By Upton Lorentz, Comfort Texas

In 1874, Grant being president and General Sherman in command of the army, it was decided to send a strong expedition to the country to west of the Black Hills country, where Old Ft. Phil Kearney was situated, to re-establish that Fort, (which had been abandoned since 1869), and have sufficient force in the Sioux country to keep prospectors out of hills until arrangements could be made with the Sioux tribe.

Mentions: the Little Big Horn * Gen. Mackenzie * Nelson Miles * Rawlins * the Union Pacific * Ft. McPherson * Scouts Win. Cody (Buffalo Bill), * "California Joe," * Gen. Miles * Rawlins * Buffalo Bill Cody *

Brief account of the true story of Gen. Mackenzie's campaign in Texas, Indian Territory (now Oklahoma) and Mexico 1871 -1875. The subjugation of the wild Qua-ha-da band of Northern Comanches and opening up for settlement of that once desolate wilderness, now a populous and prosperous country. Including "The Massacre of Salt Creek Prairie" "The Trial of Sa-Tan-Ta" and "Big Tree," "The Killing of SeTank "The Pursuit of Kicking Bird," "The Tragedies of Canyon Blanco" "On The Trail of Deserters" "Destruction of Mow-Wis Village" thirteen actions in the Pandhandle including Tule, and Palo Duro Canyons, "The Mackenzie Raid Into Mexico," saving of the Fort Sill Garrison-from journals, diaries, letters, etc, by the last surviving officer Mackenzie's column.

Further Mentions: R. G. Carter * General Marcy, Colonels McCoy, Tourtelotte and Colonel Myer of the Quartermaster Department, * Henry Warren's train * Salt Creek prairie * Fort Richardson * Lawrie Tatum * Horace P. Jones * Black Kettle's band of Cheyennes * Quahada Comanches under Quanah Parker * McClellan's Creek * Mow-wis (the "Hand Shaker") * General C. C. Augur * Wm. D. Whipple * Ike Cox * Maclane * Green Van * the Spur Ranch, Spur, Dickens Co * "Anderson's Fort," * "Soldiers Mound." * Tule Canyon * the "Tex" Rogers ranch * Sergeant Charlton * Jack Stillwell * Sergeant John B. Charlton *

Considered the best of the many accounts of Quantrill's raid on Lawrence, Kansas, this is the version by given by James F. Legate, who was a resident of Lawrence at the time, and narrowly escaped with his life. His story was published in the St. Louis Globe-Democrat in 1898. It was Mr. Legate who carried the news to Leavenworth of the sacking and burning of Lawrence, and he told General Ewing, then in command of Fort Leavenworth, the way to head off the guerillas. Had his advice been heeded the outlaws would have been captured before getting out of the State. Mr. Legate took a leading part in border ruffian troubles during the early territorial days in Kansas. He served nine terms in the Kansas Legislature, and passed through some exciting times. His story contains some historical points about Quantrill's famous raid never published before.

Further Mentions: the Union Pacific Railroad * Solon O. Thatcher * John Speer * Old Pechaukee * Mr. McFarland * Nine-Mile Creek, * Jim Brown's stable * Col. Jennison * General Ewing * De Soto * Gov. Carney, Nelson McCracken, L. T. Smith * Rev. H. D. Fisher * George Colomar * the Free State Hotel * Charley Hart * Mr. Stone *

From the time of the organization of the first Texas Ranger company in 1842 down to the very present the Rangers have been a very effective force toward the establishment of law and order within the boundaries of Texas. After subduing the hostile Indian tribes and driving Mexican bandits from the frontier, the aid rendered by the Texas Rangers in the older and more conservative communities always produced a speedy and quiet return to lawful methods of setting all disturbances and local issues without much difficulty or any actual violences. But this was not always so, as in Sabine county in March, 1887, Captain William Scott and a small detachment of his company were severely handled by a band of local disturbers and desperadoes known as, the Conner gang. This is the story of that and other similar events.

Further Mentions: Sergeant Brooks * Private Moore * Private Rogers * Old Man Conners * the fence cutters of Brown county * the famous Bill Cook gang in Wichita county * the town of Iowa Park * Captain Bill McDonald * "Skeeter" Cook * Captain J. A. Brooks * a United States soldier, Edmundson * the Mob War in San Saba county * the Hoodoo War in Mason county * the Jaybird and Woodpecker War in East Texas * the town of Columbus, Colorado county * Captain Bill McDonald * Private Old * the transcedar district of Henderson county * the lynching of the Humphreys family * Captain John E. Elgin, of San Antonio * Brown county * Geo. W. Angle * Capt. Polk * Empresario McMullen *

John S. Mayfield.

Account describes the life of a Federal officer in Texas prisons during the Civil War. Many Civil War veterans, Federal and Confederate, have written their "memoirs" and "reminiscences," but a very few have treated of such subjects or have narrated such incidents as are found in Col. Nott's little volume of two hundred and four pages. This account is from that rare book.

With his regiment, the 176th New York Volunteers, nicknamed the "Ironsides" regiment, Col. Nott sailed from New York in January, 1863, to New Orleans to take up a position several miles to the west of the city in the LaFourche district, to guard the lines of the New Orleans & Opelousas railroad. Very soon after his arrival in Louisiana, Nott contracted malarial fever, and when his illness was at its worst, his detachment was attacked at Brashear on June 23, and he was made a prisoner along with several of his fellow officers. His captors, the colonel relates, were "the wild Texans" of Col. Bates' battalion. This is a very graphic and sobering story.

Further Mentions: lower Fourth Avenue, just below its intersection with Fourteenth Street * Dr. Hughes of Victoria, Texas * Capt. Watt of Gen. Mouton's staff * Brashear * Franklin, Louisiana * Lieut. George C. Duncan of Speight's Battalion of Texas Cavalry * Beaumont * Camp Groce * Capt. Buster * Captain Dillingham * A Confederate clergyman, Mr. McGown, of Huntsville * the State Prison at Huntsville * Camp Ford, Tyler, Texas * Camp Groce * "Kane's Creek," * Camp Ford * Lieut. Dane * Lieut. Col. Duganne * Miss Mollie E. Moore * Crockett Quid Nunc * Tyler Reporter * Houston Telegraph * Miss Lizzie Irvine, of Tyler, * Mistress Maggie of Marshall *

By F. M. McCaleb

***

Further Mentions: Professor Perrin * Howard Henderson the lower portion of Gillespie County * Dr. W. F. Groesbeck * William Frisbie * Joe Beck * Mrs. Joseph Wolf * Ed Jenkins * Captain Deats * Drs. Geanslan Chew and Cupples * Col. Dan Hall * San Marcos Free Press * The people of Cuero * mayor, Schleicher, Thelkeld, Houseman, Scherman and Preuse * Ben E. McCulloch * John W. Speer * T. J. Humphreys * D. and A. Oppenheimer from Sherman * Mr. Utze * John Borrie * Tom Adams * the Cibolo settlement and Segunda * W. W. Berry, a prominent attorney of San Antonio * Jefferson Tribune. G. W. Dillard, editor * S. W. Smith * Blanco City * Phil P. Cage and brother and J. W. Speer * Elie Speer * The Castroville Quill * Seguin, the home of Ireland and Burgess * Mr. J. S. Sharp of Bandera * William L. Davidson * Fort Ewell * J. R. Burleson * Van Williams * Dan Izard * Frio County * Albert Wallace * Selma, on Cibolo, near San Antonio * Robert Evans * Kit Carson * John C. Fremont * S. C. Thompson * Mr. Canfield * William Stone, (the old Stone Ranch is still standing near Eagle Pass,) * the Indians have killed Mr. Worman and wife and child, and Mrs. Hanster and two daughters *

By Hazel Oatman Bowman.

For those interested in seeking early Llano County genealogy and history, it is very unfortunate that the courthouse at Llano burned several times during the earlier days, destroying in each instance various records of the county. Fire also destroyed a number of the old mercantile establishments, where officials sometime; maintained their office quarters. But fortunately the local Masonic lodge records have survived the years, the books containing the original minutes and proceedings of the lodge from its beginning on March 24, 1860 down to the present time, having been preserved. And while they are, strictly speaking, a history of the lodge per se, in them can be found many interesting facts about the members - information which in turn gives an insight into the manner of living and the activities in this section during the pioneer days as well as some EXCELLENT GENEALOGY AND HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF LLANO AND LLANO COUNTY.

Further Mentions: Wilburn Oatman Sr., a Llano attorney and a member of the local organization for some 28 years * Brother Charles Haynes * H. F. Stockman, senior warden * W. C. Stuffy, junior warden; James Billings, treasurer; J. W. Codwell, seeretary-treasurer ; J. G. Talley, senior deacon; J. P. Smith, junior deacon, and W. Wimberly, tiler * John Larremore of Valley Lodge No. 175, and J. G. Burleson of Hopkinsville Lodge No. 193 * Joseph M. Gibson, Jasper Crownover, and Hiram Stockman, all of whom were residents of the Comanche Creek community and members of the old Texas families * Damon Slator, another old citizen of Llano County * Judge M. D. Slator and J. D. Slator Sr., of Llano, and Jim Slator of San Antonio * W. A. Eaker, from a Kentucky lodge * Seth Mabry, a pioneer stockman and a well-known old-timer * William Haynie; D. J. Owens, more familiarly known as "Uncle Davie" Owens * Lawrence Miller, one of the prominent old German settlers, and uncle of Mrs. Oscar Krauskopf of Fredericksburg * Mrs. E. Haynie better known among the old-time residents as "Aunt Betty," was the widow of Tom Haynie, a pioneer merchant of Llano * Some of the best known attorneys who frequented the old Haynie hotel were A. S. Fisher of Georgetown, Buck Walton of Austin, and W. W. Martin of Johnson City, father of Judge Clarence Martin * the Haynie Hotel * Henry Leverett, a brother of the J. C. Leverett * E. D. Harrington of Pantano, Ariz * the Packsaddle Indian fight in Llano County * Dr. G. C. Taylor, father of C. W. Taylor, now a newspaper editor at Rogers, and who at one time represented Bell County in the State Senate * C. J. Phillips, Mr. Oatman's grandfather * Wilburn Oatman, Sr * John Oatman, Jr * Ed R. Beeson * Peter Elridge * R. J. Jackson * the "State Gazette" (published in Austin) * R. S. Coon * "Sister" Coon * Lawrence Miller * Byrd G. Owens * F. J. Smith, a pioneer Llano merchant * . Mr. Smith was the father of Charlie Smith and Mrs. Jack Carter of Llano, Mrs. Albert Foremen of Seguin, and Mrs. Hubert Cone of Los Angeles, Calif. S. W. Tate, father of Mrs. W. H. Roberts of Llano and granddaughter of Mrs. J. T. Hallford of Llano * Brother G. W. Miller * R. F. Holden, father of Mrs. Ellen Porter and Mrs. Walter Roberts, both of Llano * R. H. Laning, father of Will and J. A. Laning and Mrs. Allan Newsom of Llano, Robert Laning of Menard, and Mrs. George Staples of Eagle Pass * William S. Watkins * Mrs. Violet A. Haynes, club woman of San Antonio * the "Buckeye Rangers" * Barnard E. Bee, Secretary of War, and father of the late Carlos Bee of San Antonio * Miss Jane Power * Lockhart * the Battle of Linville and the Battle of Onion Creek * John J. Haynes (father of Mrs. Violet A. Haynes), Henry P. and Charlie Haynes * Bert Haynes ranch in Blanco County * J. P. Smith, a pioneer stockman of this county and father of S. S. and D. P. Smith and Mrs. J. L. Hurt * I. N. Jackson, or "Newt" Jackson, grandfather of Mrs. T. E. Foster of Llano * W. T. Swanson, who now resides in San Antonio * James S. Bourland * Mrs. Oscar Shearer of Mason and the late Mrs. W. B. Collins of Llano * M. M. Harris * S. W. Kendrick, a pioneer blacksmith of Llano * the late Frank Kendrick * A. D. Cone * "Lon" Cone, was an uncle of J. L. Conners, a Llano resident * Joe F. Brown was a pioneer stockman, who moved to Edwards County * Virge and Will Brown and Mrs. D. E. Newsom. J. C. Leverett was the father of Dave, John and Jim Leverett and the late Torn Leverett, all of Llano * P. H. Hargon, or "Professor" Hargon * Two of Professor Hargon's sons, Sam E. Hargon, and Leo Hargon, still live in Llano and another, Nolan B. Hargon, resides in Austin * E. W. Farmer * George M. Watkins * Jim Long, W. B. Walker, Ben Thomas, Henry Smith, D. J. Smith, A. J. Frazier and Mr. Weed * Mr. Jim Long and his ranch place near Kingsland * the Packsaddle community * R. A. McInnis, S. B. Jester, I. N. Jackson, Lark Berryman, Henry Reynolds, J. W. Long, (his father), Cy Currie, F. C. Willbern, Crawford Stewart, Luke Garner and J. F. Dancer. J. S. Atchison, a pioneer merchant and justice of the peace at Llano, and father of Miss Beulah Atchison, of Llano * The old Comanche Creek school * the Blow Out postoffice, near the Blanco-Llano County line * Mrs. J. T. Hallford of Llano relates that her father, the late J. R. Phillips * Cypress Mills. * Professor F. M. Behrns of Llano * the Cherokee school * the Palace Barber Shop * F. J. Smith * Charles Haynes * W. D. Reed * S. L. Dalton * I. N. Jackson * James S. Bourland * William Haynie * D. J. Owen * James S. Bourland * G. W. Miller * I. N. Jackson * John C. Oatman * E. R. Beeson * S. W. Kendrick * John C. Oatman * S. W. Kendrick * John C. Oatman * A. D. Cone * ; J. F. Brown * R. F. Walker * John C. Oatman * Joe F. Brown * P. H. Hargon * J. C. Leverett * M. M. Hargis * E. W. Farmer * M. M. Hargis * George M. Watkins * W. J. Moore * Samuel Spears * W. J. Moore * E. W. Tarrence * Charles L Lauderdale * G. B. Cross * S. H. Watkins * W. C. Wallace * E. W. Tarrence * F. M. Behrns * W. H. Ward * G. H. Olinger * A. C. Chism * T. W. Alexander * Joe A. McInnis * Grady Faubion * R. Fishbeck * M. C. Wilkes * W. C. Treadwell * W. D. Parkhill * ; H. M. Nichold * L. H. Baldwin * J. L. Conners * James W. Duncan * J. R. Cone * E. B. Foreman * M. C. Dalchau * W. O. Williamson * Leo L. Lewis * William S. Watkins * Mr. W. A. Silveus, of San Antonio *

By James V. Latham, Ex-Texas Ranger.

This is the sad account of Silas F. Gibson, who struck it rich in the 1849 California Gold rush, and returned to TX to urge his brothers and remaining family to follow him out to settle in the golden State. Gathering their substantial cattle stock and possessions they made way on their trek toward CA, but were brutally ambushed by Indians at the Pecos river near the mouth of Black river. Here they fought courageously, seeking to protect their families and possessions and the battle resulted in the slaying of Silas Gibson. This account records excellent Llano and Blanco co. history and genealogy related to Gibson name in TX.

Further Mentions: Samuel Gibson, went from Missouri to California * most of the Gibsons had settled in Llano and Blanco counties * Joseph M. Gibson, Ben Gibson and G. Wash Gibson, and his brother-inlaw, Robert W. Hardin * G. W. A. Latham * Uncle Joseph Gibson's family consisted of his wife, Matilda ; one daughter, Elizabeth, about fourteen years old; James, two years younger; John P., about ten; and Jack M., about eight. Uncle Robert Hardin's family : wife, Deborah, and two children by her first husband, Win. Phillips; they were Melissie and Lee Phillips, and their own little daughter, Effie Hardin * Tommie and Eli Shelly * Mr. Guice * Robert Hulsey * a Mr. Hill * Wight's Creek in Blanco county, Texas * Centralia * Castle Gap * Horse Head Crossing * Joe Gibson and his son, James * George Cleveland of Blanco county, Texas * John Roper * Penasco * the Mescalero Indian Agency, Blazer's mill, Tularosa * Fort Seldon, N. M * Uncle Wash * J. R. Beauchamp * Thomas Shelly of Blowout, Texas * Mrs. Beauchamp, James, T. and John P. Gibson of California * a fight with the Indians on the head of Cypress in Blanco County, Texas * KNEW "CALIFORNIA JOE."

Colonel Upton Lorentz, of Comfort, Texas, relates his own personal knowledge of the old time western scout known as `California Joe,' specifically referring to some notes of an expedition in 1874, of which `California Joe' was a member, as well as the author, who served the expedition as `mule skinner' or tea sister.

Further Mentions: the H. P. Railway * Rawlins, Wyoming * Mr. Lyle, the expedition's wagon master * Buffalo Bill Cody *

By Cal C. Huffman.

Thomas Sullivan was born on April 10, 1824, in Logan County, Ky. Uncle Tom recalls vividly the events of Antebellum days, his experiences with the Confederate Army, his visits to the Mexican border hauling cotton, and later his trips to the North and East selling horses and cattle for his former master. His mother was set free at the age of nine and one-half years when George Washington died. Freed slaves in those days, however, did not remain that way for long if unscrupulous whites could help it, and the Sullivan family suffered the fate of many others. They were "sold down the river" when Tom was only seven years old, going to a farm in Monroe County, Miss., as the property of Col. Redus. When the colonel died in 1848 the property, including the slaves, was divided among the heirs. The slaves, according to the law, were placed "on the block" and sold to the highest bidder among the heirs, no outsiders being allowed to bid. Tom became the property of Bill Redus.

Further Mentions: Eagle Pass * Walter Ely * East Church Street * the Redus brothers on their Medina farm made Thomas Sullivan a valuable assistant, * Fort Duncan * Capt. King * King Fisher * Castroville * Sullivan came to Frio County in 1863, after being freed, and took up 162 acres of cotton land *

This account addresses the question, who inhabited the "mystery town" near Camp San Saba in Southern McCulloch County?

This question has puzzled the people of this section since the 1860’s. No light has ever been shed upon the identity of this phantom village of a hundred or more inhabitants. Not even a ghost walks those eerie streets at night to furnish a clue about this band of courageous men and women who battled the Indians at least a century before civilization came to this section. Remnants of stone foundations are mute evidence that a small town with six or seven business houses and a substantial residence district once existed on the north' bank of the San Saba River, about 400 yards above "Flat Rock Crossing" on the old military road from Fort Mason to Camp Colorado and a mile east of the present concrete bridge on State Highway 9.

Further Mentions: Ed Rivenburg, a ranchman of the Camp San Saba community * the Camp San Saba school * The presence of a large number of lead bullets and innumerable arrows and spearheads seem to indicate fierce conflicts between the Indians and this band of white settlers * the Lewis Brook and Son Ranch, about one mile northeast of the little town, of Camp San Saba * William Walker * Eugene Cunningham * Dr. Robert T. Hill, eminent scientist, geologist and historian * Cabeza de Baca * Captain R. G. Carter, U. S. A. Retired