Deployment -------------------------------------------------------------
Stout, W. B. Rangers, Red River County
1 Regt., 4 Brig., Texas Militia
Nov 26, 1838 - May 26, 1839 [A1]
------------------------------------------------------------------------
STATEMENT OF THE INDIAN WARS ON THE RED RIVER BORDER
Furnished by Capt. Wm. B. Stout [c.1850?]
Item No. 2465, 12 pages
The Papers of Mirabeau Buonaparte Lamar
Texas State Archives
Lamar's transcription of "information given" by Capt. Stout
Literal Transcription ==================================================
[Endorsement]
Statement
of the Indian Wars
on the Red River border
furnished by
Capt. Stout
___________________
From 1836 upto 1843
(16)
This fellow Stout
has been represented
to me as a great scoun-
drel, who had fled
from justice in the
United States
In the winter 1847 & 8
he was member of the
Legislature in Austin
[p.1 ------------------------------------------------------------------]
Information
from Wm. B. Stout
Born Virginia, moved to Texas
from Illinois 1836 - Febry
____________________________
In the fall of 1837 - the Indians commenced stealing on the Red
River - In the spring of '38 a small campaign was made against them,
nothing however was effected --
________________
November 1838 Capt. Stout raised a Company under the order of Genl.
Dyre 38 men; moved against a small village on the White Oak a branch of
the Sulpher Fork, composed of Caddoes and other tribes, harboring &
protecting the thieving Indians - They were easily driven off - They
were permitted to remove with their plunder; but the village was burnt -
It had been a rendezvous for Indian renagados --
________________
For September 1838 - General Dyre raised a force of 450 and moved
against the Indians on the Trinity; On reaching the Sabine, he sent Capt
Stout & his (Stouts) brother, to search out their villages & hiding
places - Stout met only with 8 of the enemy on the Elm fork of the
Trinity; one of which was killed; the others escaped - Here
[----------------------------------------------------------------------]
(2)
the brothers parted, the Capt. moving towards the Cross Timbers, and
meeting with some Kickapoos, who informed the Capt. that the Country was
full of Caddoes, & advised him to go back & in haste too; which advice
the Capt. took, still further induced to it by the number of signs which
he every where met of the foe - he got back to the encampment of the
main army, where he met his brother who had also returned without
discovering much;
During Stouts absence an Indian had been captured & brought into Camp.
This indian informed the Texans of a villiage on the waters of the
Sabine, and piloted Capt. Wm. Scurlock with 12 men to it - he found only
8 Indians in the village; naked and singing, four of whom were killed -
The indian pilot, on their way back, rushed upon a Shawnee Indian, (who
was friendly to the whites, & had gone with Scurlock as a pilot also)
and snatching a knife from the Shawnee's belt, attempted to stab him -
The shawnee parried the blow, and the assailant immediately fled; he was
fired upon by several & killed. On Schurlock's return to the Camp the
Army broke up and returned home except 7 or eight, Genl. Dyre, Capt.
Stout, Lew. Peters, C. Johns & others, who hearing of a company of 70
men on the pilot grove
[----------------------------------------------------------------------]
3
Creek, on the head waters of the Trinity Commanded by Daniel Montague
from Fannin County - ["they ---? ---?" marked out] These 8 men joined
Montague on the Creek above mentiond - They went high up the Trinity but
finding no enemy, on coming back came upon a small encampmt of the
Caddoes on the Clear fork of the Trinity, & killed three of them - They
were out of provisions, and after starving for some time returned home.
________________
In November 1838 - Genl. Dyre made another campaign with 500 men -
He left Clarksville on the 24 day Novr. & marched to the Clear fork of
the Trinity, ["where he met Genl Rusk" marked out] Here Genl. joined
the army & took command. Leaving a company of men at this point with
his baggage, he marched to the Cross Timbers, burnt a depopulated
village; but finding no enemy, ["and getting out of provisions" marked
out] he retured to his baggage waggons & getting out of provisions he
abandoned his waggons, and had to subsist on the oxen - He marched back
to Clarksville & there discharged his men - Before Rusk, however, ["had"
marked out] joined Dyre & took command, on his from Nacogdoches, ["he
raised a company in Shelby Co and" marked out] he heard that the Cadoes
had just drawn arms &C
[----------------------------------------------------------------------]
4
from the US Govt. and were coming into Texas, he raised a company in
shelby County, and Capt. Tarrant also raising a compny of 30 men from
what is now Bowie Co. Rusk with Tarrant marched towards Shrieve's port
and meeting with the Indians near this place, he disarmed them, drove
them into shrieve's port. Sewell, Agent of the Cadoes agreed to keep
the Cadoes from coming over the line again - The arms taken from them
were deposited with Sewell - Rusk leaving Tarrant behind to procure
beaves & drive them on to the Army he himself proceeded with two or
three others to the army, which he joined as above stated at Clear Fork
- Tarrant being detained longer than was expected failed to furnish the
beeves for army in time, which caused Rusk to be driven to great
straights for subsistence, & forced him as above stated to abandon his
waggons & eat the oxen - no indians were killed - not even one - The
weather was very cold & disagreeable, & the men suffered much --
________________
When Dyre started with his army deputed Capt. Stout with 42 men to go
to the Cypress lying betwen the Sulpher & the Sabine [see W. B. Stout
muster roll] - On the 5th. Decr. the
[----------------------------------------------------------------------]
5
Indians had killed a man by the name of Jos. Harris - ["Stout" marked
out] He had been killed early in the morning - ["Capt Stout" marked out]
he was moving towards Clarksville & had stopped at ["an abandoned farm"
marked out] Blundell's residence, & had rode about two miles ["to a
place" marked out] on his way to an old farm for the purpose of looking
at some corn there which he wished to purchase - In a half a mile of
this place he was killed - Capt. Stout arrived there in the evening &
had him buried; the indians were pursued, but in consequence of the
heavy rains which fell all night & day they could not be trailed - This
alarmed the settlemt; Blundle, Harris' family and the whole settlement
convened on the Cypress neare the Cherokee Crossing under the protection
of Capt. Stout, where a fort was built called Fort Sherman - There were
some 8 or 9 families here - Leaving 15 men here, Capt. Stout went to
the Sabine, & thence to Lyday's settlement on the sulpher, which he
found in a state of alarm and on the eve of breaking up in consequence
of three men being killed in the neighborhood, the men were two
Washburns (brothers) & another, whose name is not recollected. There
was here an old dilapidated
[----------------------------------------------------------------------]
6
Fort which Capt. Stout repaired and got the families into it, about 14
families - Here he left ten men, & hearing that Shelton's settlemnt
about 15 miles below, was also about breaking up he repaired thither,
where he found the principle part of the Settlement assembled at
Shelton's and debating what was best to be done - Captain Stout proposed
that they should build a Fort & that he would have the families
protected provided they would remain & & the men would make a crop - To
this they agreed - The fort was built, The arrangement for making a crop
was this ["5 or 6 men were to work each day" marked out], They were to
work for each other; 5 or 6 working to day & 5 or 6 more, working the
next; thus taking it in rotation until all had done an equal portion of
labor; as soon as one man's field was dispatched, they commenced on
another's - Whilst the men were at work, a party of soldiers were
station in the field as a guard against the Indians. Capt. Stout being
authorized to augment his force, if necessary obtained in this
population 19 additional recruits - this enabled him to garrison the
fort, & still allow soldiers enough to protect the laborers at work - In
this manner they continued from the 26th Decr. 1838 (the day Stout
arrived there) until the fall, when the families returned to their
respective homes in security, with the fruits of a good crop, as good as
had ever been raised in the settlemnt --
[----------------------------------------------------------------------]
7
Captain Stout was not confined to any point - but receiving orders from
Genl. Rusk, he raised 72 men in January 1839 and was deputed to continue
in constant service for six months, ranging from the Cross Timbrs down
to Lake Soda - During this 6 months service, he was active & ["useful"
marked out] vigilant but was not able to accomplish much owing to his
scanty supply of subsistence ["-This" marked out] and ["his want of
--?--" marked out] other hindrances --
McIntire on Choctaw Bayou in Fannin Co. had two sons, 14 and 11 years
old killed; Garner & Camp in a few days after in the same Co. were
waylaid & killed. A man that same morning was also killed at his
residence; Keithley was his name Keithley was from arkansaw, Camp from
[sic] Geo. Garner's nativity unknown - The boys were killed 29th Jany -
The others were killed 8 or 9 Febry - These were the only murders of
that winter & spring in this section. Their deaths went unrevenged; the
indians could not be caught & were not retaliated upon - Capt. Stout
however, erected several forts, which gave protection to the families -
Fort Sherman, Fort Rusk, De Kalb; assisted at English's, Montagues, & at
Coffee's station. His force was disbanded in June.--
On the 23rd. July 1839, a few days after the Cherokee fight,
Blanketship was killed by the Cherokees near the Sabine --
[----------------------------------------------------------------------]
8
Captain Stout had some difficulty in holding his men together at Fort
Sherman. Some ["eight" marked out] of them had been enlisted for three
months only; their time expiring, some 7 or 8 of them, resolved to go
home. The Capt. forbid it: a difficulty ensued; but the Captain being
sustained by Lieut. John M. Watson, and 2 others, the rebellious
soldiers were forced to continue their aid 3 months longer. The
ring-leader was kept confined for some time until he ["--?ssed himself"
marked out] manifested repentance. Capt. Stout acted in this matter
under the an [sic] act which said that men enlisted for one tour (which
is 3 months) may be compelled to extend their service to two tours (6
months) if the exigencies of the country required it - He had also order
from Genl. Dyre to pursue the course he did --
________________
Capt. Stout in May 1839 brought in the waggons, 5 in number, which
Rusk had left on the middle prong of the Trinity called Clear Fork -
They had however been much damged by the Indians, who had taken off many
of the irons & had abused the woodwork also by chopping it with their
hatchets --
________________
[----------------------------------------------------------------------]
9
Capt. John Emberson, who had resided 20 years on Red River, raised a
Company in the spring of 1839, a month or thereabout, before the
expiration of Capt. Stouts service - Emberson continued in service 5 or
6 months ranging on the upper frontier of Fannin, He killed 3 Cherokees
in July - This company and Capt. Stouts were the only forces operating
in that section, from the time Rusks army was disbanded at Clarksville
until ["the Emberson" marked out] september 1839 - From this date up to
may '40 - there was no force operating in this quarter. During this
interrgnum, the indians committed various depradations. They commenced
by killing Geo. Dugan, Fanning Co. and a Mr. Cox also of Fanning, and
took off two boys 12, 14 years of age, the sons of Cox brother. They
were recovered in the fall of 1840, bought in the Choctaw nation.
Ripleys family, Red River Co. was killed 10th April 1841 - his wife
& eight children, the oldest a boy 18 years old two girls 16 & 13 years
and the balance younger, the youngest an infant. Two of the family only
escaped a girl about 15, and one 10, years - they were pursued by the
Indians, but outrunning them they reached a neighbor's house, when their
pursuer stopped - he had fired at them at the commcemt of the Chase
which was about 2 miles - Capt Stout states that youngest girl was so
stiffened up by the great effort she made in runing that she was not
able to walk for several days.
[----------------------------------------------------------------------]
10
June or July
Shortly after this the Indians made an attack on Capt. Earry [John
Yeary] whilst he was in his field at his work - There were several women
at Earry's house that day, some 5 or 6 on a visit - ["The Indians 7 in
number broke in" marked out] they were in the yard at the time the
Indians broke upon them. They attempted to gain the house but the
Indians intercepted them at the door - and a general engagement ensued;
the women, fighting with sticks, rocks & such missels as they could
gather up, and some going it with their nails and teeth. Several of
them severely wounded by the arrows of the enemy, but the indians were
not able to use their bows with much effect inconsequence of the close
quarters of the engagemt, the women seizing hold of them throwing them
down and otherwise engaging them - Thus continued the fight until Capt.
Earry came to their assistence. Hearing the scuffle he fled to fled to
[sic] the house and was recd. by several shots from the enemy none of
which however disabled him. He seized a weeding hoe lying in the yard
and began to operate with that knock the indians down as fast as he
could get to them, until his wife was able to get into the house. She
brought out his gun & the assailants fled. Earry fired upon them &
wounde one. The women were not seriously injured & none killed - The
combattants were about equal in number on both sides - This took place
in June or July 1841 --
[----------------------------------------------------------------------]
11
In June 1841 - Tarrant raised 50 or 60 men and went up to the Cross
timbers, and on his return fell in with a village on the Trinity west
prong, where Bird's fort now stands; killed 5 or 6 Indians; broke up
their Village. After runing the Indians out of the Village, parties
started out after stock & horses, and in a mile or two, in crossing a
small stream the Indians fired upon them and killed Jno. B Denton and
wounded Henry Stout - Took an Indian prisoner, a woman and a little girl
- On reaching the settlemts, the old woman made her escape, the child
was delivered to her Uncle at Bird's fort last fall at the treaty (1843)
--
Tarrant after returng raised another force 300 men, made another
expedition but found no enemy & achieved nothing They started about
August, or sometime in the summer -
________________
One Indian in a staling party was Killed on the sulpher in December.
1841 - by Jason Wilson -
This terminated the Indian wars on that frontier -
Capt. Stout came to Texas Febry. 1836 - was in the Battle of Sanjacinto
_______________
[----------------------------------------------------------------------]
12
The Law establishing minute men - Under this Law there was but one
Compny on the Red River Frontier - commanded by Wm. Becknell, Red River
County. Nothing however was accomplished not a single Indian was
killed.
_______________________
Becknell was appointed by the US Govt. to run off and measure the road
from Missorie to Santafe - which he did - From Independnce Missorie to
Santa fe is 800 1/2 miles as stated by Becknell; so I am told --
He has participated in all the dangers of the frontier, and is a
brave backwoods man - He raised a compny in 1836 in that section &
joined the army at Victoria --
______________________
There were many alarms & small parties would occasionally go out for a
few days, but the foregoing statemt contains the most of the military
operations of that Quarter against the Indians
End of Transcription ===================================================
Transcription Notes:
[ ] Notes added to transcription.
[?] Original difficult to read.
- Transcribed from a photocopy of the original, H.D. Maxey.
***** Index to Military Rolls of the Republic of Texas 1835-1845 *****
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