BOYS FIGHT INDIANS IN LLANO COUNTY

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Published July 27th, 2014 by Unknown

Mary Malisa Haynes, San Antonio, Texas

[From J. Marvin Hunter’s Frontier Times Magazine, November, 1927]

AS I REMEMBER this was in the year 1866. My parents lived on Pecan Creek, Llano County, Texas at that time. The boys who were in that first fight were my brother, Montgomery Wright (Gum) Philips, John and Sanford (Sant) Backeus, Ralph Haynes, Jenn and Sam Reams, Ben Gibson, Deve Harrington and Ezra Phelin, all young boys in their teens. I remember when they all started out as Indian scouts looking for "Heep Big Indians." All stopped at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Sam Richards for dinner, and while there they told their host and hostess what they had started out to do. Mrs. Richards teased them and told them they were a pretty set of youngsters—self styled Indian scouts. She told them she imagined they would all run if they saw an Indian; however before they left she promised them if any one of them killed an Indian or got in a fight with any to come back and she would give the whole company of them the finest dinner that could possibly be gotten up with an all night dance to follow. They accepted her promise and with that they started out with renewed confidence. The Richards home was a big log house at what was then called Lairmore Springs. This was not far from another landmark, the large two-story house known as the Joe Smith place. After leaving here the boys traveled some distance, when they came to what is known as Round Mountain. One of the boys suggested they go on top of that mountain and see if they could get sight of anything from there. The mountain was covered with a growth of shin-oak bushes of considerable height. As they neared the top they could see it was bare ground, which turned out to be an open camp ground, and as they reached this they all rode up together and to their utter astonishment they beheld what they were looking for "Heep Big Indians," all sound asleep taking a mid-day siesta, with all of their horses staked or tied close by. With an awful yell (it was afterwards decided my brother gave the biggest yell) they charged. pulling their guns and pistols. Each boy picked him an Indian. As it happened, my brother, Gum Phillips, and Ben Gibson got after the same Indian. This Indian was riding on a folded wagon sheet in the running fight down the mountain. The sheet unfolded and was dragging on the ground. Ben Gibson was on his horse, "Paddy," which was the prettiest and fastest runner in the bunch, and was right on this Indian when Paddy stepped on the wagon sheet, nearly dismounting the Indian rider, but frightening Ben's horse so he shied to one side. At that moment my brother had gained ground and an up between them, and as quick as a flash my brother had his pistol up against the Indian's head. At the same time the Indian jerked open her blanket baring her, breast, and saying: "Me Squaw." But with an oath he said, "What do I care?" so "Me Squaw" went to a happy hunting, ground which was all said and done in the, twinkling of an eye. Gum's pistol just naturally went off. "Me Squaw" had no effect when they killed and scalped our people; if anything our women were the most horribly treated.

After Brother had killed his Indian he looked and saw Deve Harrington, who was on a fine fast horse, in hot pursuit after his Indian. This Indian had a companion who stayed right by his side. Brother joined Deve in this chase and persuaded Deve to change horses with him. In doing this he gained close range on the larger Indian, who shot my brother's pistol out of his hand. This gave the Indian courage and he gave a mighty triumphant yell, but Brother's yell came back like an echo, for no sooner had the Indian shot the pistol from his hand and he drew from his hip another. This gave Mr. Indian a cue to move up, which He lost no time in doing.

All during this running fight the larger Indian would whip his horse on one side, then the other. with terrible blows, coaxing and instructing the smaller Indian to do the same.

They had chased these Indians about twelve miles when Brother's horse gave completely out, and as it was getting late; they gave up the chase. They had spent most half of the day in this chase and was about dark when they reached the starting point on top of the mountain. All the other boys were there safe and sound, each one helping himself to the spoils of the Indian camp. Ralph Haynes was dancing around and with other things he had on a beautiful silver belt made of hammered silver dollars. One of the dollars had a twisted hole in the edge from a bullet. The silver belt had been taken off the squaw Brother Gum killed, and it was promptly turned over to him as his trophy. Also the wagon sheet, she was riding on. I remember my mother had that wagon sheet washed and she used it as a covering over the bed slats of one of our beds.

The boys divided all the spoils, getting Indian blankets, ropes, bridles, saddles, and even full Indian regalia, with many other things. That night, when my brother arrived home, he threw all the trophies he had down in the yard. I remember his favorite dog barked over those things all night.

"Ezra Phelin killed the Indian chief in tits fight and it was thought my brother, Gum Phillips, or Deve Harrington must have killed one of the two they were after, from the signs of what was found some time after. It was thought the smaller Indian who rode so close to the other one in the chase must have been a squaw or more apt to have been a young boy.

The boys were advised to report this fight in person, with their trophies, to the Governor of Texas They did this, my brother taking his money belt and all of the boys took some of the spoils of the fight. When these were brought before the Governor, he praised them very much for their brave daring for boys so young. The Legislature was in session and they voted to present each boy with one of the latest model 44 Winchester guns. As the Governor presented these to the boys they all felt very proud and well paid for this service, to their state.

Some of these trophies were left in Austin. I have been told that they may have been lost when the old capitol was burned.

The next morning after the fight Amos (Ame) Hardin, my brother-in-law, and his son, Liman. rode up to the ranch and on seeing the things in the yard Liman let out a yell, "My God! Gum has killed an Indian. We all jumped up, and everybody, all the negroes and all the dogs packed up and went to see the happy hunting ground and to see the dead Indians, after which the boy, called on Mrs. Richards to claim the reward. Of course no one was more surprised than she. She was expecting the stork any day and when she made the boys the promise she had no idea she would be called on so soon to pay the reward. Mr Richards got the boys off to one side and with a few words of explanation all agreed to be satisfied with the dinner, leaving off the all night dance that was to follow.

The big dinner came off, and all the families were special invited guests. I remember sitting by Mrs. Charles Haynes, mother of Ralph, who was in this fight. Mrs. Haynes was a step-mother to John James Haynes, who became my husband some four years after this.

One other thing I remember about that dinner was the delicious boiled custard covered with heavy icing and , served in pretty glasses. I was about fourteen years old, but very small to my age. It may be remembered by some that eggs were a luxury in those days. Chickens were almost out of the question on account of the numerous varmints. Wire fences were unheard of. As to meat, we had plenty of wild turkeys and game of all kinds to eat.

I am sending the pictures of my brother Montgomery Wright (Gum) Phillips and Ralph Haynes, two boys who were in this fight. The descendants of these men are scattered all over the United States. Ralph Haynes, a namesake and grand child of the writer of this story has just graduated from the Los Angeles, California, High School, with honors, winning a four years' scholarship in the University of Iowa. Willie Haynes Shirley, another descendant lives in Washington, D. C.

If you can use this I am going to write again soon and tell you more of what I remember of Ben Gibson and his horse Paddy being in another Indian fight.

Bill Wooten, our old Llano county friend and neighbor who writes from Aravaipa, Ariz. I enjoyed your story in the July Magazine very much. Come again Bill.

When my husband and I started out on life's journey together he bought the Wooten home in Backbone Valley. Burnet county, Texas, and it was there where all our four children (girls) were born.

Since writing this story I have been told the old Bill Moss home, a substantial two-story rock house I spoke of in this story was destroyed in a cyclone last April and it is now being built as a one story home, and not so far away my father's (Ben Philips) old two story rock home has been destroyed by fire. and so the old landmarks of early days, like their owners, are passing away.

In addition to this story of the Round Mountain fight Mrs. Ben Gibson who lives at present in Marble Falls. Burnet County Texas writes that her husband told her he and these boys dressed up in full Indian regalia, Ezra Phelin with the old Indian chief's full outfit on, and faces painted, rode Indian style single file up Congress Avenue, Austin Texas. The women ran off the streets into houses screaming and fainting. Many on their porches ran in the house and locked the doors. Some of the Austin men did not act much better. By the time they had reached the Capitol they had the whole town aroused. The Legislature which was in session. the Governor and all the crowd met them at the Capitol steps. They did not turn over the keys to the city to visitors those days but I have already said how proud they were of the winchesters presented.

Near Austin somewhere they rode up to a negro school house. Those negroes did not stop to find the door. They went out the windows and even tore the planks from the walls, leaving the building almost a wreck. If those negroes were ever seen around there any more none of these boys ever heard anything about it. They were arrested or threatened arrest for some of their pranks.

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