WRITINGS OF SA.M HOUSTON, 1860
49
a good portion of his command. You will not, therefore, rely upon any additional aid or strength from his command. In prosecuting your expedition you had better keep an eye to Chateau•s~ trading house, about one hundred and twenty miles northwest of the mouth of Big Wichita. Should you find out upon incontestable evidence that parties have been and are encouraging and instigating the Indians to commit murder and depredation upon our inhabitants for the purpose of acquiring gain by receiv- ing their stolen property and horses, I leave it entirely discre- tionary with you to dispose of them as your judgment may dictate, wherever they rnay be found and upon whatever soil. These suggestions are merely thrown out to call your attention to that point. In your section you will be governed by your dis.:. cretion and judgment as to the most practicable point where you will meet the Indians and whip them. I regret that your supplies have been delayed, and that an ex- press escort was not sent down from Waco to meet them. Such would have greatly facilitated their travel. Enclosed please find copy of a letter just received from Major Blain, in which you will find our opinions as to the Reserve In- dians are wholly sustained. They deserve our gratitude and friend- ship more than our resentment. Suffering under a sense of wrong as they necessarily were, destroying their enemies is without parallel in history. It teaches a beautiful lesson of humanity to the Christian believer. Sam Houston. 1 Exee1itive Reco1·ds, 1859-1861, pp. 153-154, Texas State Library. For Middleton T. Johnson, see Volume V, 339. 2 This was A. P. Chouteau's trading house. The name is spelled incor- rectly in this document, but the location is accurate. See Grant Foreman,
Pionee1· Days in the Early Southwest, 83, 84, and passim. 3 Major A. S. Blain. See Houston to Blain, March 20, 1860.
To Eow ARD BAILEY 1 Executive Department, Austin, May 9th, 1860.
Edward Bailey, Esq., Dear Sir, There is a gentleman by the name of C. vV. Whitis,' residing somewhere in your County, probably near Lockhart, whose affidavit upon the following matter, I am desirous to ob- tain. Information has reached this department that Captain Jo.hn S. Ford purchased a fine saddle horse of Mr. vVhitis, and made requisition upon the Treasury for two mules instead thereof.
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