June 24, 1863, Galveston Weekly News
Letter from Parker County.
Mr. Editor.–Since I last wrote you, rumors and numerous predictions have been afloat here, and I find a vast portion of the community are ready to succumb to the hordes of the fanatical abolitionists of the North; but it makes me proud to know that the majority are loyal citizens to the South, and the soft shells are watched, and ere long they will be pounced upon, and such stretching of necks–Oh Lordy! General Order, No. 4, gives to the recruiting officer of Hood’s brigade, and the Arizona brigade, all persons between the age of 18 and 40 years, and your humble servant being a recruiting officer for the latter brigade, deems it advisable to solicit the surplus of several counties in North-Western Texas. On the 9th of June is the day appointed for them to report to me. Time will show how many will report. The Enrolling Officer of Comanche county was shot full of holes for doing his duty, and other Enrolling Officers have been threatened. If I had my company here I would bring them in or die in the attempt. These young men who refuse are principally renegades from Eastern Texas, Arkansas and Missouri. They have rushed on the frontier to keep from going to the war. They won’t fight–they are constitutionally cowards, thus causing the Indians to be so bold, for sir, as soon as they get a slight glimpse of a red-skin, the first impulse of these cowardly rascals is to distance “Gilpin” in speed, and away they dash in search of some hiding place, with Mr. Indian in close pursuit, the result of which leaves a white man minus a top knot. If they would stand their ground like the hardy pioneers of yore, the Indians would not dare to penetrate so far into the country. A few days ago four Indians rode up to one of these old pioneers’ better half, as she was going for a bucket of water with a gun on her shoulder. The Indians cursed her, and told her to leave. The brave old lady cursed them in return, and told them if they did not leave instantly she would put a ball through them, at the same time fumbling about her gun preparatory to a shot. The red devils took the old lady at her word, and scampered off at “double quick.” Forty head of horses were stolen out of Parker county on the 30th ult., making one hundred and forty from that county in less than three weeks. No person killed the last drive.
Maj. Buck Barry of the frontier regiment started in pursuit of the Ft. Cobb Indians. On his arrival at Ft.Cobb, he found the Caddoes, Wacos, Anadarkies, and Delawares in martial array, in complete drill. They approached Maj. Buck with a white flag. Old Gutts, one of the Chiefs, was spokesman, and informed the Major that they were drilling to help Texas in her struggles, and that they are determined to be friendly to a people who lives on the land that gave them birth, and that the Comanches and Kiowas had stolen their horses and fled with them into the cryptic recesses of the Canadian Mountains. Major Buck and Chief Gutts finally had an understanding, and agreed not to disagree. Gutts was to take three Indians and go into the gorges of these mountains, stampede the horses, draw the warriors of the enemy into a snair that Maj. Barry laid for them, and thus stone blow annihilate the best and ablest warriors.
Gray Rover.