Indian Papers of Texas and the Southwest, Vol. IV

TEXAS INDIAN PAPERS, 1860-1916

[Endo·rsecl] Ranging Service Appraisement of Six Mules and Waggen and Horses bought by Leut McKee for Capt Dalrymples Company Feby 17th 1860. Capt. W. C. Dalrymple

No. 10 REPORT FROM W. HAMMETT TO J. H. CONNER

Camp Cave Feby 19th 1860

Capt John H Conner Sir

I have the honor to report that in obedien<'e to your Order No. 4, bearing date 30th January 1860 I left Camp Giles in Travis County with fifeen men, and proceeded direct to Fredericksburg where J saw a german who had been wounded with an arrow, and where I learned many particulars of Indian depredations in that vicinity. I was also informed that a Mr. Riley who resides near Fredericksburg, had followed the depre- dators, who passed ten miles west of Fort Mason; at which place he was reinforced with thirteen regular troops, and con- tinued his pursuit. This command was ten days ahead of me Consequently I deemed it unnecessary to follow them and di- rected my course to Doss's Mill, a distance of twenty two ·miles from Fredericksburg where I heard of other horses, having been, stolen, but the thieves had left some eight days prior to my arrival. From this point we proceeded to James River, a distance of sixteen miles, North West, thence to the South Fork of the Llano 22 miles, r.ontinueing the same direction to the Main Llano, thence to the San Saba, without making any im- portant discoverries, down the latter stream we marched two days and turned North En.st towards Brady's Creek a tributary of the San Saba, between these streams we encountered a small party of Indians some five or six in number, with stolen horses; When first discovered they were at a distance of about three fourths of a mile all mounted, advancing towards us they de- cended into a deep ravinP. where I presumed they had formed to give us battle I ordered a charge which was promptly re- sponded to by my men but when we arrived at the ravine we found that their advance was only a manuver to gain the advantage of an escape up the ravine, which they had done and