Francis M. Long

Jack County, Texas
    We are not advised of the date of the attack on Francis M. Long, nor are we sure that it happened in Jack County, but we will record it here. Mr. Long was a native of Missouri. His parents emigrated to Texas in 1865, and settled in Montague County. Young Long was employed by some United States soldiers to pilot them from Elm Creek, in Montague County, to Jacksboro, in Jack County. On his return home, he was discovered by a part of Comanches, who, finding he was alone, immediately gave chase to him. After they had run him about four miles, they succeeded in shooting him through the leg with an arrow, which also wounded his horse severely. Finding his horse was about to fail, young Long dismounted and ran into some thick brush nearby. There he took his stand, and fought the Indians until he had emptied his Spencer rifle and two six-shooters at the redskins. The Indians were in open ground, and his shots told with deadly effect. They killed his wounded horse, but concluded, after all, they did not want his scalp, so they left it where it belonged, on the top of his head, and took their departure. Mr. Long suffered a great deal from his wound-had to lay out all night, and walk eight or ten miles the next day before he came to a settlement, but eventually he recovered.

The above story is from the book, Indian Depredations in Texas, by J.W. Wilbarger.


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