. .,
361
No. 267
REPORT FROM JOHN HENRY BROWN TO GOVERNOR
Belton, Texas Sept. 12th 1859
Governor: As commander of the State Troops lately stationed and op- erating in the vicinity of the two late Indian Reserves, on the Brazos River, I now submit to your Excellency a report in detail of the organization, operations and final discharge of the same. Under the general powers conferred by your Excellency on the sixth of June last, upon Missrs. J.M. Smith, Geo. B. Erath, Richard Coke, J. M. Steiner, and myself, as Commissioners to in- vestigate and, if possible, quiet the difficulties between the fron- tier people and the Indian Reserved, under the jurisdiction of the United States, the four Commissioners (named) (Messrs. Smith, Erath, Coke, and Steiner) on the 27th of June, duly appointed and commissioned me to raise two detachments of fifty men each (each to be officered by two Lieutenants, two Sergeants and two Corporals.) the whole to compose one company of mounted men, and repair without delay to the Reserves, there to operate under the instructions given. Everything bearing upon the subject, de- manded instant action. It was understood that most of the force would be raised in the counties of Bell, McLennan, Coryell and Bosque. Receiving my instructions at Waco on the 27th of June, and leaving arrangements there for recruiting a portion of the first detachment, I reached Belton on the same day. By the energetic aid and valuable assistance of Lieut. Robert M. White (of the Bell County Minute Company) and the alacrity of our citizens, I was enabled to leave Belton on the first day of July with forty men, expecting to receive about twenty more on reaching Gatesville, which, however, was prevented by the delay of my letters in reaching that place. At Meridian, on the 4th of July, I met with the detachment from Waco not yet full, though recruits were coming in daily. The first Detachment was organised by the election of J. W. Nowlin, First Lieutenant, J. Y. Carmack, Second Lieutenant; Robert J. Brown, First Sergeant; David L. Sublett, Second Ser- geant; Stephen F. Lott, First Corporal; W. A. Sublett, Second Corporal. The Second Detachment, by the election of Wilson W. White, First Lieutenant James D. Bell, Second Lieutenant; Wm. B. Whittington, First Sergeant; B. S. White, Second Sergeant;
Powered by FlippingBook