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. |