234
TEXAS STATE LIBRARY
about Bexar as well as other parts of the frontier, the Congress de- vised a new system of defence by making provisions for the organ- ization & support of companies of minute men, (see the Law on the . subject) Hays under this law raised a company of 15 men. They were soon called into active service. A body of Indians had come down upon Bexar, and after committng many depredations, retired to the mountains - Havs with 13 men followed their trail about 70 miles, when he came upoii their main encampmnt. Being too weak to attack them, he hid his men in a place of concealmt, and taking with him a mexican, went forth to spy out the strength & situation of the enemy. While thus engaged, he discover twelve Indians who were just setting out on a visit to Bexar. He followed them two miles, unperceived, when they struck a camp and seemed to be preparig venison for their journey. Hays soon had his men upon them. He surrounded the camp before they were discovered; and charging them fiercely, the Indians retreated into a small thicket, fighting however in their retreat, disputing every inch of ground. The thicket being too dense to charge, Hays had it surrounded by his men, whilst he and two of his men entered the thicket and commenced a contest which was one of a most darig and trying nature. Hays & his two com- panions were soon wounded, badly but not totally disabled. They were now joined by another soldier; these four kept up the fight untii every Indian was killed. The Indians had but one gun, and the thicket being too dense to admit their using their arrows well, they fought under great disadvantage, but continued to struggle to the last, keep- ing up their war songs until all were hushed in death. Being fmr- rounded by horsemen, ready to cut them down if they left the thicket, and unable to use their arrows with much effect in their situation, their fate was inevitable - they saw it and met it like heroes - They were twelve indians - 10 were killed - and two taken prisoner; one of them being desperately wounded, & the other a squaw. This is the only instance on record of a Comanchee's surrendering to the whites under any circumstances - Not being able to cope with the main body, Hays made made [sic] good his return to Bexar, bearing his wounded men on a litter, and undiscovered by the Indians altho within two miles of their encampmt - On his return to Bexar his forces was augmented to 50 Texans nnd 10 Lepans headed by the gallant Flacco. With these they returnd to the Indian Encampment with a view of attackig that; but on their arrival there, they found that the had taken the alarm & had retired - they were pursued far into the mountains, where the white men had never before made a track, Hays finally came in the neighborhood of their hiding place when he was discovered by some of their hunt- ers, who fled to their encampmt & gave the alarm. Hays taking 25 of the best mounted men made a forceil march to reach the encamp- ment before it should be deserted - He found it about 8 miles off. He reached it just as the women & children, already packed up for their march, was about leaving-. The warriors, r,bout. 100, came in adva.nre of the women to mret him - a running-fiqht emued, last- ing about an hour & it hnlf until Havs horses were broke down, and he was forced to aband the pursuit. Several of his men were wounded,
Powered by FlippingBook