History of the regulators and moderators and the Shelby County war in 1841 and 1842, in the republic of Texas, with facts and incidents in the early history of the republic and state, from 1837 to the annexation, together with incidents of frontier life and Indian troubles, and the war on the reserve in Young County in 1857 Page: 13 of 42
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departure,
one of the Maddens, a Mexican and two other men in returning,
fired off their guns near the house to alarm the Indians and cause them to leave.
Colonel Landrum hearing the firing and presuming that I was attacked, started
with his men to my relief and went so far that he could not return the same
night. I, with my party, went in the direction of the house of a widow and
arriving there found the house deserted. In the road, near the house, we saw
tracks of a horse and mule that had been in full run, and concluding from this
sign that Indians were in our rear, Forsythe and I turned back, when we met
many of Rusk's men coming up in disorder. We went to General Rusk and
had a council, when General Rusk sent orders to Colonel Landrum giving
directions as to his future action. We remained at Eaton's about a week.
There being too few to maintain a full guard, the sentinels stood at their stations
the full timle without relief. I took my own station at a point I believed to be
the most liable to attack by the savages. It was in thick timber, andi when all
was still I heard an Indian cross the field fence within fifty or sixty yards of my
position. The night was starlight, too dark to distinguish anything clearly,
and I could only discover his movements by the sound of his footsteps in the
leaves. He went to a tree about one hundred yards from the fence, stopped,
then another crossed the fence, then the first advanced and the second at the
same time moved up and took the position vacated by the first, each getting to
his position about the same time. When the two made a stop a third crossed
the fence and all three commenced walking. I could hear them distinctly.
The Indian in front was going in the direction of the post occupied by Lieut.
Dick English. When he had approached very near, Lieutenant English called
to one Hoof, sergeant of the guard, to come ot his relief as he was very cold.
This gave the alarm to the enemy and they were seen or heard no more that
night.
CHAPTER IV.
We now moved down to Murchison's and remained there about a week and
occupied the time in scouting for Indians but we found none. We were here
joined by Gen. Felix Houston and staff, who remained with us during the balance
of our time in the field. We next took up the march to Neches Saline, and on
the way were joined by Gen. Rusk with his command. The Indians made their
headquarters five miles south of Neches Saline, and had killed, robbed and
taken prisoners many persons. We had reached within a few miles of the Saline
and were preparing to camp when our spies gave information of the Indians at
the Saline. We formed line of battle eight deep and hurried to the Saline and
attacked the Indians. Before the presence of the Indians was reported to
us two of our men killed an Indian boy and a leading Indian called Captain
Jack. The Indians retreated immediately upon the arrival of the main body of
our army. A few (5) Indians were killed in skirmishes with our spies. NoI
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Middleton, John W. History of the regulators and moderators and the Shelby County war in 1841 and 1842, in the republic of Texas, with facts and incidents in the early history of the republic and state, from 1837 to the annexation, together with incidents of frontier life and Indian troubles, and the war on the reserve in Young County in 1857, book, January 1, 1883; Fort Worth, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth2362/m1/13/?rotate=270: accessed April 23, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries Special Collections.