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WRITINGS OF 5AM HOUSTON, 1861
seemed necessary. On the 26th of December, a few days after his inauguration, an order was issued to Captain W. C. Dal- rymple, of Williamson County, to raise a company of sixty men, rank and file. This was followed by orders of the same character to Captain Ed. Burleson, of Hays, and to Captain John H. Conner, of Travis, on the 4th and 13th of January. These companies were ordered to such points as would enable them to carry out the orders given them to give the greatest amount of protection to the frontier inhabitants. Had the frontier·not been entirely abandoned to the Indians for months previous to his inauguration these companies would have sufficed to prevent any concerted and extensive movement against the settlements on the part of the Indians; but they were already secreted in the country. Intelligence having reached the Executive that numerous small parties of Indians were ravag- ing the line of settlements beyond Bell County, but yet not on the extreme frontier orders were issued on the 13th of Febru- ary to Lieut. White of Bell, Salmon of Bosque, and Walker of Erath County, to raise each a detachment of twenty-five men to range in and give defense to the counties of Coryell, Hamil- ton, Comanche, Erath, Eastland, and Palo Pinto. These detach- ments were soon in the field, with orders to exercise every energy to give the frontier protection and security. Authentic accounts of depredations still coming in, the Exec- utive on the 21st of February sent to the various frontier coun- ties a letter authorizing the citizens of each county to raise a minute company of not more than twenty men, who should look to the next Legislature for payment; and to more effectually insure the presence of these minute companies in the field, a general order was issued on the 9th of March, by which the Chief Justice of each county was instructed to organize imme- diately a minute company of fifteen men, to whom the follow- ing orders were given: "The detachments will immediately take the field, and enter upon active service, affording protection to the inhabitants of their respective counties. "When an Indian trail is found it must be diligently followed, and if the sign indicates a larger party of Indians than he is able to cope with, he will call not exceeding ten men to his aid." The lieutenant commanding each detachment or minute com- pany was authorized to purchase necessary supplies, and where it was possible to do so, they were sent forward by the Executive.
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