Recollections of Early Texas by John Holmes Jenkins Page B

Burleson went out in pursuit. We trailed them over their same old route to their same old passway. From every sign they had evidently been in a hurry and had a strong force. The first night we camped on Onion Creek very near to where they had camped on their way out only a night or two previously.
    As it was severely cold, we built a large bright fire and indulged in the free and easy merrymaking life of camp life until very late. We had a fine singer in our party, James Patton, and his splendid voice entertained us through many a song as we lay basking in the genial light and warmth of the campfire. At last the silence of night pervaded the woods and we slept very soundly.
    Meanwhile, we had tied our horses near and guards were stationed around them. Suddenly we were aroused by a struggling and kicking among our horses and then came a scattering and flying of fire around and over us. In an instant we had our guns in hand, thinking the Indians were upon us. The guards soon explained the cause of the disturbance. One of the horses, having been entangled in his rope, had fallen into our campfire.
    One of our men was by far the most terribly frightenedman I ever saw. When the excitement first arose he rushed into a nearby thicket, leaving his gun and comrades and lay there afraid to move or speak, until the alarm had subsided. Then we heard moans and groans from the brush, and recognizing his voice, we called to him and assured him the danger and Indians were not near. He was literally scared into a shaking ague, and the next day he candidly confessed himself entirely unfit for Indian campaigning, and very truly said he did not believe he could stand the racket of such a life.
    The next morning found us on the plain trail, which we followed easily, constantly finding signs of their camps every ten or fifteen miles. We began to have a strong hope of overtaking them and regaining our horses.
    One night we camped with a well-laid plan to make a raid the next morning, feeling confident of speedy and certain success. Half of the company, however, surprised and disconcerted us the next morning by announcing their determination to quit and go home. A serious division and difficulty arose among the men and many “waxed warm and wrathy,” feeling inclined to support their opinions with blows. As is always the case, our divided forces lost both power and design, and abandoning further pursuit we retracted, retracing our steps homeward. Arriving at the scene of our first alarm we again camped and again Mr. Patton sang for us, but just as he was in the midst of a low comic song entitled, “The Cork Leg,” our guards reported a noise like that of moving Indians. The fire was immediately extinguished and we had our guns ready for action. Nothing further being heard, however, we concluded that the men were mistaken and after resting throughout the night in peace we came on home the next morning without even investigating for fresh Indian signs.
    This was a piece of criminal carelessness and negligencewhich we afterward regretted, for on the following day two of our men were surprised and killed while out hunting by a band of Comanches numbering about thirty, who came along on our immediate trail. Thus, we knew that our guards had doubtless been correct in thinking that they heard the muffled sound of their march somewhere near us.
    The two unfortunate men seemed to have fought most desperately, for there were signs of a terrible struggle—a broken gun showing hand-to-hand fighting. They were given time to find shelter under a bluff, and thus protected they were able to prolong their lives, but against such odds they were soon killed. It is presumable that this band expected and desired us to overtake and attack them, judging from their slow march and plain trail, and returned upon our very heels. As it was, no pursuit was made and once more two of our citizens were brutally murdered and buried without one effort to avenge