310 mature deliberation in violation of his positive and plain -duty. An emergency has arisen upon the frontier which the Captain of the Texas Rangers has been unable to meet. The above language may be strong, but I believe it called for, & as a public officer I am not at liberty to speak of Captain Fords course in milder terms. I have today upon complaint issued other warrants for the arrest of the offenders, They are directed to the Sheriffs of Erath and Palo Pinto Counties. I am assured that your Excellency approves of my course which .I have pursued in issuing my warrant and if Yr. Excellency had been at Austin Captain Ford would have been required to exe- cute it. If the Sheriffs of Erath and Palo Pinto Counties encounter re- sistance I shall be pleased to know if Yr. Excellency will be ready to cooperate with me by ordinary assistance to the Sheriffs. They may meet with no resistance--! hope they may not. But in the event they do, it will require the best efforts on the part of the officers of the State to uphold and maintain the independence of the law. I am, Sir, with consideration Yr Obt. Servt. N. W. BATTLE
No. 220 LETTER FROM JOHN BUTTERY TO GEORGE DURHAM
Fredericksburg 15th Feby 1859
George Durham Esqr Dear Sir/
I beg to inform you of the recent Indian depredations committed in our neighborhood on Friday the 4th instant they visited Smoothing Iron mountain stealing about sixteen horses and killed three belonging to Wm Rainbolt and some of his neighbors-Miller and Wright and took away twenty animals and killed seven. They passed from sight with the horses crossing at my ford on the Leon immediately opposite to my house killing five head of cattle on my land which we have already found; pos- sibly more not found yet as we have been out on Scout and are
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