tied to the picket-line with but a scant allowance of forage, suffered terribly. The sun came out bright and clear on the morning of the 29th, and the next two days' sunshine made the snow disappear rapidly. A snow-storm was something of a novelty to us who had been stationed so long in that portion of Texas where snow is never seen; and if it had not been for the piercing cold that accompanied it, we would rather have enjoyed it; as it was, we were not sorry when it was gone.

During the next few days, we moved all the detachments of cavalry, the infantry companies, and the supplies across the country to "Duck Creek ;" and we were barely settled in camp, when orders were received to pack up everything and join the scouting column at the mouth of Duck Creek. This move we understood to be preparatory to the breaking up of the expedition, and to the various companies, both horse and foot, returning to their respective posts.

The day after, the whole command was concentrated at the mouth of Duck Creek, the expedition was broken up, the various companies were put en route for their posts,-the cavalry, with the exception of one troop (D), being ordered to Fort Richardson. While on the march from Griffin to Richardson, the command experienced some of the most excessively cold weather ever felt in Texas. On the night of January 9, 1875, the Brazos River froze over: the mercury stood ten degrees below zero, and two of our mules were frozen stiff at the picketline, and this in "Texas."

On the 13th we arrived at Richardson, and next day moved into quarters. During the four months the "Southern Column" was in the field, the efforts to punish and subdue the four refractory tribes of Indians which had taken the war-path were unceasing. The Kiowas, Comanches, Southern Cheyennes, and Arapahoes had banded together, and foolishly imagined they could clean out all the whites in that section of country: but sad experience tanght them that they were playing with fire; and they did not recover, for many a year, from the blow which Mackenzie and the Fourth Cavalry struck them in Cañon Blanco, on September 28, 1874, when their various camps were destroyed, and fourteen hundred head of horses and ponies were captured, one thousand of which were afterwards killed, which was the greatest blow of all, as the Indian without his pony is comparatively helpless. For ten years, the Indians referred to have remained quiet at their agencies in the vicinity of Forts Sill and Reno, Indian Territory; while, previous to that time, they were the terror of the settlers on the northwest border of Texas,-especially the Kiowas, who used to cross Red River into Texas and raid the country for hundreds of miles, driving off horses and cattle, and in more instances than one carrying off women and children. It was confidently asserted at the time that it was the Kiowas who attacked and captured Warren's contracttrain, loaded with government supplies, en route to Fort Griffin, near

Richardson, two military posts
They broke up and destroyed

Salt Creek, between Griffin and Fort only a little over seventy miles apart. the wagons, killed some seven teamsters, and ran off over one hundred mules. This was on the main road between the two posts, and over which General Sherman had passed only about forty-eight hours previously, while it was supposed that all the tribes named, were quiet and peaceable at their agencies in the Indian Territory.

The four tribes named got all they wanted in 1874, and have conducted themselves peaceably until the past season, when serious apprehensions were entertained of an outbreak at Fort Reno, which the timely arrival of General Sheridan prevented. The Indian recognizes an honest man and good common sense when he meets with it; and the influence which the army officer always wields over Mr. Lo is due to the fact that the army officer always talks straight to him, and never promises anything he cannot perform. There are no people on the face of the earth who despise "crooked talk" and crooked actions more than the North American Indians; and they lose all confidence, at once and forever, in the man who breaks a promise made to them, or tells them for a fact anything that is not so.

ONE WHO WAS THERE.

INDIAN WARS IN TEXAS.

IV.

OUR INDIAN AFFAIRS DURING LAMAR'S ADMINISTRATION-1839. 1839. Lamar's Indian Policy.-On the 10th day of December, 1838, Mirabeau B. Lamar was formally inaugurated President of the Republic of Texas.

Towards the Indian tribes President Lamar's policy was just the reverse to that of his predecessor. While President Houston endeavored to maintain friendly relations with them by kind treatment and conciliatory means, Lamar thought they should be excluded from our territory, and proposed, if necessary, to accomplish this policy, to "mark the boundaries of the republic with the sword."1

The entire frontier was constantly in great peril from the frequent incursions of the several different tribes of freebooters who hovered along the outskirts, and the cry for protection was now becoming loud and clamorous. But how was this to be accomplished? The young republic was not able to support a standing army. The available finances had been entirely exhausted, and the country could not obtain credit. Yet Lamar was determined in his policy, and at once commissioned Colonel John H. Moore to raise three companies of rangers to patrol the most defenseless portions of the frontier.3

2

But let us revert back to scenes more tragical and pathetic.

The Morgan Massacre.-On the east side of the Brazos, near the Falls, the Morgans and Marlins, somewhat intermarried, constituted several families residing a few miles apart, some above and some a little below the site of the present town of Marlin. There was a considerable settlement along the river for some twenty miles, but the country beyond or above them was open to the Indians. The period to which reference is made was the winter of 1838-39.

On Sunday night, the 1st day of January, 1839, a part of the fam

1 Thrall's Pictorial History of Texas, p. 316.

2 See biographical sketch of President Lamar in Texas Almanac for 1858. Yoakum, vol. ii. p. 253.

See "Indian Wars in Texas," by John Henry Brown, in Texas Almanac for 1868, pp. 49, 50, and 51.

ilies of James Marlin and Mrs. Jones, and the family of Jackson Morgan, were together, passing the night with the family of George Morgan, at what is now called Morgan's Point, six miles above the town of Marlin. The remainder of the divided families were at the house of John Marlin, seven miles lower down the river. John and James Marlin were brothers: the others of that name were their children.

A little after dark the house of George Morgan was suddenly surrounded and attacked by Indians, who instantly rushed in upon the inmates, giving them no time for defense. Old Mr. George Morgan and wife, their grandson, Jackson Jones, Jackson Morgan's wife, and Miss Adeline Marlin, a young lady of sixteen, were all tomahawked and scalped in the house within the space of a few minutes after the first alarm. Miss Stacy Ann Marlin (afterwards the wife of William Morgan) was severely wounded and left for dead. Three children were in the yard playing when the attack was made. One of these, Isaac Marlin, a child of ten years, secreted himself under the fence, and there remained until the tragedy was over. The other child, Wesley Jones, at once ran into the house, but seeing the Indians entering and tomahawking the inmates, ran out unobserved by the murderous demons, and was followed by Mary Marlin, another child. They both escaped together. The wounded lady retaining consciousness feigned death, and was not scalped as all the others were. The Indians robbed the house of its contents and left. When they had gone, and silence again reigned, the heroic child first mentioned, Isaac Marlin, his name should be immortalized,—crept from his hidingplace, and entering the house carefully and silently, examined the bodies to find which were dead. His wounded sister, supposing him to be an Indian, remained perfectly motionless until he had gone, when she crawled out of the house. Little Isaac then took the path leading to John Marlin's, and ran the entire distance, seven miles, very quickly, a swift messenger of death to his kindred there assembled. Wesley Jones and Mary Marlin did not get in till daylight, and the wounded Miss Marlin not till noon the next day.

As soon as little Isaac arrived at John Marlin's house and narrated his pathetic story, that gentleman, his brother James, William N. P. and Wilson Marlin, Jackson and George W. Morgan, and Albert G. Ghalson, immediately hastened to the scene, and found the facts identical with the child's narration. Other relief arrived next day, and the dead were consigned to their graves amid the wailings of their griefstricken relatives and friends.

Attack on Marlin's House.-Ten days later, on the 10th of this month, the Indians, seventy in number, attacked the house of John Marlin and his son Benjamin (whose descendants still reside in Milam County), and of Jarett Menefee and his son Thomas. This time the whites were better prepared for defense. The Indians charged upon

the four men, who make a stout and gallant fight, killing seven Indians and wounding others without receiving any injury themselves. Tired of that kind of reception, the savages soon withdrew, carrying off their dead and wounded. When the attack was made, Menefee's negro man, “Hinchey," was at a short distance from the house, but failing to reach it in time, he left in double-quick time for the settlements below, and made twenty-five miles in pretty fair saddle-horse time. "Hinchey" at once reported the attack, and a company was quickly gathered together, who lost no time in repairing to the scene of action, in order to relieve their besieged friends, but found the redskins had retreated, as before stated.

Bryant's Fight and Defeat.-It was determined, however, upon a discussion of the matter by those present, that they must pursue and fight the Indians, or abandon their homes and fall back into the more settled parts of the country. They chose the former alternative, and made their dispositions accordingly. The effective force available for pursuit was forty-eight men. Benjamin Bryant (of Bryant's Station, whose surviving family still reside in Milam County) was chosen to command.

5

On the next morning Bryant's party took the trail of the enemy, and pursued; it crossed the Brazos near Morgan's Point, on the west side, found a deserted camp with fresh signs, and about a mile out came upon a fresh trail bearing into the river, and followed it. At the river they counted sixty-four fresh horse-tracks and a large trail of foot Indians, which crossed the river. Seeing the prairie on fire below, they supposed it to be Marlin's house, and hastened back, without finding the enemy, and then halted for the night. On the next morning, January 16, they started out again, and found that the Indians had been at the deserted houses two miles above and had plundered them. Thence they traveled up six miles to Morgan's Point, and suddenly discovered the enemy in the open post-oak near a dry branch. The noted chief Jose Maria, who was riding in front in perfect nonchalance, halted, slipped off his gloves, and, taking deliberate aim, fired at Joseph

The names of the company were as follows: A. J. Powers, Washington McGrew, Ward, Armstrong Barton, Plummer, Alfred Eaton, Hugh A. Henry, William Fullerton, A. J. Webb, Doss, Charles Solls (or Salls), William N. P. Marlin, Bryant, G. W. Morgan, Enoch M. Jones, John R. Henry, Lewis B. and William C. Powers, Henry Haig wood, Eli Chandler, Ethan Stroud, Joseph Boren, William McGrew, Andrew McMillan, Clay and David Cobb, Richard Teel, Albert G. Ghlason, Michael Castleman, Wilson Reed (brother of William and Jeff. Reed, of Bell County, and uncle of Dr. Volney Reed, of Milam County), Wily Carter, John Welsh, Britton Dawson, R. H. Mathews, David W. Campbell, Nathan Campbell, Smith, Jeremiah McDanel, Walter Campbell, William Henry, Hugh Henry, John Marlin, Wilson Marlin, Joseph P. McCanless, John Tucker, Thomas Duncan (then a mere boy, and afterwards a citizen of Bell County. He was mysteriously murdered about the close of the war), and one other whose name we do not remember.