The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 45, July 1941 - April, 1942 Page: 338
409 p. : ill., maps ; 24 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
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Southwestern Historical Quarterly
Late in the summer the Santa Fe expedition arrived and
Fayette saw some of its members, but could get no news from
Texas, so slow was the means of transmission in those days.
Months went by; the year 1841 and the spring and summer
of 1842 passed. During all the long and weary waiting Grand-
mother stood firm as the rock of ages in her faith-calm and
unperturbed.
"Don't ask me why; I just feel it. I am as sure that I'll get
my boy back as I am that the sun will rise tomorrow morning."
In mid-summer of 1842 an overland train left for Missouri,
and Mr. Rowland placed Fayette in charge of a friend to make
the first lap of his journey homeward. The train arrived at
Independence, Missouri, on September 16, 1842. On September
17 the following letter was sent to Fayette's mother:3
Independence Jackson County Mo.
Sept 17 1842
Mrs. Angeline Smith
Dear Madam
Your Son La Fayette arrived here yesterday
under care of Mr. Peter Duncan, under whose charge
he was placed by John Rowland of Touse4 New Mexico
-to be placed under my protection at this place.
La Fayette gives the following account of himself
i - e, About two years ago he was riding behind his
father (not far from Austin Texas) hunting some
hogs-when the Comanche Indians came upon them
and shot his father-the arrow striking La Fayette
on the forehead & entering his father's arm. In en-
deavoring to make their escape, the horse they were
riding ran under the bough of a tree, which knocked
them both off. The Indians here came up with them
& murdered his father and carried him off as pris-
oner - He remained with the Indians about three
months - receiving from them the most cruel & bar-
barous treatment that could be inflicted, he was stripped
of his clothing & treated with so much cruelty that he
was unable to travel or even stand alone - the Indians
then threw him into a mud hole & left him to perish-
"The letters to which reference is made in this article are in the posses-
sion of Mrs. Bessie Pitts, 1426 Kirby Bldg., Dallas, Texas. Photostatic
copies of the letters may be found in the Archives of the University of
Texas Library.
4Taos.338
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Texas State Historical Association. The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 45, July 1941 - April, 1942, periodical, 1942; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth146053/m1/380/: accessed April 30, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.