exciting, but dangerous sport. Some of the

buffalo bogged down in the quicksand, and were mounted and ridden by a

few of the most reckless of the "boys," at the imminent risk of being

swamped themselves. The sound of the bugle could just be heard above the

din of the chase, calling us to "rally," and we now, for the first time,

surveyed the scene behind us. It would be almost useless for me to

attempt a description of the ground over which we had passed. The dust

hung over the plain in a dense, heavy cloud, but had been lifted

sufficiently high to reveal scores of huge carcasses scattered over the

earth, while yet other scores were rolling upon the ground in the

agonies of mortal wounds; and yet a greater number were staggering and

bellowing under the smart of injuries too trifling to bring them down,

but sufficient to prevent them from keeping up with their unharmed

companions. Here and there, too, was an unlucky rider, who had been

thrown from his horse by accident--perhaps the breaking of a rein, or

the parting of a girth; and in the meantime their steeds were flying

about, neighing for their company, or lying down gasping for breath. A

few unlucky ones were in the melee badly gored by the infuriated bulls,

and it became necessary to lead them back to camp; while a few footmen

were seen moving around, pistols in hand, dispatching some doughty, but

badly-wounded animal.

The killed and wounded amounted to more than five hundred; and when we

had fairly rallied, we commenced in earnest to save the meat. We took

nothing but the humps and a few tongues, leaving the remainder as a

feast for wolves. Those who had lost their horses mounted captured ones,

and we were soon off once more for Fort Belknap. On our arrival, we

found the remainder of the regiment assembled, except one company,

commanded by Captain Ed. Burleson, and which had been in the service for

some time, and was at a point one hundred and fifty miles away, without

an intervening settlement. This wild region we well knew to be a

favorite resort for Comanche and Kiowa hunters, and, therefore, very

dangerous for travelers; yet across it, it became necessary to carry a

dispatch to Captain Burleson, ordering him to report to Colonel Johnston

for duty. I volunteered for the service, and taking five days rations of

bread and bacon, I commenced my lonely journey, and on the first day

made fifty miles. During the day I passed over a good deal of fresh

sign. There had been a shower of rain in the forenoon, and I crossed

trails where the fresh dust was turned up from under the damp soil on

the top; but I saw no Indians. I encamped early, as it was a cloudy

night, and I could not see to travel. I ate my supper, rested awhile,

and then moved to a place about a mile from the road and made my bed in

a new place. This is a common practice among both Indians and Rangers.

Feeling perfectly secure, I slept till morning, and on awaking, looked

to see if my horse was safe, which I soon ascertained was the case; and

then I thought of my breakfast. But judge of my astonishment when I

found it was gone! I soon discovered the fragments of my haversack at a

considerable distance from the tree, where I had hung it up for safe

keeping. It was torn into shreds, and all my good biscuit and bacon

eaten, or carried away. The hard bread, however, was scattered around;

for although a good article of the kind, it had not proved palatable to

my nocturnal visitor; some of it having been chewed up and evidently

dropped in disgust. My bacon had been completely cleaned out--had gone

the way of all flesh. There was enough sign on the ground to convince me

that the robbery had been perpetrated by ten or a dozen "Lober" wolves;

none of the black or grey species being able to reach so high. Imagine

my situation and feelings on making the discovery! A hundred and ten

miles from my place of destination, without a bite to eat, and Indians

so thick around me that I dare not fire a shot, lest I should attract to

me one or more of the straggling bands infesting the country! But there

was nothing to be gained by vain regrets, though much time might be lost

in that way. The contemptible villains that had robbed me, were,

doubtless, at that moment stretched out in some secluded spot taking a

comfortable snooze, or felicitating themselves upon the successful

termination of their enterprise, and the adroit manner in which it had

been executed. The more I studied over it, the madder I got; so I rode

off, pondering on numerous schemes of revenge. I resolved to hold the

whole community responsible for the acts of the individual, and have

ever since took a great amount of solid pleasure in killing a wolf.

[Illustration: "On and on we went, pell-mell, until buffalo, horse,

rider, all, brought up with one grand plunge in the Red Fork of the

Brazos."--Page 68.]

I was a day and a night getting to Camp Colorado, where I called upon

Lieut. Lee, and related my misfortune. He consoled me with a hearty meal

and I rode on. He also tendered my mustang a feed of corn, but the pony,

not being used to such coarse diet, refused it in disgust. I had yet

twenty-eight miles to ride before I reached Home creek, where it was

supposed I would find Burleson. The route was easily found to the

crossing of the creek, but when once there which way to turn I did not

know.

About eleven miles from Camp Colorado, I came to a considerable

mountain, called Santa Anna's peak. Staking my pony so that he could

graze, I climbed to the summit to take a view of the surrounding

country, and see if I could discover smoke indicating a camp. From this

point I had a full view of Home creek, from its source to a point nearly

as far down as its mouth, on the Pecan bayou. While leisurely surveying

the landscape before me, I was startled by a slight sound, like the

breaking of a twig. Knowing that I stood upon dangerous ground, I held

my pistol in my hand; and to cock it was but the work of a moment; and

turning around, judge my astonishment at seeing before me a stalwart

negro, and distant only about ten steps, with a rifle drawn and nearly

ready to fire. There was no mistaking his intention. His eye was a

perfect index to his thoughts and his determination. Quick as thought I

leveled on him, but before I could speak he addressed me in a very quiet

tone:

"Master, don't shoot me."

"Put down your gun, then," I replied, utterly astonished at his coolness

and effrontery, and slowly he let the hammer fall and lowered his piece.

"Master," he said piteously, "you isn't gwine to kill me, is ye?"

"What were you about to do to me?" I demanded; "were you not in the act

of shooting me?"

"Master," he replied, "I'se a poor black man; my life ain't worth

nothin' to you, no how; so jes please let me live a little longer;

please don't shoot me."

Again I demanded why he had drawn his gun on me.

"O please, sir, put down de pistol, den I kin talk to you."

I lowered the pistol, keeping a strict eye on his movements. He prefaced

his remarks with the very pertinent question:

"Is you from Texas?"

I hardly know what made me deny it, but I replied that I was not. But

his next sentence convinced me that I had done well.

"I thought," said he, "you was one of dem fellers from de creek, over

dar."

"What fellows? Who are they?" I inquired. He looked at me so calmly,

that I saw he was not in the least afraid of me; and after hesitating a

little, he asked, in a dubious tone:

"Master, whar did you come from, den?"

I told him quickly I came from Fort Cobb, in the Indian Nation, and this

seemed greatly to relieve his mind on some important point, for he said:

"La, master, I thort you was one o' dem fellers from Texas; dey come up

in de mountains every few days, huntin' for some of us poor brack folks;

dey dun cotch nearly all now and took 'em down in de settlements."

"What is your name, and what are you doing here?" I asked.

"My name Jim, sah, and I lives round de end of de mountain, dar. But,

massa, what might I call you?"

I told him my name, and otherwise made myself free with him, when he

became very social; and on learning I was originally from Ohio, he made

many inquiries about the people, and the country. "I'se always hearn

about the north," said he; "and wanted to go dar."

He then told me he had been raised a slave, and he had run off from his

master, who lived in Jack county, Texas; and that he had lived in those

mountains several years. After talking awhile longer, and finding I had

no disposition to molest him in any manner, he invited me to go with him

to his cave. Full of curiosity to see more of the strange mortal, I

walked with him around the point, over piles of broken rocks, which

seemed to have been tumbled down out of the side of the mountain, by an

earthquake; he clambered, and I followed, until we turned around the

spur, when he stopped before a little hole in the side of a cliff, and

pointing to it, said:

"Dar's whar I lib, sah," and he led the way into it.

Stooping down, I followed him into the cave, until he disappeared in the

darkness, when I stepped to one side, and placed myself behind a huge

rock, that projected from the wall. I thought by doing so, I would have

a decided advantage if he was disposed to be tricky. He then called out:

"Jis stop a minit, till I strikes a light."

He soon had a large iron lamp burning, which lit up the whole cave;

after which, he proceeded to light a fire, and cook me something to eat.

He had plenty to live on--flour, bacon, sugar, coffee, and tea. He

boasted of this--said he "lived as well as de white folks;" but what was

the greatest mystery to me, was the fact that he had a large amount of

clothing in his cave--both men's and women's wear. In one place, were

several fine coats hanging; and in another, pants, vests, and female

apparel. I kept constantly between him and the door, without acting as

if I suspected anything. But I could not possibly devise how he came by

these articles, and therefore did not like to put myself in his power,

lest my coat might soon hang with the rest. Without seeming to care

anything about it, I asked a few questions about his hunting, and the

profits it brought him; if he followed trading, and if he bartered any

with the Indians. I found he procured his flour and bacon, by selling

game to the officers and soldiers, at different posts; and that there

were a good many other runaways in the mountains, and that Burleson's

men had caught half a dozen of them, and sent them to the settlements. I

did not deem it prudent to tell him I wanted to go to Burleson's camp,

or that I knew anything about it. After eating a heavy dinner with him,

I bid him a hearty "good bye," and told him I must ride. He inquired

very earnestly where I was going, and I told him, without hesitating, to

Fort Mason. He accompanied me down the mountain to my horse, and when I

had mounted, he shook hands with me kindly, as only a negro can, when he

is in earnest, saying:

"Massa, you won't neber tink hard o' old Uncle Jim; 'deed I tink you are

one o' dem fellers from Texas."

I put out at a good gait, and got to the crossing of the creek, about an

hour before sundown. When there, I had a hard time to determine which

way to go, but finally turned up the creek, which happened to be the

right course, and I reached Burleson's camp some time after dark, and

was warmly welcomed by the Captain and his men.

On my way down, I had captured a prairie dog, and put it in my saddle

pocket. It was a beautiful little animal, about twice the size of a

common fox squirrel, of brownish color, with very bright little eyes,

and with ears so diminutive, as to be little more than a curl in the

hair. Its feet were shaped like those of a squirrel, with five toes on

its front, and four on its hinder feet; and its teeth, too, resembled

those of the same animal, but were larger, and stronger; while its tail,

except that it was larger, and had coarser hair, was like that of the

common ground squirrel. It would have made a fine pet, and been an

object of curiosity down in the settlements; but as I could not carry it

with me, I killed it.

The region over which I traveled, abounded in game--especially in deer

and antelope. On the Clear fork of the Brazos, I could see immense

herds, shading themselves, during the heat of the day. From the top of

the table land, on the southwest side of the Clear fork, I could see

more than fifty groups of these animals, at once; and many of them

numbered from forty to fifty. It would be altogether safe, to estimate

the whole number in sight at once, at five hundred.

I received a terrible fright from half a dozen horned owls, just as I

was crossing a little creek, within a short distance of camp. They

raised a perfectly demoniac yell over my head, just as I came up out of

the creek; and they followed it up, with such a natural laugh, that I

put spurs to my horse, and ran a short distance, fearing that I was in

the vicinity of a camp of savages, waylaying the ford. After getting

some distance away, I turned around, and peering up into the trees,

discovered the cause of my alarm to be nothing more dangerous than half

a dozen great horned owls, enjoying a social "time," in the cool of the

evening.

After a day of rest, in camp, I joined a party in a bear hunt, up Jim

Ned creek, a stream named after Jim Ned, a Caddoe warrior of

considerable note, who, as the story goes, is a natural son of Gen.

H----y, who is known throughout the west as a daring soldier--gay, and

fond of women. He is a man of decided character, large size, and endowed

with no ordinary degree of courage. His great resemblance to the

general, gives credence to the reputed relationship; but Capt. Beaver,

or as he is commonly called, Black Beaver, a full blood Indian, and a

very truthful man, who has known Jim Ned, since his birth, says his

father was a very black negro, while the mother was a full blooded

Indian woman. Nevertheless, Jim Ned is very white, and would pass for a

white man in almost any crowd.

But without attempting to determine the vexed question of Jim Ned's

parentage, I return to my narrative. Our luck in the hunt, was

extraordinary. We had procured good dogs from the settlement, and had

rare sport. In three days, we killed five bears, one elk, and a number

of deer. We found wild honey in abundance, of which we partook

liberally, after which we filled our camp kettles with it, as well as

every other available vessel in our possession; some of us even took off

our drawers, and, after having washed them in the creek, tied the legs

together at the bottom, and filled them with the delicious sweet. We

found this decidedly the easiest of all methods of carrying it, as we

could hang it astride our horses. We then returned to camp, very tired,

badly stung, but full of life.

On our return, we discovered everything in commotion, as the Indians had

made their appearance in the neighborhood, and had been stealing horses;

and a party of citizens were in the camp, ready to pilot us to the scene

of the disturbances. The Captain got his company in the saddle, and went

to the spot indicated that night, and next morning early, we struck out

on the trail, and had only followed it a few miles, when we came in

sight of the Indians, who were only two in number. They had with them

four horses--none of them good ones. We raised a yell, and started after

them at a full charge. Throwing themselves from their horses, they

turned toward the bushes. We run partly around the thicket, and

commenced firing into it. Our heavy rifle balls cut the brush and

glanced about through it so much, that it ceased to be much protection

to them, and they soon found it so. They then hoisted a white rag on a

switch, and we ceased firing. The Captain called on them to come out,

which they immediately did, one of them holding his hand over his right

ear. On being assured that we did not want to kill them, they regarded

themselves as extremely well favored. They belonged to the tribe of

Lipans. The citizens agreed that they would take them to Austin, to be

turned over to Gov. Houston. The wounded man said he was "proud, heap

proud; white man miss so close."

We returned to camp on Home creek, where another party was sent out to

Pecan bayou, on a scout; myself among the number. A few miles above Camp

Colorado, we found a deserter from the regular service, wandering about

in irons. He had a pistol, and plenty of ammunition; but as his irons

were riveted, he could not get them off. Luckily our blacksmith was

along with us, and he had his rasp with him, by the aid of which, and

his shoeing hammer, the manacles were loosed. When set at liberty, the

Lieutenant told him he might either return to his regiment, or go down

to the settlements; and he chose the latter alternative. On the same

day, we found a negro woman in the woods, who was taken into custody, to

be returned to her owner: but in the night she escaped, through some

mysterious agency, although securely tied, and was never seen afterward,

by any of the party; and, as catching slaves was not our legitimate

business, we made little exertion to find her. Crossing over on to Jim

Ned, we had plenty of sport, killing deer; indeed, our horses were

literally loaded down with venison, bear meat, and other game, and we

were thinking of anything else, rather than war, when all at once we

struck a broad trail, over which a large number of horses had passed.

Believing that a drove of animals had strayed off here, from some of the

settlements, we followed in the track, with a view of heading them off,

and returning them to the settlements. As the tracks were very fresh, we

did not anticipate any trouble in overtaking the drove, the first time

it stopped to graze. After following the trail for some time, we came in

sight of a lone Indian, but nothing else was to be seen. The instant he

observed us, he dashed off as rapidly as his horse could carry him,

following the course the horses had taken. It was evident that he was a

sentinel, and that more savages were ahead; so we started at once in

pursuit. It was now apparent that the animals had been stolen, and were

being driven off by a large body of Indians. The trail was nearly as

plain as a wagon road, and could be traveled with certainty in the

night, and we accordingly kept on through the darkness.

Failing to gain on the Indian, we cut our game loose from the saddles,

and let it go; and our horses, thus relieved from a heavy burden, ran

well; and though we did not gain on the savage, we held our own, and

thus prevented him from giving the alarm to his company before we came

upon them. It was a tight race, as long as we were on the level prairie;

but as soon as we entered the mountains, on the Colorado, he frequently

evaded our view, as he was a splendid horseman, and ran his animal with

excellent judgment.

His horse was failing, but so were our own; so that we could not take

advantage of that circumstance. On our arrival at the top of a mountain

we discovered the object of our pursuit--the drove of horses--in the

care of about twenty Indians. They had not yet discovered us, when the

red imp before us began to yell loud enough to awaken the dead, to say

nothing about startling the living. The Indians heard him, and we could

distinctly perceive the excitement occasioned; and they at once gave

him an answering whoop, and headed the drove for the river; but the

horses not being manageable by so small a number of drivers, stampeded,

and ran to the right, and nearly parallel to the stream, for some

distance; while the Indians, seeing us gain on them rapidly, left their

booty and dashed into another gap in the mountains. They had lost time

in trying to turn the horses the way they wanted them to go, and we were

now close upon them, firing, and yelling like so many madmen.

On we went till we passed the mountains, when we found the Indians had

mistaken their route, and ran through the wrong gap, and had

unexpectedly found themselves upon the river, with a high bluff before

them, and an almost perpendicular mountain on each side, while we were

charging close upon their rear; but they hesitated not a moment.

Realizing their position, they spurred ahead, and dashed over the bluff

into the river. So sudden was their disappearance that some of

Burleson's men could not check up in time to save themselves, but went

headlong after the savages, who made for the opposite shore as fast as

they rose to the surface. After swimming a few strokes, they struck hard

bottom and were soon in shallow water, when, giving us a parting whoop,

they fled to the woods, and were quickly out of sight. The river here is

very narrow and deep, on the North side. The bluff was about sixteen

feet high, and perpendicular above the water. There were three of our

party who went over the bluff after the Indians, one of whom we always

called Towney--but I have forgotten the names of the others. They all

swam ashore on the opposite side; still, as their guns and ammunition

were wet, they could accomplish nothing against the long lances of the

fugitives, so they wisely followed the river bank down to a ford and

recrossed.

The Lieutenant then concluded to return and save the horses, as there

was no longer any hope of overtaking the Indians in the dark. We soon

found the animals quietly grazing, and encamped to wait for the return

of the men who had gone in search of a ford, which they found about five

miles down the river. We were then forty-five miles from the regular

camp; and on the following day discovered a party of citizens who had

gone out in search of the horses; but had it not been for us, they would

never have seen them again. We then returned, and were soon feasting on

all sorts of wild fowl and game, as well as fish, of which we caught

thousands.

_CHAPTER V._

ANOTHER LONELY RIDE--FRONTIER FEUDS.

After resting my horse two or three days, I set out on my return to Fort

Belknap alone, as Burleson was not yet ready to move, and would not be

for some time. Out of unadulterated sympathy for my horse, I took no

rations for myself, depending solely for my subsistence on my trusty

gun. There are two requisites for successful hunting, besides proper

equipments and being a dead shot: one is to find the game, and the other

is to get within shooting distance. I could not dismount to hunt on

foot, nor could I leave my route, lest I should fall in with some roving

band of Comanches; and game was scarce on the high table-land over which

I was to travel, and as a natural consequence, I went hungry all the

way. On the second day, I became very sick of a fever, which I broke by

laying down in a running stream of pure water until I got chilled; and,

between hunger and sickness, I was unable to travel fast, and it was two

o'clock of the fourth day, before I reached Dobb's ranch, the first

settlement on my way, and only thirteen miles from Belknap. I called for

dinner, and turned out my horse to graze, and, in the meantime, threw

myself down to enjoy a nap, which my exhausted system greatly needed,

and which I could now do, conscious of perfect security. I had slept but

a few minutes, however, before I was awakened by one of the prettiest

girls in Texas. She furnished me with a towel and a basin of water,

preparatory to taking my dinner, and after indulging in my ablutions, my

appetite attained a keenness which I have seldom felt; and it was with

no ordinary degree of satisfaction that I seated myself to a table

bountifully spread with warm bread, fresh butter, wild honey, sweet

milk, and a score of other dainties, calculated to appease the most

ravenous cravings of the stomach. The young lady sat down immediately

opposite me, and after seeing that my plate was well supplied, she began

to question me as to where I was from, whither I was going, and to what

command I belonged; seeming determined to make me communicative whether

I would be or no. Having fasted long, I was not unaware of the danger of

partaking too freely of the food set before me; so I measured at a

glance just the quantity I would take, and determined not to exceed it;

but the girl kept on talking, and detained me till I consumed all the

victuals on the table.