I will commence this part of the work by relating an
incident which occurred in Nacogdoches County, which
I learned from an old Texan, named Baily, who was
well acquainted with the parties concerned in this horrible
deed of savage cruelty. In the early settlement of
this county, in the eastern part of the State, a family,
named Hutchinson, settled between the Neches and
Trinity rivers, near Fort Houston. The family consisted
of the old man, his wife, and daughter, Anna.
They lived in peace and quiet for some time, with plenty
around them to live on comfortably, but in 1838 the
Indians, then being hostile, began committing depredations
between the two rivers, and armed bands of men
began scouring the country in order to run them out.
Late one evening nine armed settlers came to the house
of old man Hutchinson stating that they were out after
Indians and would like to spend the night with him. and
go on up the country next morning, where they were to
meet another party who were also scouting. The old
man cordially invited them to dismount and come in;
their horses were attended to, and the old lady and her
daughter prepared supper.
When supper was announced, the men went back
into the shed room, on the north side of the cabin,
where the meal was spread, and took their seats at the
table leaving their guns standing in the corner near an
open door which fronted to the south. The meal was
not more than half over, when, hearing a slight noise in
the direction of the south door, they looked and saw
three hideously painted Indians between them and their
guns. Not knowing how many more there were close
at hand, they all sprang from the table and escaped
through an east door in the shed loom, the old man
Hutchinson among the balance, thinking, of course, I
suppose, that the women would follow, but such was
not the case. The brave old lady seized a heavy iron shovel, and
dashing into the house, commenced a most furious attack upon the
Indians, and succeeded in beating one of them to the floor
before she was tomahawked. Anna also procured a weapon of some
kind, and came to the assistance of her mother, but she was also
struck on the head and fell to the floor, apparently lifeless.
The savages not satisfied with this, then cut out her left
breast, and left her lying on the floor in this horrible
condition. They then brought some lard out of the kitchen, and
emptying it in one corner of the house, set fire to it and
then left, carrying some of the guns with them. Before
the fire spread much, Anna returned to consciousness,
and barely made her escape from the burning building.
Her mother's body was consumed. The girl wandered about in a
dazed sort of way until morning, and succeeded in getting about
two miles from the house, and being overcome with fatigue and
pain, could go no further, and sank almost fainting to
the ground. In this condition she was found by three
rangers and carried to the nearest house, and by close
and careful attention, finally recovered. It is likely the
men, had they known there were but three Indians to
deal with, would have rushed in and overpowered them;
but be this as it may, the women were the bravest, for
they remained and fought them. The Indians succeeded
in eluding the search, which was made for them, and
escaped out of the country.
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