The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 60, July 1956 - April, 1957 Page: 505
616 p. : ill. (some col.), maps, ports. ; 23 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
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Texas Pioneer Surveyors and Indians
He had hardly reached this point when the Indians made their
appearance and, seeing Brashear going off, they naturally sup-
posed he had crossed at that place. The Indians without halting
plunged into the creek and immediately their horses went down
in the quicksand. Brashear could not resist crowing over the
Indians which made them furious. The surveyor gave them some
expressive pantomime and leisurely rode away while the Indians
extricated their horses from old Boggy Creek.
Captain Bartlett Sims, a surveyor, immigrated to Texas in 1824,
settled in Wharton County, and later moved to Bastrop County.7
In October, 1846, Sims started on a surveying expedition to the
Pedernales River. His party consisted of a nephew of the same
name and two other men, Clark and Grant. While surveying
through some tall sedge grass, the surveyors were attacked by a
party of Indians concealed in the grass near the survey line. The
Indians numbered fifty while there were only four in the survey
party. There was little chance of escape as the surveyors were on
foot. Young Sims was the first one attacked. Before he was killed,
he managed to shoot one Indian and knock another down with
the breech of his gun. The two chain carriers, Clark and Grant,
were roped by the Indians and then shot with arrows. Captain
Sims was then alone with the Indians. Stationed at the rear of the
line with his compass, he was able to reach his horse and mount it.
He had hardly done so when a large Indian seized the bridle and
momentarily stopped the horse. Captain Sims had a small Der-
ringer pistol which he drew from his pocket and shot the Indian
through the neck. The Indian's jugular vein was probably cut as
Sims' clothes were found covered with blood when he reached
home. Surveyor Sims was the only one of the party who made
an escape.
There is no known record of the number of gallant surveyors
who forfeited their lives as the purchase price of locating lands.
Certainly their contribution to Texas history has been of the
greatest importance. A. G. Farmer has paid a fitting tribute to the
early surveyors of Texas in his poem, "The Surveyors of Yes-
teryears."
7lbid., 286.505
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Texas State Historical Association. The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 60, July 1956 - April, 1957, periodical, 1957; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth101163/m1/545/: accessed April 26, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.