231
PAPERS OF MIRABEAU BuoNAPARTE LAMAR
the Indian he fired his pistol, & missed - the Indian (fired at Lewis at a distance of 30 yds .the Indian had been busy loading his gun during his retreat and was now nearly ready to return Lieut. Luis' salute - he was just drawing his rod from his gun, when Lewis perceing his danger & havig no available weapon about him, threw himself from his horse upon the Indian, and snatching a knife from the Indian's belt gave him a fatal stab, & thus terminated the strug- gle for life & death - this was his first fight - he was about 17 years of age - he afterwards distinguished himself for his activity, energy & bravery in the servise •- In 1840 Fall - A party of Commanches made their ·appearance in the Vicinity of Bexar, & killed two Mexicans - They were pursued Cap:. Howard with 10 or 15 men; after runing them two or three Howard & Flores a Mexican, being well mounted were far in advance of their men - The Indians wheeled and fired upon these two - Flores' horse was shot dead and in falling, fell upon the rider - In this situation he was assailed in-----------The indians were cooking, & not expecting an attack was disconcerted at suddenty finding them- selves thus suddenly charged upon, but perceing the assailants to be only two in number, they immediately wheeled & fired upon them - Capt. Howard's hori;e was wounded; he himself was severely wounded by an arrow in the abdomen; he had been thrown among the enemy from his horse - whilst thus wounded, his antagonist attempted to take the horse from him; a scuffle ensued in which the Capt. However was victorious - he had a revolving pistol - one -cap busted; he tried another barrel, and his foe fell dead; He remounted his horse and continued the p.ursuit of others who were now flying but disgorg- ing much blood, was forced to stop. Sal.vadore Flores, (who had dis- tinguished himself at the hattle of Sanjacinto & had been victorious in more than 30 skirmishes) had his horse shot from under him; his horse fell on him; and whilst in this situation he was assailed by a mexican woman, whose horse had been shot also - she seized Flores empty gun and was laying it heavily over the prostrate warriors head, who was quite too gallant to take offence at her rudeness, but con- tented himself by shooting- two of her attendants who were near him & were preparing- to second the heroine's assaults - She however, un- fortunately fell afterwarns. - it was unavoidable - Captain Howard came ver:v near Rhooting her at the first assault thro mistake - The Indians when they fall, always gather a handful of dirt & place it upon their heads.
continued by l,/ ajar ,l ohn C. H a11s.
Col. Carne's Expedition to the Perdenalles in the fall of 1839 - He i;tarted from Bexar with ]05 men, 60 of whom were from Galvez under the command of Capt. Wili;on - His mexican 1mies becoming alarmed, returned; whereupon Capt. Hays was dispatched with 3 men as spies with orders not to return until the enemy should be ferrited out. They discovered their encampmnt. & advanced upon it in 80 • yards before he knew it - Hays returnd. to Karnes & reported about
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