ARMY SURRENDERED TO U. S. DRAGOONS. 269 



^^•^\^s^*^\^\^>^< « 



They were followed by eleven men under the command of Col. War- 

 field, and, after a runniufr fight of two or three miles, an action was 

 brought about. As they halted, Col. W. ordered his men to dismount 

 and form a breastwork with their horses, which was promptly done ; — 

 meanwhile the Indians, numbering sixty or more, had closed around, 

 with whoops and yells, and other demonstrations of their expected 

 triumph. 



A discharge from the Texans brought four of their warriors to the 

 ground, and wounded six more. This broadside was returned through a 

 ehower of arrows, and repeated by the intrepid eleven in a pistol-round, 

 when three more of the assailants fell, and twice that number felt the 

 effects of an unerring aim. Hereupon the Indians hastily retreated with 

 their wounded, leaving seven of their number to grace the scene of ac- 

 tion. Not one of the Texans was injured, and only one of their horses 

 killed and three wounded. Further pursuit, however, was abandoned, 

 and the captive horses were left to honor the service of their new masters. 

 A loss so inopportune caused the postponement of further operations 

 for the present, and, in connection with other difficulties, created so much 

 discontent in the minds of some, that one entire company declared its in- 

 tention of returning to Texas, and requested its immediate discharge. An 

 emergency of this kind, not having been provided for in the terms of en- 

 listment, left the commanding officer no other alternative than to accede 

 to a measure he had no power to prevent, and the demands of the disaf- 

 fected were accordingly complied with. 



The army was thus reduced to eighty effective men, w^hich made it 

 necessary to release the prisoners as yet retained in custody. These 

 during their detention had been treated with great kindness, and their 

 wounded carefully attended to by the company's surgeon ; on their re- 

 lease twelve horses were allowed for their conveyance, while the other 

 prisoners were furnished with four rifles and a quantity of ammunition, two 

 running horses, and enough provisions to serve for several days. Thus 

 provided, they were set at liberty with the pithy message : "Bid your 

 countrymen learn, from this example, how to treat prisoners of war !" 



Soon after the events above related, the army took up a position on the 

 Arkansas river, a few miles below the Santa Fe road, for the purpose of 

 procuring a supply of provisions from the vast quantities of buffalo afford- 

 ed by that vicinjty. While encamped here, hunting parties were al- 

 lowed to cross into the United States territory in quest of game, — not in 

 a national capacity, but as mere private individuals. 



On one of these occasions the hunters were discovered and pursued by 

 two companies of United States Dragoons, under Capt. Cook, on their 

 way to escort the Santa Fe traders as far as the Crossing of the Arkansas. 

 The chase was continued to the river bank opposite the Texan camp, 

 when a conference was requested, and the commanding officers of both 

 armies met, as was supposed, for an interchange of mutual civilities ; but 

 such proved not to be the case. 



Captain Cook, on the part of the Americans, contended that the 

 Texans had invaded the United States territory, and that they even now 

 occupied a position within its limits ; — his duty was plain. He must de- 



