August 6, 1864; Lincoln, Kansas: Among the first settlers in Lincoln County, Kansas, were brothers John L. and Thomas Moffitt, John W. Houston, and James Tyler. The partners' place was located on the north bank of the Saline River, across from the mouth of Elkhorn Creek. The Moffitts had emigrated from Illinois, where their parents and sister still lived. On 30 June Thomas wrote in a letter to his sister that he didn't like Kansas, but since he and Jack had just bought fifty cows, he would stay for a while. He also said that hostile Indians prevented him from venturing far from the house, noting that he had to carry his revolver even to go out to the stables. Nevertheless, he said he did not expect an Indian attack at the ranch.
On 6 August, Houston's relatives visited the ranch, and having extra mouths to feed, the ranchers decided to go on a buffalo hunt. That morning, the four partners saddled up and headed up Beaver Creek, which flowed into the Saline just west of their spread. They didn't get far. Less than a mile from home, about fifty Indians jumped them. The ranchers turned around and ran for a ledge of rock above the creek. Judging from the number of bullets and arrows later found at the site, the four must have put up a good defense, but they were eventually overwhelmed.
The attackers then approached the ranch house and tried to entice Houston's guests outside. One Indian, apparently speaking English, declared that they were good Indians and would not hurt them. Unconvinced, the occupants refused to come out, and the Indians left, but they returned the next morning to plunder the ranch. Old Mr. Houston dislodged a chink in a wall of the house and shot at the intruders, hitting one, and the rest of them fled.
About four days later, twelve settlers and a few soldiers of Company H, Seventh Iowa Cavalry, visited the scene of the attack on Beaver Creek. They found the horses dead and the wagon burned. Numerous bullet scars on the ledge above the creek and dozens of arrows on the ground showed a hard fight. The four men were buried side by side where they had fought. In September another Moffitt brother, Robert, went to the site to disinter his brothers and ship their bodies back to Illinois. Houston and Tyler were left where they were.
