Recollections of Early Texas (38 page)

12
Robbins' Ferry, named for Nathaniel Robbins, was established in 1821 by Joel Leakey where the Old San Antonio and La Bahía roads crossed the Trinity River.
Handbook of Texas,
II, 482–483.

13
The men in this fight were John Williams, Howell, Haggett, Malcolm Hornsby, Billy Hornsby, Reuben Hornsby, Jr., and one Cain, not mentioned by Jenkins. Williams, Haggett, and Cain were detailed by Captain Tumlinson, before the Runaway Scrape, to stay and help move the families in Bastrop County to safety. They afterward returned with the Hornsbys and stayed to help with the crops.

The Indians, according to Wilbarger's account numbered about one hundred, but this is an exaggeration and Jenkins is more nearly correct. The fight took place in May, less than a month after Santa Anna's defeat. Reuben Hornsby, Sr., his wife, Miss Cynthia Castner, and the youngest children, back at the house, saw the Indians approach. Reuben took his gun and those of Howell and Haggett and started to their assistance. Seeing them being shot down by the Indians, however, he returned to the house. The women dressed in men's clothes, and all three paraded about the yard with the guns, giving the appearance of a good-sized force. The Indians stole some cattle and departed.

The three Hornsby brothers, aged nineteen, seventeen, and twelve, and Cain, aged eighteen or nineteen, saw Haggett and Williams from a distance, but thought they were being attacked by Mexicans. DeShields,
Border Wars,
199; Probate Records, Bastrop County, File W-1; Wilbarger,
Indian Depredations in Texas,
255–260.

14
This house was situated on the Joseph Duty league just below Reuben Hornsby's home on Hornsby's Bend of the Colorado.

15
Actually, Conrad Rohrer was killed on June 8, 1836, while saddling his horse at the house of Thomas Moore, not his own house. Frank Brown, “Annals of Travis County,” IV, 59–60; Probate Records, Bastrop County, File R-1; Smithwick,
Evolution of a State,
209; Wilbarger,
Indian Depredations in Texas,
226.

16
These were families of Zadock Woods, John Berry, and Isaac Harris. The group totaled at least ten grown men, including John Berry, Sr., John Bate Berry, Andrew Jackson Berry, Joseph Berry, Alexander Harris, Henry Gonzalvo Woods, Norman B. Woods, Montraville Woods, and Zadock Woods. It is not known whether or not Isaac Harris was alive at that time.

17
This was on the Jonathan C. Cunningham headright league on the east side of the Colorado. The league started opposite Grassmeyer's Ferry and ran up the river several miles.

18
This was Robert M. Coleman's regiment of Texas Rangers. The company was organized after the Texas Revolution, and included Tumlinson's Rangers.
Handbook of Texas,
I, 372; Smithwick,
Evolution of a State,
153.

19
Fort Coleman, also known as Fort Colorado, was located on Walnut Creek about four miles below Austin. It was built in June, 1836, by Colonel Coleman's Rangers for protection against Indian raids. The fort consisted of a cluster of log cabins enclosed by a heavy stockade with two block houses at opposite corners. It was abandoned in November of 1838. Smithwick,
Evolution of a State,
153–154.

20
This skirmish took place in the spring of 1837. Lieutenant Nicholas Wren and fifteen men volunteered to attack the Indians. Wren, Joe Weeks, and Noah Smithwick formed the advance until the Indians were found, at which time Wren detoured to the left and Smithwick to the right, each with a party of men. The Indian that Weeks shot was seriously wounded, but managed to escape. The Texan killed, Philip Martin, was buried on the north side of Fort Coleman. Joe Weeks was killed soon afterward in a private difficulty. Smithwick,
Evolution of a State,
160–163.

Chapter 4

1
This fight took place near Webberville on the Colorado on February 18, 1839. The Indians numbered between two and three hundred. Dr. Joel W. Robertson was in Austin visiting his brother-in-law, Colonel Henry Jones. Seven Negroes were captured at Dr. Robertson's house. Mrs. Elizabeth Coleman was the widow of Robert M. Coleman, who had drowned two years before. Thomas Coleman was captured while James Coleman and a man named Rogers escaped to Fort Wilbarger. Albert Coleman killed at least four Indians before he died. The two girls, aged nine and eleven, were found by John D. Anderson, who took them to George W. Davis' house, where several families had gathered. Brown,
Indian Wars,
61–62; Harriet Smither,
Journals of the Fourth Congress of the Republic of Texas, 1839–1840, to which are Added the Relief Laws
(n.d.), III, 112–113; Sowell,
Rangers and Pioneers,
54–56; Wilbarger,
Indian Depredations in Texas,
146–148.

2
Twenty-five men from Wells' Fort under Jacob Burleson and twenty-seven under Captain James Rogers from Fort Wilbarger joined forces. Brown,
Indian Wars,
61–62; Wilbarger,
Indian Depredations in Texas,
148.

3
This was Jacob Burleson, not Jonathan Burleson. All of the Burleson brothers—Edward, Jacob, John, Jonathan, and Aaron were in this fight, hence the confusion. Captain Jacob Burleson ordered his men to dismount and charge the Indians. He, Winslow Turner, and Samuel Highsmith did so, but as there were only twelve men in the whole group, the other nine deemed the chances too great and turned and fled, leaving their comrades to face the Indians. Seeing the rest of the men deserting, Captain Burleson and the other two fired and started to mount, but one, a boy about fourteen years old, jumped on his horse without untying him. The captain ran back and untied the boy's horse but was shot in the back of the head when he started to remount.

The savages, thinking that he was General Edward Burleson, the Texan they hated most, cut off his right hand and right foot, took out his heart, and scalped him. Jacob Burleson had come to Texas in 1832 with his brother John. He served in the Texas Revolution from February 28 to June 1, 1836. He settled on his league and labor of land in Burleson County, where his wife Elizabeth and their five children lived after his death. Brown, “Annals of Travis County,” V, 44–47; John Burlage and J. B. Hollingsworth (eds.),
Abstract of Land Claims
(1859), 604; Sowell,
Rangers and Pioneers,
54–56; Wilbarger,
Indian Depredations in Texas,
148.

4
The Battle of Brushy Creek was fought in February of 1838 near the present town of Taylor in Williamson County. Brown, “Annals of Travis County,” V, 44–47; Brown,
Indian Wars,
61–62; Sowell,
Rangers and Pioneers,
54–56; Wilbarger,
Indian Depredations in Texas,
146–150.

5
This company was probably the one organized by the city council of Bastrop to scout daily and protect nightly the town of Bastrop. Each member of the twenty-man company was to receive $20 a month, but had to furnish his own mount and gun. Minutes of the Corporation of Bastrop, January 6, 1839.

6
This seems to be the only account of the Victoria and Linnville raids which states that the Comanches were under the command of Buffalo Hump. Accounts of the Battle of Plum Creek tell of Indians who wore buffalo horns on their heads, which may have caused them to be confused with the real Buffalo Hump. The raid on Victoria took place on August 6, 1840, and the attack on Linnville on August 8. The Indians numbered close to one thousand.

On August 6, 1840, Dr. Ponton and Tucker Foley were attacked by twenty-seven Indians just west of Ponton's Creek near Halletsville. At the very moment of their attack the Rev. Z. N. Morrell was traveling as fast as his ox team could carry him to warn the settlers of the Indian raid. Ponton saw the wagon pass but was afraid to call out.

The next night Ponton returned home and gave the alarm. Captain Zumwalt and thirty-six men returned to the scene, buried Foley, and went in pursuit of the Indians.

Mrs. Crosby, granddaughter of Daniel Boone, was captured with her child at Nine Mile Point near Linnville. Mrs. Watts was the wife of Major H. D. Watts of Linnville. Others killed besides Major Watts and Mr. Crosby were Colonel Pinkney Caldwell, a Dr. Gray, Varlan Richardson, William McNuner, a Mr. Daniels, a Mr. O'Neal, and six Negroes.

Tumlinson and sixty-five men attacked the Indians on August 9 and a Mr. Mordecai of Victoria was killed. Tumlinson was joined by Ben McCulloch and twenty-four men, Adam Zumwalt and thirty-six men, Clark L. Owen and forty men, and other single recruits. McCulloch took command. Morrell who had driven his ox team thirty miles in twelve hours to La Grange, rode from there to General Burleson's home, giving the warning along the way. He and Burleson rode to Bastrop to raise a force of volunteers.

Burleson held a council in Bastrop and sent Morrell to Austin to do the same. Eighty-seven men volunteered to go. Jonathan Burleson was sent with an urgent message to Tonkawa Chief Placido for aid. Placido and thirteen of his braves went back on foot with Burleson. Placido put his hand on the side of Burleson's horse and ran without stopping thirty miles to join General Edward Burleson at Plum Creek, where the Texans planned to fight the Indians. Frank Brown, “Annals of Travis County” (Archives Collection, University of Texas Library) V, 44–47; Brown,
History of Texas,
I, 168n.; Brown,
Indian Wars,
78–82; Z. N. Morrell,
Fruits and Flowers from the Wilderness
(1872), 205–207.

7
Dr. Alonzo B. Switzer was one of the men from Gonzales. Jack W. Gunn, “Ben McCulloch, a Big Captain,”
Southwestern Historical Quarterly,
LVIII, 7; Sowell,
Rangers and Pioneers,
207.

8
This Indian is mentioned in all accounts of the Battle of Plum Creek. He wore a high silk top hat, leather gloves, a broadcloth coat worn backward, an Indian shield on his breast, and carried an open umbrella. Wilbarger,
Indian Depredations in Texas,
31.

9
This was one of the other Burlesons, probably John or Aaron. Jacob had been killed in the Battle of Brushy Creek, nearly a year before. The “Duty roan” was ridden by the Indian, not by Burleson.

10
This was Joseph Burleson, Jr., son of Joseph and Nancy (Gage) Burleson and nephew of General Edward Burleson.

11
The Battle of Plum Creek was fought on August 11, 1840, and was a decisive victory for the Texans. About eighty-six Indians were killed, while the Texans, who were outnumbered nearly four to one, suffered no deaths. Two thousand horses and mules were captured. Placido and his Tonkawas wore white rags on their arms so that they would not be mistaken for the enemy. They were on foot when the battle started but all thirteen were mounted when it was over. Huston cited them for bravery in his report afterward. Brown,
Indian Wars,
78–82; Sowell,
Early Settlers,
18–19, 312–317, 418; Sowell,
Rangers and Pioneers,
56–57;
Telegraph and Texas Register
(Houston), September 9, 1840; Walter P. Webb,
The Texas Rangers
(1935), 56–57; Wilbarger,
Indian Depredations in Texas,
25–33; Henderson Yoakum,
History of Texas,
II, 302–303.

12
For an interesting prelude to this incident, see Smithwick,
Evolution of a State,
187–188.

13
The settlers had several ways of giving warning of Indian trouble. The first was the cannon system used for the settlers in the immediate area of the city of Bastrop. Another more ingenious method was originated by General Edward Burleson. Any person who had news of Indian or Mexican uprisings was to blow a horn and fire his gun twice. Each person who heard the signal was to repeat it, thus passing it throughout the section. The settlers then collected at the nearest fort, where they awaited the bearer of the news. This method was used to gather men prior to both the Battle of Brushy Creek and the Battle of Plum Creek.

There were actually two cannons at Bastrop. One exploded in the 1850's during a Fourth of July celebration. Mr. Shepherd, a coffin maker, had charge of the other, which finally exploded also. McDowall, “Journey,” 60–61; Bastrop County Scrapbook (Archives Collection, University of Texas Library).

14
Comanche in 1840 had fourteen eligible voters. The town was not a success and soon went out of existence. Brown, “Annals of Travis County,” VII, 6, 68.

Chapter 5

1
The Webster massacre, as it was called, took place on August 27, 1839, near Leander, Williamson County. James Webster, his wife, son, and daughter Martha, and surveyors named John Stillwell, Wilson Flesher, Martin Watson, Milton Hicks, William Rice, Albert Silsbey, James Martin, Nicholas Baylor, Bazley, Lensher, a Mexican, and a Negro, made up the party. They were en route to what is now Burnet County. Brown, “Annals of Travis County,” VI, 56; DeShields,
Border Wars,
280;
Monuments Erected . . . to Commemorate the Centenary of Texas Independence,
164;
Telegraph and Texas Register
(Houston), October 16, 1839; Wilbarger,
Indian Depredations in Texas,
19–20.

2
The Council House Fight, as it is called, took place on March 19, 1840, in San Antonio. The fight arose during discussion of a treaty which was to be made between Comanche Chief Muguara and Texas. Lieutenant William M. Dunnington was shot with an arrow by an Indian woman. He turned, drew his pistol, and not knowing her sex because she was dressed like a man, shot her in the head. In the words of the
Texas Sentinel
of Austin: “Her brains bespattered the wall;—he turned 'round and exclaimed, ‘I have killed him, but I believe he has killed me, too,' and fell and expired in twenty minutes.” Others killed were Judge James W. Robinson, Judge Hood of San Antonio, Judge Thompson of Houston, Casey of Matagorda County, Privates Kaminske and Whiting, and one Mexican. This fight has been called the greatest blunder Texas made in Indian relations because it renewed and prolonged the war with the Comanche Indians. DeShields,
Border Wars,
315;
Handbook of Texas,
I, 424;
Texas Sentinel
(Austin), April 15, 1840.