TEXAS INDIAN PAPERS, 1860-1916
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No. 34 LETTER FROM N. W. BATTLE, F. L. DENISON, AND J. M. NORRIS TO SAM HOUSTON Hamilton Texas November 13th A. D. 1860 To His Excellency Sam Houston Sir; We venture to forward to your Excellency the subjoined statement of facts, in reference to late indian forays, believing that our motives will be appreciated, and the state- ment not unwelcomed. The late District Court for Palo Pinto County convened in the town of Palo Pinto last Monday was one week ago. We found that there was prevailing, amongst the people generally, an intense excitement, occasioned by a bold, sudden, and unex- pected descent upon their settlements of 24 indians in one body. On the previous Thursday, and in open daylight & de- fiance, they made their appearance, heardin & drove out 250 head of horses; 200 of the number being the property of one man, a Mr. McKay. The audicity of the indians on this occasion has not its parallel since our border difficulties commenced 3 years ago. Passing out they killed a very old man by the name of Buttorf; they scalped him, and mangled his body. A small detachment of citizens residing upon Keerhi Creek in Palo Pinto County gave hasty pursuit of the indians in less than three hours from the time of their leaving. They left late in the evening, and the moon did not rise until about 2 ocks, and from this circumstance the pursuers were distanced. A rumor was dispatched late at night to the command of Captain Ross conveying the intelligence that the indians had passed about moon up near Murphy old stage stand on the Fort Belknap Road. The rumor is that Captain Ross by a rapid movement took their trail at this point at daylight, & could not have been exceeding five hours behind the indians, It is to be hoped that
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