Sixty years in Texas Page: 100 of 398

86 SIXTY YEARS IN TEXAS.
The Indians
In the winter of 1860-1861 the Indians made
several raids into Parker, Clay, Cook and Denton
Counties, and the settlers became alarmed and excited.
There was a company of one hundred men
raised in the neighborhood of Trinity Mills, in the
north part of Dallas County. We elected W. Hamp
Witt, captain. We took no time to drill, but were
off on the jump like minute men. I had a doublebarrel
shotgun, with one tube spiked, and I had no
time or place to get a new tube put in. So I put a
heavy load in the other barrel and promised them if
I got in shooting distance I would give them the best
I had in my shop. I started off on the jump with
the company. We went through Denton, Cook and
into Clay County, and ranged around a few days. We
had such a formidable company I think we must
have frightened all the Indians out of the country.
We never did get in sight of an Indian.
The country at this time was very much excited
and there were wild rumors afloat. In the summer
of 1860 Dallas was burned and the people were expecting
a negro insurrection. The burning of Dallas
was laid to the negroes, and three negroes were hung.
There were two Methodist preachers from Iowa that
were accused of instigating the insurrection and putting
the negroes up to burning the town. After hanging
the three negroes, a great many of the negroes in
the county were whipped.
The two preachers were handled pretty rough.
They were whipped and ordered to leave the country,
and men fresh from the North were looked on with
suspicion, and some good men were threatened. The
summer of 1860 was very hot, 110 degrees in the
shade, and in many places matches were known to
take fire while on the mantel, or shelf. Some people