The Papers of Mirabeau Buonaparte Lamar, Volume IV, part 1

230

TEXAS STATE LIBR.ABY

lence and demanded of Genl. Johnson, a guard to be placed of over their horses, & intimated that he was to be responsible for their forth- coming, when wanted - Johnson told them they must recollect that they were dealing with Amercns who would not tolerate their inso- lence -they must therefore take care of their own horses - This seriously offended the self importance of the Comanchees, & came near breaking up the frindly intercourse between them -'-- The treaty how- ever was concluded, & the Indians departed - Some short time after this, a party of Texans, having full faith in the frendlyness of the Comanches, departed to the Piedenalis - on a trading expedition ; were recd. in a findly manner at first; but was soon told that one of their Chiefs had been killed on the Colorado, & threatend revenge - The whites became alarmed & prepared to defend themselves. A party was about to attack the whites, when one of the Chiefs, E-sa-wack-a-na, steped forward & told his men that they should not kill the whites without first killing him - This put a stop to their hostile designs; and the Texans, Bonnell, Alsbury, and others 13 in number returnd to Bexar in safety - The Treaty was made made [sic] in the winter of 1837 - the party above returnd returnd [sic] in the spring of 1838 - In the spring of 1838, two separate parties left Santonio: the one party on a surveying expedition, with Cage, Campbell & others, whc, were attacked between the Llano (pronouned Yano) & Perdenalles, by the Comanchees, was wounded, and Campbell the surveyor was killed ; - The trading party proceeded up the Perdenallis and met and attacked by the Comanchees not far from Cage's encampmt, and were all mur- dered ---'- Love, Chism, Beaty, Wm. Skinner Johnson and many others fell - their bones were subsequently found. About this time Col. Karns had several skirmishes with the Co- manches, killed several, several mexicans were murdered near Bexar-Karnes pursued the Comanches up the Tawackartaw with 22 men, meet 60 of the enemy- a fight ensued, no americans lost; one only was wonded some damage done to the Indians E-sawack-a-na, who saved the lives of BonneJl fell here - Vanness was in this fight The next scrape, was Dunlaps - A large party of Indians were re- ported to be in the vicinity of Bexar. Dun!ap, C'age and others with ·a party, went out to meet them - The Indians was 180 strong- A difficulty arose about the command. Dunlap wanted to dismount & fight; Cage, wanted to cut their way thro the Indians, who had come upon them unexpectedly. Confusion arose - 13 Texans were killed, Cage among them - Dunlap was severely wounded - Captain Howard in January, 1840, from Austin to the Falls of the Brazos, met a party of Indiam1 25 strong - Texans 18 - Capt Howard had three wag-gons of public stores - The Indians pursued Howard, who led them to the wagg-ons where the Indians were met with a warm fire - 4 were killed ·_ The Texans unhurt, except one man slightly wounded - rn this fight, Lieut. Daniel Lewis pursued an Indian whoi::e horse had been shot from under him & was endeav- orng to make his e;:cape - When Lewis came with 10 or 15 steps of

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