Savage Frontier Volume III 1840-1841: Rangers, Riflemen, and Indian Wars in Texas

CHAPTER 1. THE COMANCHES

1 Four unknown riders made their approach to the outskirts of San Antonio as the sun set low into the afternoon sky. Three wore the accoutrements of Comanche Indians––breechclout, leggings, moccasins, and buffalo skin robes to ward off the cool winter air. The fourth horse bore a small young captive, secured to his horse to prevent his escape. The four riders were hailed by San Antonio citizens as they neared the edge of town. The Comanches cried out loudly for “Colonel Karnes,” demanding to speak with him. The Indians were told to wait with their prisoner while someone was sent to fetch Karnes. The three Comanches who had thus entered San Antonio on January 9, 1840, sought to speak to a man familiar to their people from previous peace negotiations. Although known to the Indians to seek peace, Colonel Henry Wax Karnes had also led several campaigns against the Comanches and other warlike Texas Indian tribes. A hero of the Texas Revolution, twenty-eight-year-old Karnes had consistently served as a leader of cavalry forces in and around the San Antonio area in the years following the battle of San Jacinto. These Comanches were part of the Penateka (“Honey Eaters”) tribe, one of twelve regional bands of Comanche. Also known as the Wasps, the Penatekas survived largely on bison meat, and had migrated to the North Texas plains around 1700. As many as 40,000 Comanches had inhabited Texas soil in the peace of the CHAPTER 1 The Comanches January–February 1840 1780s, but epidemics that included cholera reduced their number to around 12,000 by the late 1830s.1 San Antonio was heavily populated with Tejanos, Texas natives of Mexican ancestry. The old Alamo mission still stood––the compound whose fall had inspired the “remember the Alamo” rallying cry of the Texas Revolution. At times during the years following, various army troops had used the grounds for a fortress. The city itself was now an epicenter of activity in the growing Republic of Texas. To the west, traders moved toward the Rio Grande to ferry goods to and from Mexico. In the Hill Country north of San Antonio, the Comanches ranged over miles of unsettled land. They were accused, sometimes unjustly, of preying upon helpless travelers or plundering the traders who became more numerous each year. San Antonio was the largest community in close proximity to villages of the Penateka Comanches, who desired many of the items traded in that town. The three Comanche riders were brought into town before Colonel Karnes on January 9 with their prisoner. In a letter written the next day, Karnes related the demands of the Indians. On being introduced into my presence, the most distinguished amongst them––who appeared to be a priest–– stated that he was deputed by his nation to solicit a peace. He further states, that eighteen days since, his tribe, in a general council, elected a distinguished Chief to treat with the Texians, who will visit the settlements on his return, should his report be favorable to him. He says that the nation will accept of peace on any terms, being sensible of their inability to contend with the Texian forces.2 Although encouraged by the desires of the Comanche nation to request a peace agreement, Henry Karnes was certainly at least a little wary. The Comanches were not afraid of Texas forces, as they had yet to incur any serious losses from fights with Texas frontiersmen or rangers. The Comanches also stated to Karnes that they had rejected presents from the Cherokees, and also from the Centralist Mexican military command, who had sent emissaries among their people. Both parties sought to use the Comanches to stir up a general war against Texas settlers. Again, the word that the 2 SAVAGE FRONTIER Comanches had rebuffed the two opportunities to rise up against the Texans was taken with a grain of salt by Karnes. “These statements may be true, but their known treachery and duplicity induces me to put but little faith in them,” wrote Karnes. The Indians left their captive behind, a young boy later identified as John Horn. His family had been attacked in April 1836, in the Nueces River valley. Thirteen men were killed, leaving two women and their young children to be taken prisoners by the Comanches. Mrs. Horn was ransomed in 1839 by traders, but her young son had been a...