While Lum Tedford, a boy, was plowing in a field in Hoover Valley about ten miles west of Burnet, during 1865, he was captured by Indians about 150 yards from the house. James and Tom Cooper, Bill McGill and perhaps one or two others overtook the Indians four miles south. When the citizens first encountered the savages, they were whipping the boys with a pole-cat bush. An Indian always admired bravery and always felt highly pleased to capture a brave boy. Lum Tedford was fighting back at the savages with rocks and this pleased them very much and seemed to appeal to their peculiar sense of humor. After the Indians first arrived, Tom Cooper wanted to shoot, but Jim said, "No, we must charge the Indians." When they did, the boy was rescued and an Indian's horse killed. During the day these same Indians or another raiding band charged Sam Binion above five miles north of Burnet. Sam Binion, at the time, lived on the Sabinal where his father had moved from Burnet County a short time before. But Sam had returned to gather some scattered stock. He ran through the same thicket of timber in which A.D. Hamlin stopped and bluffed the savages with a stick. But Sam only went about 150 yards father when he was twice roped around the neck by the savages, stripped of his clothing, his hands tied behind him and then stabbed to death. Note: Author interviewed and corresponded with M.J. Bolt, Joe Smith, D.R. Holland, Allen and J.F. Ater, E.H. Stewart and several others who lived in Burnet County at the time. The above story is from the book, The West Texas Frontier, by Joseph Carroll McConnell.
The above story is from Indian Depredations in Texas by J.W. Wilbarger. |
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