Rangers and Sovereignty. Daniel W. Roberts
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Being almost coincident with our Deer Creek fight, we copy Mr. James R. Moss' account of the Packsaddle Mountain fight. The Moss brothers, and the Roberts brothers were a team that always pulled together, and we never knew a Moss to balk.
"On the 4th day of August, 1873, a party of redskins supposed to be Comanches, made a raid into Llano County, and stole a lot of horses, with which they were making their escape out of the country, when a company of eight, Dever Harrington, Robert Brown, Eli Lloyd, Arch Martin, Pink Ayres and the Moss brothers, James R., William and Stephen D., was organized and started in pursuit. After following the trail perhaps a distance of forty miles, the Rangers discovered the Indians about noon on the following day in camp on top of Packsaddle Mountain. Concealing their movements the pursuers carefully reconnoitered the situation and discovered that the redskins had made only a temporary halt to rest and refresh themselves. They had passed over an open space about forty yards in width covered with grass and had pitched their camp on the edge of the bluff beyond, leaving their stock in the glade to graze. The bluff where they halted was skirted below with a sparse growth of stunted trees, which, with some scrubby bushes growing adjacent afforded them a good camping ground. Some of the Indians had lain down in the bushes to rest, while others were roasting meat over a stick fire and eating. It was agreed among the Rangers that they would charge across the glade on horseback and put themselves between the Indians and their horses, then dismount and open fire. The charge was made and all dismounted before firing, except William Moss, who fired two shots from his horse. Though surprised the Indians gathered their guns and returned the fire, forming as they did so, in a kind of battle line, in which manner they made two separate charges, evidently intending, if possible, to reach their horses. But they were repulsed each time, and a third line was broken up before they got well out of the timber, under cover of which it was formed. One buck, bolder than the rest, advanced alone at some distance to the right of the others, and without firing his gun, which, however, he held grasped in an upright position, seemed determined to make his way to the horses. He came to within a few feet of the Rangers, some of them firing at him, when suddenly he turned and retreating to the edge of the timber, fell forward stone dead, but, as was afterward found, still tightly grasping his gun. About this time three or four of the Indians started up a chant and began to file off under the bluff, the others followed suit, and almost in a twinkling, nothing more was seen of them. On inspecting the battle ground the Rangers found three bodies. Four of their number were more or less hurt, William Moss being shot in the right arm and shoulder, the ball ranging through the breast and coming out on the left side. Arch Martin shot in the left groin; Eli Lloyd three slight wounds in the arms, and Pink Ayers, two balls in the hips. It was estimated that there were twenty Indians, seventeen bucks, two squaws and a boy. All of the stock which these Indians had, twenty head, together with some of their firearms, saddles and accoutrements, fell into the hands of the Rangers. None of the wounds sustained by the pursuers proved serious, except those of William Moss; he has always suffered more or less with his.''
Enlistment and First Scout
My connection with the Ranger Battalion was accidental. That is true at least to the extent that I made no application to enlist in the service.
In May, 1874, I made all my plans and arrangements to remove to the Territory of New Mexico, to engage in business. This was just at the time that the Battalion was being organized. I had previously spent some time in the territory and was favorably impressed with the business prospects. I had gone so far with my arrangements as to write a notice of my plans to the young lady who has been Mrs. Roberts for a great many years.
Just before I made the start I received a brief letter from Captain Rufe Perry, who had been commissioned a captain and placed in command of Company ''D". The letter read as follows: ''Meet me in Austin May 10th." I had not the remotest idea of what he desired, but the letter had an imperative ring, so I went to Austin. A few minutes after my arrival at the Capitol, I met Captain Perry on Congress Avenue as he was coming down from the capitol building. After we had exchanged greetings, he handed me a document without making any comment. The document was a commission as second lieutenant that had been signed a few minutes before by Governor Richard Coke. With the remark ''I guess you've got me,'' I accepted the commission and became one of the charter members of Company "D" of the Ranger Battalion. I returned home for my equipment and joined the company on its march for the frontier.
Captain Perry, as the commander of a company which was to remain on the frontier, naturally selected some of the members of the company from the men whom he knew personally. It was necessary to have men who were more or less acquainted with life on the border and accustomed to the hardships. He and I had been personal friends for many years and had had scout service together. Our respective families had lived in the same district and been friends for a long time. I write this paragraph as an explanation of his reason for offering me a commission as a lieutenant in his company.
In August of the same year, Captain Perry ordered a scout made to the south of camp to look for Indian signs. The company was then in camp on the San Saba River, twenty miles below Fort McKavett. Eight men were detailed for the scout, with myself in command. At the end of the first day's march we camped near the headwaters of the Little Saline Creek, where we found a spring of good water.
George Bird was sent out to kill a deer. Six of the other members were sent out to graze the horses about a quarter of a mile from the camp. Corporal Matt.
Murphy was in charge of the horse guard. Murphy was from Mobile and was dubbed "Mobile Register". Notwithstanding the fun we had with him, he was a game, good fellow.
George Bird returned to camp just at sundown. He was laying down his gun when firing commenced out at the horses. The Indian war-cry left no doubt as to the meaning of the shots.
George Bird seized his gun and sprinted for the horses. I stayed right with him. Reaching the horses, we saw that the Indians had given up the fight and fled, after staying for only two exchanges of shots. They had thought to play the role of surprise party, but finding the small squad ready and willing for a fight, quickly decided that discretion was the better part of valor and took to flight. The Rangers loosened hobbles, mounted bareback and rode pell-mell to camp for saddles. We returned to the place where we had seen them last and followed in their wake until dark. In the hurried departure they dropped several blankets and trinkets. One hat which we found will be referred to in a subsequent chapter.
We took the trail early next morning and followed for some thirty miles. The men found evidences which they thought indicated that we had wounded several of the Indians in the fight the night before. Late in the evening we found the tracks diverging in many directions. Scattering was an old trick which they used when closely pursued. Breaking into very small squads, they would agree upon a meeting place generally remote and always in some direction other than the one they had been traveling. After some study of the situation we "called the turn". Our guess was that they would double back and meet somewhere near the point where they made the attack. That this guess hit the mark will be shown in a chapter reporting the fight which we had with them a few days later. The band was composed of Comanches, about twelve in number.
We returned to camp, but we waited in vain for them to come within sight or hearing.
The cunning of the Indians is well illustrated in the point of our camp which they selected to attack. Almost invariably they went for the horses first. They seemed to have a mania for stealing horses, even when they did not need them. When they were not bent upon stealing, they delighted in stampeding the horses, leaving the campers a foot.
The squads and companies of Rangers were compelled to use-every precaution to prevent the Indians from stampeding the horses. Captain Perry, of Company ''D" introduced the custom of using hobbles and side lines. The hobbles were short chains, with a heavy leather strap at each end and fastened to the horses fore feet; the side lines fastening into one of the straps of the hobbles and extending backward and fastening to the hind foot. Horses so secured could not possibly move faster than a walk