Indian Wars and Pioneers of Texas

John Henry Brown

• Publisher: Jazzybee Verlag
• Year: 2018
• eBook ISBN: 9783849652128
• Topic: History
• Subtopic: North American History
• Index: History

The book leads the reader through the past to the present and here leaves him amid active and progressive men who are advancing, along with him, toward the future. Including, as it does, lives of men now living, it constitutes a connecting link between what has gone before and what is to come after. It is therefore fitting that it should be dedicated to a prominent man of our day in preference to one of former times. The matter presented, in the nature of things, is largely biographical. There can be no foundation for history without biography. History is a generalization of particulars. It presents wide extended views. To use a paradox, history gives us but a part of history. That other part which it does not give us, the part which introduces us to the thoughts, aspirations and daily life of a people, is supplied by biography. The men whose deeds are recorded in this book were or are deeply identified with Texas, and the preservation in this volume in enduring form of some remembrance of them—their names, who and what they were—has been a pleasant task to one who feels a deep interest and pride in Texas—its past history, its heroes and future destiny.

PAYHAYUCO,

and for the first time beheld the pride and the glory of the wild tribes—the Comanche Indian in his Bedouin-like home. With considerable ceremony they were conducted to the tent of Payhayuco, who was absent, but the honors were done by the chief of his seven wives, who caused the best tent to be vacated and placed at the disposal of her white guests. It was hot, August weather, and such crowds of Comanches, of all ages and sexes, pressed in and around the tent that it became so suffocating as to necessitate the erection of their own tent, which was open at both ends. First getting the consent of their hostess, this was done.

Finding that the chief would be absent a week yet to come, and their business being with him, they could only patiently await his arrival. They were ceaseless curiosities to all the younger Comanches, who had never seen a white man, and who continued to crowd around and inspect them; rolling up their sleeves to show their white arms to the children, etc. While thus delayed the Comanches twice moved their town, and our people were astonished at the regularity with which each new location was laid off into streets and the precision with which each family took its position in each new place. Mr. Bee accompanied the warriors on two or three buffalo hunts, and was surprised at their wonderful dexterity.

Payhayuco arrived on the afternoon of August 9 (1843), and occupied the tent adjoining the whites. They were soon informally presented to him and courteously received, but no clue was obtained as to the state of his mind. At sunrise next morning about a hundred warriors met in council in a large tent, sitting on the ground in a series of circles diminishing from circumference to center, wherein Payhayuco sat. Our friends, not being invited, took a brief glance at them and retired to their own tent, leaving their case with the Delawares, who attended the council. About 10 a. m. a sort of committee from the council waited on them to say that a report had come from the Waco village, where they had tarried so long, charging that they were bad men and had given poison to the Wacos, and wanted to know what they had to say about it. This was supremely preposterous, but it was also gravely suggestive of danger. They repelled the charge and referred to the old Waco chief, Acoquash, then present, their companion on the whole trip, and whose wife they had cured. What a hazard they had passed! Had that poor squaw died instead of recovering under Bee's treatment, their fate would have been scaled. A Choctaw negro, who understood but little Comanche, told them the council was deliberating on their lives and talking savagely. They sent for the Delawares and told them of this. The Delawares denied it, and reassured them. But half an hour later their favorite Delaware hunter, the only one in whose friendship they fully confided, informed them that the Comanches were going to kill them. They were, of course, very much alarmed by this second warning, and, again summoning the trio, told Jim Shaw they were not children, but men, and demanded to know the truth. Shaw replied that he had desired to conceal their peril from them as long as possible, and for that reason had told them a lie; but in truth the council was clamorous and unanimous for their death; that all the chiefs who had a right to speak had done so, and all were against them; that they (Shaw and Connor) had done all they could for them; had told the council they would die with them, as they had promised the White Father they would take care of them and would never return without them; and that Acoquash had been equally true to them. They added that only Payhayuco was yet to speak, but even should he take the opposite side they did not believe he had influence enough to save their lives. “Next came into our tent” (I quote the language of Gen. Bee on this incident), “our dear old friend Acoquash, where we three lone white men were sitting, betraying the most intense feeling, shaking all over and great tears rolling from his eyes, and as best he could, told us that we would soon be put to death. He said he had told them his father was once a great chief, the head of a nation who were lords of the prairie, but had always been the friends of the Comanches, who always listened to the counsel of his father, for it was always good, and he had begged them to listen to him as their fathers had listened to his father, when he told them that we (Eldridge, Bee and Torrey) were messengers of peace; that we had the ‘white flag,’ and that the vengeance of the Great Spirit would be turned against them if they killed such messengers; but he said it was of no avail. We had to die and he would die with us for he loved us as his own children. Poor old Indian! My heart yearns to him yet after the lapse of so many years.” [Gen. Bee to his children.]

Acoquash then returned to the council. Our friends, of course, agonized as brave men may who are to die as dogs, but they soon recovered composure and resolved on their course. Each had two pistols. When the party should come to take them out for death, each would kill an Indian with one, and then, to escape slow torture, empty the other into his own brain. From 12 to 4 o'clock not a word was spoken in that council. All sat in silence, awaiting the voice of Payhayuco. At 4 o'clock his voice was heard, but no one reported to the doomed men. Then other voices were heard, and occasionally those of the Delawares. A little later confusion seemed to prevail, and many voices were heard. Bee said to Eldridge: “See the setting sun, old fellow! It is the last we shall ever see on earth!” At the same instant approaching footsteps were heard. Each of the three sprang to his feet, a pistol in each hand, when “dear old” Acoquash burst into the tent and threw himself into the arms of Eldridge. Bee and Torrey thought the old Spartan had come to redeem his pledge and die with them, but in a moment realized that his convulsive action was the fruit of uncontrollable joy. The next moment the Delawares rushed in exclaiming, “Saved! saved!” “Oh! God! can I ever forget that moment! To the earth, from which we came, we fell as if we had been shot, communing with Him who reigns over all—a scene that might be portrayed on canvas, but not described! Prostrate on the earth lay the white man and the red man, creatures of a common brotherhood, typified and made evident that day in the wilderness; not a word spoken; each bowed to the earth—brothers in danger and brothers in the holy electric spark which caused each in his way to thank God for deliverance.” [Gen. Bee to his children.]

After this ordeal had been passed, succeeded by a measure of almost heavenly repose, the interpreters, now fully reconciled to Eldridge, explained that after that solemn silence of four hours, Payhayuco had eloquently espoused the cause of mercy and the sanctity of the white flag borne by the messengers of peace. His appeal was, perhaps, as powerful and pathetic as ever fell from the lips of an untutored son of the forest. Upon conclusion, amid much confusion and the hum of excited voices, he took the vote per capita and was sustained by a small majority. The sun sank at the same moment, reflecting rays of joy upon the western horizon, causing among the saved a solemn and inexpressibly grateful sense of the majesty and benignity of the King of kings—our Father in Heaven.

As darkness came, the stentorian voice of Payhayuco was successively heard in the four quarters of the town, its tones denoting words of command. Our countrymen demanded of the interpreters to know what he was saying. The latter answered: “He is telling them you are under his protection and must not, at the peril of their lives, be hurt.” A hundred warriors were then placed in a circle around the tent, and so remained till next morning. No Indian was allowed to enter the circle.

When morning came they were invited to the council, when Capt. Eldridge delivered the message of friendship from President Houston, and invited them to accompany him in and meet the council at Bird's Fort; but this was the 11th of August, a day after the date heretofore fixed for the assemblage, and a new date would be selected promptly on their arrival, or sooner if runners were sent in advance. The presents were then distributed and an answer awaited.

On their arrival the little Comanche boy had been given up. He still remembered some of his mother tongue and at once relapsed into barbarism. But now Capt. Eldridge tendered to the chief, little Maria, a beautiful Indian child, neatly dressed, who knew no word but English. A scene followed which brought tears to the eyes of not only the white men, but also of the Delawares. The child seemed horrified, clung desperately and imploringly to Capt. Eldridge, and screamed most piteously; but the whole scene cannot be described here. It was simply heartrending. She was taken up by a huge warrior and borne away, uttering piercing cries of despair. For years afterwards she was occssionally heard of, still bearing the name of Maria, acting as interpreter at Indian councils.

Succeeding this last scene they were informed that the council had refused to send delegates to the proposed council. Payhayuco favored the measure, but was overruled by the majority. Within an hour after this announcement (August 11th, 1843) our friends mounted and started on their long journey home—fully five hundred miles, through a trackless wilderness. I pass over some exciting incidents occurring at the moment of their departure between a newly arrived party of Delaware traders, having no connection with Eldridge, and a portion of the Comanches, in regard to a Choctaw negro prisoner bought from the Comanches by the traders. It was dreaded by our friends as a new danger, but was settled without bloodshed by the payment of a larger ransom to the avaricious Comanches.

Without remarkable incident and in due time, our friends arrived again at the principal Wichita village (at or near the present Fort Sill) and were again kindly received. The day fixed for the treaty having passed, Eldridge knew the President would be disappointed and impatient; so, after consultation, it was agreed that Torrey, with Jim Shaw, John Connor and the other Indian attaches, still with them, should return on the route they had gone out, gather up the tribes first mentioned in this narrative, and conduct them to Bird's Fort; while Eldridge, Bee and their most trusted Delaware hunter, with Jim Second Eye as guide, would proceed directly to the fort. Thus they separated, each party on its mission, and to Eldridge and Bee it was a perilous one. I shall follow them.

On the second day, at 3 p. m., they halted in a pretty grove, on a beautiful stream, to cook their last food, a little Wichita green corn. This enraged Second Eye, who seized the hunter's gun, and galloped away, leaving them with only holster pistols. The Delaware hunter was a stranger in the country and could only communicate by signs. For three days he kept a bee line for Warren's trading house on Red river, as safer than going directly to Bird's Fort, guided by the information he had casually picked up from his brothers on the trip, for neither of the white men knew the country. On the third day they entered the Cross Timbers where brush and briers retarded their progress, and camped near night on a pretty creek. The Delaware climbed a high tree and soon began joyful gesticulations. Descending he indicated that Eldridge should accompany him, leaving Bee in camp. He did so and they were gone two or three hours, but finally returned with a good supply of fresh corn bread, a grateful repast to men who had been without an ounce of food for three days and nights. The camp visited proved to be that of a party of men cutting hay for Fort Arbuckle, on the Washita, who cooked and gave them the bread and other provisions, with directions to find the trading house and the information that they could reach it next day. With full stomachs they slept soundly; started early in the morning and about 2 p. m. rode up to Warren's trading house. The first man seen was Jim Second Eye, the treacherous scoundrel who had left them at the mercy of any straggling party of hostile or thieving savages. He hastened forward with extended hand, exclaiming: “How are you, Joe? How are you, Ham? Glad to see you:”

The always courteous Eldridge, usually gentle and never given to profane language, sprang from his horse and showered upon him such a torrent of denunciatory expletives as to exhaust himself; then, recovering, presented himself and Mr. Bee to Mr. Warren, with an explanatory apology for his violent language, justified, as he thought, towards the base wretch to whom it was addressed. Quite a crowd of Indians and a few white men were present. Mr. Warren received and entertained them most kindly. They never more beheld Jim Second Eye.

After a rest of two days Eldridge and Bee, with their faithful Delaware, left for Bird's Fort, and, without special incident, arrived there about the middle of September, to be welcomed by the commissioners, Messrs. George W. Terrell and E. H. Tarrant, who had given them up as lost. The President had remained at the fort for a month, when, chagrined and greatly disappointed, he had left for the seat of government.

Capt. Eldridge, anxious to report to the President, tarried not at the fort, but with Bee and the still faithful Delaware, continued on. On the way Mr. Bee was seized with chills and fever of violent type, insomuch that, at Fort Milam, Eldridge left him and hurried on. Mr. Bee finally reached the hospitable house of his friend, Col. Josiah Crosby, seven miles above Washington, and there remained till in the winter, before recovering his health. Capt. Eldridge, after some delay, met and reported to the President, but was not received with the cordiality he thought due his services. Jim Shaw and John Connor had preceded him and misstated various matters to the prejudice of Eldridge, and to the amazement of many who knew his great merit and his tried fidelity to President Houston, he was dismissed from office. Very soon, however, the old hero became convinced of his error; had Eldridge appointed chief clerk of the State Department under Anson Jones, and, immediately after annexation in 1846, secured his appointment by President Polk, as Paymaster in the United States Navy, a position he held till his death in his long-time home in Brooklyn, New York, in 1881. Excepting only the incident referred to—deeply lamented by mutual friends—the friendship between him and President Houston, from their first acquaintance in 1837, remained steadfast while both lived. Indeed Capt. Eldridge subsequently named a son for him—his two sons being Charles and Houston Eldridge.

A TREATY MADE.

On the 29th of September, 1843, a few days after Eldridge and Bee left, a treaty was concluded by Messrs. Tarrant and Terrell, with the following tribes, viz.: Tehuacanos, Keechis, Wacos, Caddos, Anadarcos, Ionics, Boluxies, Delawares, and thirty isolated Cherokees. The Wichitas and Towdashes were deterred from coming in by the lies of some of the Creeks. Estecayucatubba, principal chief of the Chickasaws, signed the treaty merely for its effect on the wild tribes. Leonard Williams and Luis Sanchez, of Nacogdoches, were present and aided in collecting the tribes, who failed to assemble on the 10th of August, because of the non-return of Eldridge and his party. Roasting Ear, S. Lewis and McCulloch, Delaware chiefs, were present at the signing and rendered service in favor of the treaty.

The most potent chief in the council, to whom the wild tribes looked as a leader, was Kechikoroqua, the head of the Tehuacanos, who at first refused to treat with any one but the President; but finally yielded, after understanding the powers of the commissioners.

A line of demarcation was agreed upon between the whites and Indians, along which, at proper intervals, trading houses were to be established. Three points for such houses were selected, which indicate the general...

Table of contents

• DEDICATORY PREFACE.
• INTRODUCTORY TO THE Indian Wars and Pioneers of Texas.
• Karnes’ Fight on the Arroyo Seco, August 10, 1838.
• A Succession of Tragedies in Houston and Anderson Counties—Death of the Faulkenberrys—Cordova's Rebellion—A Bloody Skirmish—Battle of Kickapoo—Slaughter and Cremation at John Edens’ House—Butchery of the Campbell Family—1836 to 1841—Etc., Etc.
• The Expulsion of the Cherokees from Texas in 1839.
• Scenes on Red River—Murder of Mrs. Hunter, Daughter and Servant.
• The Heroism of the Dillard Boys in 1873.
• Maj. Richard Roman.
• O. C. HARTLEY, GALVESTON.
• J. B. POLLEY, FLORESVILLE.
• GEORGE HANCOCK, AUSTIN.
• JOSEPH A. TIVY, KERRVILLE,
• GEO. W. O'BRIEN, BEAUMONT.
• J. J. JARVIS, FORT WORTH.
• JAMES ROANE MASTERSON, HOUSTON.
• WILLIAM CLEMENS, NEW BRAUNFELS.
• THE ECKHARDT FAMILY, YORKTOWN.
• ELBERT L. GREGG, RUSK.
• WALTER GRESHAM, GALVESTON.
• DANIEL LANDES, GALVESTON.
• WALLER S. BAKER, WACO.
• H. H. BOONE, NAVASOTA.
• F. R. GRAVES, KARNES CITY.
• JOSEPH E. WALLIS, GALVESTON.
• R. S. WILLIS, GALVESTON.
• DEWITT CLINTON GIDDINGS, BRENHAM.
• JOHN C. WARD, BEAUMONT.
• GEORGE S. BONNER, COOKE COUNTY.
• THE HARDINS, OF LIBERTY.
• J. K. HELTON, MERIDIAN.
• GEORGE H. DUNN, WHEELOCK.
• WM. C. ROBERTS, ALVIN.
• BROOKE SMITH, BROWNWOOD.
• LOUIS STEIN, BULVERDE,
• EMIL SERGER, COMFORT,
• SIMON WIESS, BEAUMONT.
• ROSWELL SKINNER, LAMPASSA COUNTY.
• PEYTON W. NOWLIN, AUSTIN.
• HENRY VOGES, JR., BULVERDE,
• CHARLES P. SALTER, CALVERT,
• RICHARD KOTT, COMFORT,
• JAMES COLE, BURNET.
• WILLIAM WEIDNER, BULVERDE,
• JOHN SCHNABEL, BRAUNFELS,
• JOSEPH MARTIN HEBERT, BEAUMONT,
• EUGENE PILLOT, HOUSTON,
• JOHN A. MICHEL, BROWNSVILLE,
• MRS. M. W. PETERS, BEEVILLE.
• DANIEL MURPHY, TAYLOR.
• A. FORCKE, NEW BRAUNFELS.
• MICHEL SCHODTS, BROWNSVILLE.
• ACCOMMODATIONS AND TRAIN SERVICE BETWEEN TEXAS, ST. LOUIS AND THE NORTH, EAST AND WEST.
• JOHN PETER KELSEY, RIO GRANDE CITY.