Indian Papers of Texas and the Southwest, Vol. V

359 the most daring Indians forays yet committed on the frontier- My information was derived from the Chief Justice of the County & other intelligent and respectable citizens who reside at the points visited by the Indians & saw the dead horses & cattle.- On the 18th August fourteen Indians entered the Guadalupe valley above Kerrville & killed one cow & wounded another-at the Saw Mill near Kerrville they killed one horse & carried off another -Proceeding down the river below the town six miles they drove off about forty head of horses belonging to Jonathan Scott, Chief Justice of the County-the horses, accustomed to run home when alarmed, attempted to do so after being driven about five miles into the mountains north of the river & becom- ing unmanageable the Indians killed eleven & wounded five more, & carried off seven- the balance making their escape.- The Indians then encamped for the night & made arrows & prepared for operations next day- On the morning of the 19th they turned their course back toward the river & down it and killed some horses & rode over all the mountain Points which overlook the farms in the vicinity of the German settlement of Comfort & passing near that place crossed the river & camped that night- here they killed two horses & captured two belonging to Mr. Cocke- Next morning they were discovered by Mr. Cocke's sons & believing themselves pursued they left & were seen next morn- ing about day light at the ford of the Medina at Bandera- after passing that place they killed another horse & still further west they killed a young man named Bushnal or Bushna. He was shot with seven arrows in the breast and scalped down to the eyes.- The foregoing is a brief & inadequate description of the foray- they killed fifteen horses, wounded five & carried off a good many, the actual number not known, but enough to mount all or nearly all the party; they killed eight head of cattle which have been found.- But one of the most important and signifi- cant facts is that they did every thing in open day-they did nothing at night- It was therefore as much a hostile demon- stration as a thieving expedition.- It is proper to add that Mr. Scott was absent from home when his horses were driven off, but returning next day & miss- ing some of them he collected a party of men & followed the trail as far as Uvalde where the Indians scattered & the U. S. guide from Camp Verde refusing to go any further they returned home. - One of Mr. Scott's men being taken sick at Uvalde several re- mained with him-these have since returned & say that the In-

-

Powered by