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103-407: On March Chief Muguara brought in some trade articles and horses as well as an abused and tortured 14-year captive white girl named Matilda Lockhart that they had kidnapped and hoped that they would fetch a better price for her ransom, than what they received from nine year old, James Putnam/Putman just two weeks before. If the price was right, they may soon deliver over more captives. The remainder of

206-546: A German and a Mexican two days later. In response, Col. Henry Wax Karnes , with Col. Juan N. Sequin led an expedition against the attackers with a force of 108 volunteers and friendly Indians. Captive Matilda Lockhart who was captive among the Comanche stated the Comanche lost 23 men in that fight. In September 1839, the Comanche encountered the Webster wagon train consisting of 16 travelers, massacred all except for Dolly Webster who

309-515: A Penetaka chief and close kin to Yellow Wolf and Buffalo Hump led 65 Comanches, including women and children, to San Antonio for peace talks. On March 19, chief Mukwooru of the Penateka band of the Southern Comanche tribe led 65 Comanches into San Antonio and through the streets to the downtown courthouse passing the glares and sneers of scores of Mexican farmers and ranchers along the streets,

412-511: A band of Indians returned to San Antonio. Leaving the bulk of the warriors outside the city, Chief Isanaica (Howling Wolf) and one other man rode into San Antonio and yelled insults. The citizens told him to go find the soldiers if he wanted a fight, but the garrison commander, Captain Redd, declared that he had to observe the 12-day truce. Redd invited the Indians to come back in three days, but, fearing

515-549: A captive in order to obtain more. The government of Texas had no solution to the Comanche lightning, hit and run raids, and just like the Mexicans, and Spanish before them, they hoped that gifts in the form of tribute would buy them safety from kidnapping, murder and theft. Already, Texans had between 1823 and 1839, buried three hundred and fifty civilians, murdered by Indians of all tribes, Kickapoo, Keechi, Tawakani, Waco, Cherokee and Caddo most recently. Major Chouteau, Indian Agent for

618-670: A ceasefire between the Comanches, their allies, and the Texans. In October, the Comanches, hopeful of permanently establishing official Comancheria borders, agreed to meet with Houston and try to negotiate a treaty similar to the one just concluded at Fort Bird : the peace chiefs Pahayuca and Mupitsukupʉ, and others (the inclusion of Buffalo Hump, after the events at the Council House, showed the extraordinary Comanche belief in Houston), representing, for

721-416: A forced prisoner exchange. Soldiers from a nearby building entered the premises, the Comanche began to stab the Texans. The council ended with 12 Comanche men shot to death inside the Council House and 23 others killed outside. Two elderly men and two dozen women were held captive in order to obtain an exchange for the remaining Texan children held by the Comanche. On May 28, 1838, the second peace treaty with

824-648: A great raid into Mexico, raiding the states of Chihuahua and Durango . In the summer of 1854 Neighbors and Captain Randolph B. Marcy carried out a reconnaissance in search of a potential reserve for the Comanche and selected two areas, allocating to the Penatekas 18.576 acres on the Clear Fork of the Brazos, approximately five miles from Camp Cooper. In November Neighbors went to the Penateka winter camp and persuaded Buffalo Hump and

927-657: A great raiding party going to Mexico. In early 1847 some Penateka chiefs (Mupitsukupʉ, Buffalo Hump, Santa Anna, but, apparently, not Yellow Wolf) met the Indian agent Robert S. Neighbors , Johann O. von Meusebach and the German immigrants united in the “Adelsverein” in the San Saba River council, and authorized them to settle Fredicksburg, in the grant the Germans had bought between the Llano and

1030-749: A key bird watching site, bird enthusiasts can observe many species including wild turkey , greater roadrunner , golden-fronted woodpecker , Woodhouse's scrub jay , canyon towhee , rufous-crowned sparrow , black-throated sparrow , lesser goldfinch , common poorwill , chuck-will's-widow , black-chinned hummingbird , vermilion flycatcher , scissor-tailed flycatcher , Bell's vireo , yellow-throated vireo , blue grosbeak , painted bunting , orchard oriole , vesper sparrow , fox sparrow , Harris's sparrow , northern cardinal , canyon wren , and lark sparrow . More than 500 species of plants, from four chief plant communities — open oak woodland, mesquite grassland, floodplain , and granite rock community — inhabit

1133-570: A kidnapping and horse stealing raid. During the council, the Comanche sat on the floor next to their wives who held the tomahawks between the blankets in case of treachery. They had told the horse handlers out front to look for any signs of foul play. The Texians sat on chairs on a platform facing them. Just as the Comanche had contingency plans for treachery, so too did the Texians, they secreted two companies of soldiers in an adjacent building waiting for signs of foul play. In an adjacent room, Miss Lockhart

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1236-477: A mass grave. One of the women prisoners was sent on a horse to relay the news of the Comanche prisoners. On the 19th of April, twenty-five Comanche braves returned to San Antonio bringing seven Mexican captives and begged the release of the captives, but none of the whites, all of whom were massacred by order the Buffalo Hump and the other chiefs. The emissaries begged, insisting upon the release of at least two. It

1339-472: A purpose. The various bands of the Southern Comanche had about thirty white captives and sixty Mexican captives, all abducted in recent raids. The council at the courthouse in San Antonio began when the 30 Comanche men were invited into a courthouse in downtown San Antonio, on the east side of the square east of San Fernando Cathedral, facing it. The men brought their women who concealed several tomahawks under

1442-448: A run for it but was stopped by Captain Howard, upon which the warrior stabbed Howard. The officer was armed with a sword, but had not time to react to pull it out of its scabbard. He was repeatedly stabbed while attempting to block the blows while crying out for one of his soldiers to shoot. One sentinel who had already been trying to get a good aim shot and killed the Indian, who fell dead at

1545-544: A trap, Isanaica and his men left the area. Another officer accused Redd of cowardice for refusing to fight, and they both died following a duel over the insult. Of the 16 hostages the Texians were determined to recover, 13 were tortured to death as soon as the news of the Council House Fight reached the outraged Comanches. The captives, including Matilda Lockhart's six-year-old sister, suffered slow roasting among other tortures. Only three captives who had been adopted into

1648-436: A volunteer-based nonprofit organization that works for the improvement and preservation of Enchanted Rock State Natural Area. Scheduled Summit Trail tours are on the third Saturday of the month starting April, May, September, October, November, and December. Private tours are available for groups at other times. The Granite Gripper is an annual rock climbing competition that acts as a fundraiser for park conservation through

1751-425: A white flag of truce, as they understood ambassadors should do. The Texans had expected the Comanches to bring several white captives as part of the agreement. At the meeting the chiefs explained they had brought in all of the captives their bands had: to-wit one, a girl sixteen years old (the young Mathilda Lockhart). The Texans did not understand the chiefs had no power over the other bands to force them to comply with

1854-555: Is authorized to inspect natural resources and take any necessary action for their preservation. Wildlife at Enchanted Rock includes white-tailed deer , ringtail , nine-banded armadillo , rock and fox squirrel , rabbit , and red harvester ants . A wide variety of lizards, including the Texas horned lizard , also make the Enchanted Rock area their home. Vernal pools on the rock contain fragile invertebrate fairy shrimp . Designated

1957-557: The Battle of Plum Creek near Lockhart . This was later portrayed as a great Texan victory, but that is highly questionable: volunteers from Gonzales and from Bastrop had gathered to attempt to stop the war party and all the Ranger companies of east and central Texas, equipped with the new Colt Paterson revolvers, moved to intercept the Indians. They met at Plum Creek, near the town of Lockhart, on August 12, 1840; 80 Comanches were reported killed in

2060-458: The Friends of Enchanted Rock . Emphasis is placed on activity safety and ecological preservation. Visitors are asked to keep human incursion at a minimum by not disturbing plants, animals, or artifacts. Pets are not allowed on the summit trail. Federal and state statutes, regulations, and rules governing archeological and historic sites apply. The state Game Warden as a commissioned peace officer

2163-748: The Guadalupe rivers. In May 1847 Pahayuca, Mupitsukupʉ, Buffalo Hump and Santa Anna again met Neighbors and learned that that the U.S. Senate had suppressed the article of Council Springs treaty which forbade settlers from encroaching into the Comancheria. Santa Anna claimed the right to raid into Mexico and as the United States was then at war with Mexico, Neighbors didn't raise any objections, so that summer Buffalo Hump, Yellow Wolf, and Santa Anna led some hundreds warriors into Coahuila and Chihuahua, burning villages, stealing horses and kidnapping women and children all

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2266-482: The Sierra Madre Occidental ( Chihuahua ). In 1838 Buffalo Hump, now an important war chief, placed Yellow Wolf in charge of the Penateka warriors and went with Amorous Man and Old Owl , to Houston, where they met President Sam Houston and signed a treaty with him. In December 1838, Mirabeau Lamar , a partisan of the clash with the Indians and of their expulsion from Texas , succeeded Houston, after which

2369-506: The Texas Senate in ratifying the final version. This caused Buffalo Hump to agree with Yellow Wolf (who had proved himself to have a more realistic view than Buffalo Hump in evaluating the settlers' concern for a fair and lasting peace) and Santa Anna's suspicions of the Texans motives, changing his stance to align himself with his cousin and the third war chief, and repudiate the treaty, and hostilities soon resumed. In May 1846, following

2472-468: The Bird Fight, and Yellow Wolf , and Santa Anna , did not attend and remained at Enchanted Rock with Dolly Webster and other captives. The peace talks were doomed to fail as none of the other war chiefs were present. All of the bands, though claiming independence and autonomy were celebrating with games at a festival at Enchanted Rock as captive Dolly Webster would later recount. But perhaps this would be

2575-500: The Captain’s feet. Screams and panic now filled the courtroom and the people outside as the second Indian, Ebawatschouchimachussen (7-headed wolf) a large and muscular chief, seeing his comrade die, rushed for the door wielding his tomahawk and was run through with Howard’s sword. He fell across the body of the other fallen warrior. Due to loss of blood, Howard became faint and several Indians made their way outside. Gillen took place guarding

2678-485: The Comanche as captives] remarked the editor of Houston Times ." Wilbarger, who wrote his epic about Indian depredations in Texas knew some of the women who examined Lockhart. "There was not a place on her body as large as the palm of the hand which had not been burned with hot irons" He wrote. This practice was common at the time and typically done by the Indian women when their people failed to return or came back injured from

2781-505: The Comanche people. Isimanica led a party 300 warriors strong to the outskirts of San Antonio, challenging the Texas militia barracked in San Josè Mission, to come out and fight, but the Texans didn't accept his challenge. After this, Piava, a minor chief, brought to San Antonio three white prisoners, but probably the Comanches killed the other captives. Pahayuca and Mupitsukupʉ became the Penateka principal chiefs, and Buffalo Hump became

2884-529: The Comanche tradition, all the principal Comanche chiefs took part in the Great Raid: if so, also Ten Bears , Tawaquenah (“Big Eagle” or “Sun Eagle”), Wulea-boo (“Shaved Head”), Huupi-pahati (“Tall Tree”), Iron Jacket , and possibly their allies the Kiowa, like Dohasan and Satank, could have had a role. On this raid the Comanches went all the way from the plains of west Texas to the cities of Victoria and Linnville on

2987-628: The Comanches. Nonetheless, an aged and weary Buffalo Hump led and settled his remaining followers on the Kiowa-Comanche reservation near Fort Cobb in Indian Territory in Oklahoma. There, in spite of his enormous sadness at the end of the Comanches' traditional way of life, he asked for a house and farmland so that he could set an example for his people. Attempting to live out his life as a rancher and farmer, he died probably before 1867. Buffalo Hump

3090-561: The Comanche’s camps, but they had all been, "put to death by the savages after they heard of the Council House incident." After trading for the two Mexican captives, these braves then swung by the Mission at San Jose and stole twenty mules and murdered an elderly Mexican man. The Comanche captives were confined at the Alamo, were well treated. When the Texians learned of the melancholy news that all of

3193-563: The Council House thirty members of a delegation of Comanche Chiefs when they had been there under a flag of truce for negotiations. The Comanches who arrived at the Council House at San Antonio in the Republic of Texas in March 1840, under Lamar's Presidency, came with the intention to negotiate a peace treaty. They sent a delegation of 65 people, including a dozen chiefs of several bands and several women too, led by Mukwooru and Kwihnai (Eagle), under

Council House Fight - Misplaced Pages Continue

3296-512: The Creek at Camp Holmes thought the number of white captives abducted from Texas and held captive by the various tribes north of Red River as between forty and fifty. By the time of the Council House Fight, an estimated thirty-five white children had been kidnapped by Comanche alone with at least 13 of them by the Peneteka band. Much mistrust with existed between the two nations. As one contemporary wrote of

3399-562: The Garcitas Creek; then, they overwhelmed another Militia company (90 men) led by Lafayette Ward, James Bird and Matthew Caldwell along the trail to the San Marcos River; finally, they were attacked by Texas Rangers (all the companies of central and western Texas, under Jack Hays and Ben McCulloch ), and militia (units from Bastrop and Gonzales, respectively under Ed Burleson and Mathew Caldwell ), rallied under gen. Felix Huston , at

3502-638: The Penateka Band of the Southern Comanche tribe was ratified between the Republic of Texas and dozens of headmen of the Penetaka band of Comanche under principal chiefs, Mukwooru , Muestyad and Muhy. Article 10 of the treaty required that the Comanche stop their hundred mile long raids down the Colorado River and put an end to their murdering defenseless settlers and stealing their horses. Any and all disputes between

3605-508: The Penateka Comanche were, at the time, at Enchanted Rock with thirteen other captives that they planned to sell one by one to fetch better prices. The Southern Comanche had broken the 1835 as well as the 1838 treaty traveling hundreds of miles down the Colorado River and Guadalupe Rivers into the Texas settlements to steal horses and abduct children and had no intention of stopping this lucrative market economy that gave their young men

3708-564: The Penatekas did also fight other northern tribes. In 1829 Buffalo Hump and, presumably, Yellow Wolf led their warriors northward to recover a large herd of horses stolen by a Cheyenne party, and the young Penateka braves proved themselves against these northern enemies. The Penateka party came on a Cheyenne village near the Bijou Creek, north of Bent's Corral (Huerfano River), and stormed the whole herd of horses, however another Cheyenne party of about 20 warriors, equipped with some rifles, led by

3811-550: The Texans would cease military action against the Comanches, establish more trading posts, and recognize the boundary between Texas and Comanchería. [1] Comanche allies, including the Wacos , Taweashes , Tawakonis , Kanoatinos , Keechis , belonging to the Wichita confederation, the Kiowa and Kiowa Apache , also agreed to join in the treaty. Unfortunately, the boundary provision was deleted by

3914-471: The Texas coast. Linnville was the second largest port in Texas at that time. In what may have been the largest organized raid by the Comanches to that point, they raided, burned, and plundered these towns. The Comanches killed a large number of slaves and captured more than 1,500 horses. On the way back from the sea, the Comanches easily defeated three different Militia detachments under John Tomlinson, Adam Zumvalt and Ben McCulloch (all together, 125 men) near

4017-513: The afterlife. Just two years before, in 1838, the Putnam children were picking pecans along the Guadalupe River with a neighbor, Matilda Lockhart (13) when Comanche warriors abducted them. Matilda, Rhoda Putnam (14), and her younger siblings James (7) Elizabeth (5) and Lucy (2) were tied to horses and swept away to the north. The next full moon occurred in March and on the 19th, Chief Mukwooru ,

4120-507: The annexation of Texas to the United States, Buffalo Hump led the Comanche delegation to treaty talks at Council Springs and signed a peace treaty with the United States,. Yellow Wolf and Santa Anna, aware they were no longer strong enough to oppose the US, or stop the ceaseless and massive flow of the immigrants, were with him. Buffalo Hump, nevertheless, declined an invitation to go to Washington and meet President James Polk, instead joining Isaviah in

4223-562: The area was designated a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark . In 1971, Enchanted Rock was designated as a National Natural Landmark by the National Park Service. Enchanted Rock was rated in 2017 as the best campsite in Texas in a 50-state survey. The State Natural Area had 307,686 visitors in 2022. The prominent granite dome is visible for many miles in the surrounding basin of the Llano Uplift. The weathered dome, standing above

Council House Fight - Misplaced Pages Continue

4326-493: The beginning of another larger treaty with the entire band of Penateka which would lead to them acquiring more gunpowder and clothing. In front of the San Antonio courthouse, the Comanche dismounted. Thirty two of the 65 held the horses for the 33 that walked inside. As shown in the adjacent sketch, it was a one-story stone building with adjoining the jail on the corner of Main Plaza and Calabosa (Market) Street. The delegates walked down

4429-412: The blankets they held. The men left their rifles with their horse handlers out front and unstrung their bows and walked in as a procession and sat on the floor facing the table of Texian representative including judges and Colonels. Captive Matilda Lockhart was delivered over, and when the other captives were not, and when they asked for a better price, the Texans took the Comanche delegation as hostages for

4532-452: The bone-all the fleshy end gone, and a great scab formed on the end of the bone. Both nostrils were wide open and denuded of flesh. She told a piteous tale of how dreadfully the Indians had beaten her, and how they would wake her from her sleep by sticking a chunk of fire to her flesh, especially to her nose...her body had many scars from the fire". Gary Anderson, suggests that "Mrs. Maverick may have exaggerated Lockhart's condition because of

4635-506: The border between Gillespie and Llano counties, south of the Llano River . Enchanted Rock covers roughly 640 acres (260 ha) and rises around 425 feet (130 m) above the surrounding terrain to an elevation of 1,825 feet (556 m) above sea level. It is the largest pink granite monadnock in the United States. Enchanted Rock State Natural Area, a part of the Texas state park system, includes 1,644 acres (665 ha). In 1936,

4738-398: The border settlements had suffered so much at the hands of the red devils for the last four or five years previous that the government was disposed to give the Comanches another trail and thus test their pretended desire for peace.” Towards the end of February 1840, a party of three hundred Penateka Comanche camped very near Mission San Jose, about six miles from San Antonio. Captain Howard

4841-481: The captive Matilda joined the party in an attempt to rescue her. In response, the Comanche murdered the widow, Mrs. Coleman and her five orphaned children near present day, Austin. Jose Franciso Ruiz , who lived among the Comanche for eight years wrote that, "among them they had hundreds of prisoners of both sexes, estimating the total being over 900 among the nation, which did not include those who had successfully made their escape...The worst treatment were those of

4944-533: The council room, and the other in the rear of the building, where the warriors were assembled. During the execution of this order, the talk was re-opened, and the terms of a treaty, directed by your Excellency to be made with them, in case the prisoners were restored, were discussed; and they were told the treaty would be made, when they brought in the prisoners. They acknowledged that they had violated all their previous treaties, and yet tauntingly demanded that new confidence should be reposed in another promise to bring in

5047-504: The court that the little ransom paid for the Putnam boy two weeks before would be made up with this transaction. The captive was handed to Mary Maverick , who escorted the prisoner into another room and interviewed her. Miss Lockhart, thought a tiny girl, had been beaten, repeatedly gang raped and had suffered burns to her body. Miss Lockhart “[w]as utterly degraded, and could not hold up her head again. Her head, arms, and face were full of bruises, and sores, and her nose actually burnt off to

5150-409: The court. Mukwarrah followed up with, “How do you like the answer?” No reply was given as Texan Secretary of War Col. Cooke, treaty Commissioner whispered to Colonel Fisher to send the two companies of soldiers that were hiding from a nearby building to guard the doors and prevent the chiefs from leaving. The Texians were about to force a prisoner swap. With a firm steady voice and eyes directed at

5253-414: The courtroom. None of the two elderly men or 27 women were killed. Outside, Judge Thompson and a Mr Casey of Matagorda County who had joined in the target practice with the Comanche children were shot at with arrows. The Old Judge fell over dead with an arrow to his heart while the remainder began mounting their horses for escape, including two Comanche children. Several were shot at by the troops. Mr. Casey

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5356-423: The demands, and so pulled out guns and declared to the Indians they were now their prisoners until the rest of the captives were returned. Now under threat, the Comanches, who were without bows, lances or guns, fought back with their knives. The Texans had concealed heavily armed soldiers just outside the Council House and at the onset of the fighting the windows and doors were opened and the soldiers outside shot into

5459-416: The door and the others remained. Inside the courtroom all of the Indians were fighting their way out. Lieutenant Dunnington pulled out his pistol to shoot but was shot by an arrow from the principal squaw who was dressed similar to a warrior. Her pull was so strong, the arrow passed through his body. He stumbled backwards but managed to get a shot off before dying. The bullet killed her. Presiding Judge Hood

5562-400: The ensuing gun battle – unusually heavy casualties for the Comanches and their allies – but they got away with the bulk of their plunder and stolen horses,. The “defeated” Comanches (of whom only 12 bodies were recovered) seem to have viewed this fight as a great victory which did much to enhance the various chiefs’ prestige; if so it is unlikely that they suffered high casualties. The fact that

5665-685: The famous Cheyenne chief also called Yellow Wolf stole back the animals; the Comanche party chased the fleeing enemies for a distance, but finally gave up to avoid an ambush. Still in 1829, Buffalo Hump and Yellow Wolf (Cheyenne) led also a big raid against the Mexican settlements in the Guadalupe Valley, achieving a fame as raiders among the Mexican people, but causing the failure of Mukwooru and Incoroy in their negotiations to reach an agreement with Mexican authorities. In 1835 Buffalo Hump and Yellow Wolf led 300 Comanche warriors in an attack against Parral, in

5768-556: The far more malleable Shanaco, Ketumse and Asa-havey to go and settle in the reserve, but Yellow Wolf, who was still pressing for the recognition of a border between Texas and Comancheria, left the council, flatly refusing to go. One week later Yellow Wolf was killed by a party of Lipan hunters, after which Buffalo Hump temporized almost two years more. However, in 1856, he led his people to the newly established reservation. Continuous raids on this by horse thieves and squatters, coupled with his band's unhappiness over their lack of freedom and

5871-434: The final prisoners, they met with President Houston who penned a letter to the head chief, Pahyayuco. Pahyayuco, however was on a long hunt and the civil chief, Mopechucope (Old Owl) wrote back to Houston via an interpreter "We thank you for the way you have treated this old woman that has been to see you. Her story of you and your people and the way she was treated makes my heart glad to think that you would notice her. And at

5974-458: The first Texans became the wellspring of Plains Indian culture. Based on archaeological evidence, human habitation at Enchanted Rock can be traced back at least 10,000 years. Paleo-Indian projectile points or arrowheads, 11–12,000 years old, have been found in the area upstream and downstream from the rock. The oldest authenticated projectile point found within the present-day park is a Plainview point , dating back 10,000 years. The rock has been

6077-479: The first part of the trail from San Antonio to El Paso, as far as the Nokoni villages, Yellow Wolf and Shanaco (son of a chief killed in the Council House of San Antonio) joining him; at the Nokoni villages Buffalo Hump and Yellow Wolf entrusted their proteges to their old friend Huupi-pahati, the Nokoni chief, who brought the whites to their destination. In 1851 Yellow Wolf and Buffalo Hump once again led their warriors in

6180-492: The first time, every major division of the Comanche in Texas (Penateka, but also Nokoni, Kotsoteka and Kwahadi) and their Kiowa and Kataka (“Kiowa Apaches”) allies were asked to free their white prisoners. In early 1844, Buffalo Hump and other Comanche leaders (Pahayuca, Mupitsukupʉ, and others, but not Yellow Wolf or Santa Anna ) signed the treaty at Tehuacana Creek in which they agreed to return white captives in toto , and to cease raiding Texan settlements. In exchange for this,

6283-453: The general escaped with a lance wound and most of the remainder returned with arrow wounds. Eleven Texians were buried two days later in a mass grave. Before the year was over, the Killough , Wood, Morgan, Marlin and Tippins Families were all murdered in their homes. In January 1839 Lipan scouts, who had many kidnapped women and children among the Comanche brought word of a Comanche encampment on

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6386-465: The growing criticism of Texas" and appears to suggest that there was no abuse because Lockhart's sister did not mention it in a letter. But Matilda Lockhart had been so abused during her captivity, she suffered in limbo for another two years and died a child about two years after being ransomed. "No man who had seen Miss Lockhart, her scars, her burns, her bruises, every hair torn by the roots from her head, would hesitate to concur with this decision [to take

6489-410: The hallway and entered a large court room. Outside, Judge Thompson approached some of the Comanche boys and spent the morning playing target practice with them, setting up silver coins on a wood fence some distance away while the children showed off their skills. The Comanche entered the courthouse with only one captive, fourteen year old, Matilda Lockhart. Before she was let go, the Indians addressed

6592-409: The hallway, began yelling to his Comanche kin inside. “Ambush! Fight your way out!" Several of the Indian men inside began to string their bows and the women began handing over knives. One chief, whose son remained outside, exited the courtroom and bolted past the bailiff. He pulled out his scalping knife and ran down the hall to the rear exit where Cooke had walked toward. Upon seeing the door, he made

6695-483: The interpreter, Cooke repeated his instructions again and then walked out of the courtroom and down the hall to instruct Captain William D. Redd and Howard and the soldiers to guard the exit doors where the other Comanche horse-handlers were waiting. While the captain was summoning the soldiers, Colonel, McLeod in his officiall report to President Mirabeau Lamar remarked that, "The order was now given to march one company into

6798-416: The large party of Comanche rode to San Antonio and challenged the citizens to come out and fight, then left with 240 horses. In June 1839, just months before a treaty council was arranged, twelve Mexicans and herders were slain by Comanche in the neighboring ranches about San Antonio, and just a few months before, the Comanche came within the edge of town, killed two Mexicans and stole a young boy, then killed

6901-458: The majority who had lost their children and grand children during a century of Comanche raids. As was tradition among native peace talks, Mukwooru brought with him his headmen, some of their wives and children as well as two elderly headmen. All of the men had knives and quivers filled with arrows but their bows were unstrung. In case of treachery, they had their wives hide secret tomahawks between their blankets. Buffalo Hump , still reeling from

7004-525: The meanwhile, Buffalo Hump, Yellow Wolf, Santa Anna and Isimanica, with 400 warriors, were raiding the settlements between Bastrop and San Antonio, exhausting the Rangers and Militia's detachments. When they were ready, in late July 1840, Buffalo Hump, along with Yellow Wolf, Santa Anna and likely Isimanica, led the Penateka warriors in the Great Raid, and old Mupitsukupʉ too joined the biggest war party. According to

7107-775: The name "Crying Rock" has also been given to the formation. A plaque formerly embedded in Enchanted Rock near the top but now displayed in a kiosk below reads: From its summit in the fall of 1841, Captain John C. Hays , while surrounded by Comanche Indians who cut him off from his ranging company, repulsed the whole band and inflicted upon them such heavy losses that they fled. Other legends associated with Enchanted Rock: [REDACTED] National Register of Historic Places portal [REDACTED] Texas portal Buffalo Hump Buffalo Hump ( Comanche Potsʉnakwahipʉ "Erection That Won't Go Down" euphamized to "Buffalo Bull's Back" ) (born c. 1800 — died post 1861 / ante 1867)

7210-601: The other captives had been tortured and killed when the Comanche woman had returned to camp with news of the Council House Fight. These three captives were returned after their adoptive families agreed to give them up. Enchanted Rock Enchanted Rock is a pink granite mountain located in the Llano Uplift about 17 miles (27 km) north of Fredericksburg, Texas and 24 miles (39 km) south of Llano, Texas , United States. Enchanted Rock State Natural Area , which includes Enchanted Rock and surrounding land, spans

7313-465: The outskirts of the settlements on the San Saba River. No word of how many lodges were in the village. Miss Parker, Webster, Matilda Lockhart, Warren Lyons, Thomas Pierce and several others were still captive among them as were scores Tonkawa women and children. On February 12 a combined party of 55 Texan farmers and allied Indians under chief Flacco attacked a Comanche village. Mr. Lockhart, father of

7416-511: The parties, all were to be resolved by appointed representatives of the chiefs and the President of Texas. On October 20, 1838, a party of surveyors under Lapham and Jones were attacked by a large war party of 100 Comanche warriors four miles north of San Antonio. General Richard G. Dunlap and Captain Cage went out to relieve the men with a handful of San Antonians and were chased back. Cage was killed and

7519-409: The peace agreement failed and fighting restarted. Buffalo Hump, already made famous by the Council House fight of 1840, became a historically important figure when, flanked by Isaviah and Sanna Anna, he led a group of Comanches, mostly his own Penateka Comanche division plus allies from various other Comanche bands, in the Great Raid of 1840. Their goal was to get revenge on the Texans who had killed at

7622-493: The poor food provided on the reservation, persuaded Potsʉnakwahipʉ to move his band off the reservation in 1858. While camped in the Wichita Mountains the Penateka Band under Buffalo Hump were attacked by United States troops under the command of Major Earl Van Dorn . Allegedly not aware that Buffalo Hump's band had recently signed a formal peace treaty with the United States at Fort Arbuckle, Van Dorn and his men killed 80 of

7725-461: The price. The Comanche were told that if they brought in all the white captives that were known to have recently abducted, terms of peace could be arranged. The kidnappers agreed to meet during the next moon. James Putnam relayed to Howard that his sister, Rhoda had been killed by the Comanche during her captivity, along with her Indian master and his principal wife after his death, a ritual typical of early native Americans in order that they serve him in

7828-407: The principal war chief, with Yellow Wolf and Santa Anna as his lieutenants and partners. Buffalo Hump was determined to do more than merely complain about what the Comanches viewed as a bitter betrayal; in the summer he called a council, spreading word to the other bands of Comanches that he, Yellow Wolf and Santa Anna were going for a great raid against the white settlements in Texas as a revenge; in

7931-399: The prisoners you were to bring? Mukwooru listened to the interpreter and replied, “We have brought the only one we had, the others are with other tribes." It was later learned that these were not brought because the others were not satisfied with the amount paid for the Putnam child and were ready to barter for more, beginning with Miss Lockhart. After an uncomfortable pause and silence in

8034-403: The prisoners. the troops being now posted, the chiefs and captains were told they were our prisoners. These braves and horse handlers outside had been carefully watching as several citizens gathered around the courthouse to get a peek at the proceedings, but they became alarmed at the approach of the troops who filtered out of a nearby barn. One of the Indians opened the courthouse doors and, in

8137-449: The proposed treaty: "This was not the first time the Comanches had feigned friendship and expressed a desire to cease hostilities towards the whites in order to throw the settlers off their guard so that they might more effectually raid the country, commit murders and then suddenly return to their mountain homes, carrying into captivity women and children and driving off all the horses they could conveniently carry with them. Our people along

8240-492: The purchase of 630 acres adjacent to Enchanted Rock, which would expand the size of the park by almost 40%. Folklore of local Tonkawa , Apache and Comanche tribes ascribe magical and spiritual powers to the rock (hence the name Enchanted Rock). The Tonkawa, who inhabited the area in the 16th century, believed that ghost fires flickered at the top of the dome. In particular, they heard unexplained creaking and groaning, which geologists attribute to night-time contraction of

8343-590: The raiding party managed to escape with the majority of the stolen horses and most of their plunder casts doubt upon the Texans' version of events. Despite the Council House massacre and the subsequent Great Raid of 1840 , Sam Houston, once again the President of the Texas Republic following the Lamar Presidency, and Buffalo Hump with other chiefs succeeded, in August 1843, in agreeing to a temporary treaty accord and

8446-558: The ranks) was in its full development during the Mexican domination of Texas. Their more northern kinsmen Yamparika , Kotsoteka , Nokoni and Kwahadi warriors, under such leaders as Ten Bears , Tawaquenah (“Big Eagle” or “Sun Eagle”), Wulea-boo (“Shaved Head”), Huupi-pahati (“Tall Tree”), Iron Jacket , and their allies the Kiowas, were accustomed to fighting in the Arkansas River country against their Cheyenne , and Arapaho foes, just as

8549-415: The report by Col. Hugh McLeod written March 20, 1840 stated that of the 65 members of the Comanches' party, 35 were killed (30 adult males, 3 women, and 2 children), 29 were taken prisoner (27 women and children, and 2 old men), and 1 departed unobserved (described as a renegade Mexican). Seven Texians died, including a judge, a sheriff, and an army lieutenant, with ten more wounded. The Comanche were buried in

8652-406: The rock after being heated by the sun during the day. The first European to visit the area was probably Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca in 1536. To elude Anglo settlers in the area, the natives would hide on the top two tiers of the rock, where they could not be seen from the ground below. The name "Enchanted Rock" derives from Spanish and Anglo-Texan interpretations of such legends and related folklore;

8755-512: The rock mass, or pluton , was exposed by extensive erosion of the surrounding sedimentary rock , primarily the Cretaceous Edwards limestone that is exposed a few miles to the south. Park activities include hiking , picknicking , rock climbing , primitive backpacking , camping , and caving . The Summit Trail is the most popular hiking path. Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) partners with Friends of Enchanted Rock,

8858-406: The rock. Specific species include plateau live oak , Texas beargrass , prickly pear cactus , and sideoats grama . Archaeological evidence indicates human visitation at the rock going back at least 11,000 years, per the book The Enchanted Rock published in 1999 by Ira Kennedy: These hunter-gatherers had flint-tipped spears, fire, and stories. With these resources, some 12,000 years ago,

8961-435: The room at the Comanche ambassadors and their people. Thirty-five Comanches (among them all the chiefs, three women and two children) were slain, 29 were captured, and seven Texans were killed. Mukwooru's widow was sent back to her people to warn them that unless all the white prisoners kept by the Comanches were relinquished, the Comanche prisoners at San Antonio would be killed. This massacre resulted in lasting bitterness among

9064-400: The same time makes me mad at myself and people to think such an old woman should go so far to make peace for her tribe when there is plenty of young [Comanche] men doing nothing. Her talk is all good and I know every word of it is true. I think you for the little girl you sent home [with] the old woman. She got home safe to her people to the arms of her mother. Her father is dead." Regarding of

9167-460: The subject of numerous geological surveys and paintings. In 2016, two citizens of San Marcos, Texas were arrested for vandalizing the "... south face of the summit at Enchanted Rock State Park". The summit was vandalized with graffiti again in 2018 but no arrests have been made in that case. Such vandalism is a state felony in Texas, carrying "a penalty of up to two years in state jail and a $ 10,000 fine if convicted". In August 2024 TPWD approved

9270-553: The surrounding plain, is known to geologists as a monadnock. The rock is actually only the visible above-ground portion of a segmented ridge, the surface expression of a large igneous batholith , called the Town Mountain Granite, of middle Precambrian ( 1,082  ± 6 million years ago ) material that intruded into earlier metamorphic schist , called the Packsaddle Schist. The intrusive granite of

9373-401: The tribe, and by Comanche custom were truly part of the tribe, were spared. This was part of the Comanche answer to the breaking of a truce. On April 3, when the truce deadline had ended, another band of Comanches appeared again to bargain for a captive exchange. They had only three captives with them, including Webster's son Booker, a five-year-old girl, and a Mexican boy. Booker told them that

9476-540: The upcoming treaty council, "I dont' want you to send any more of your [Comanche] prisoners home until there is an exchange of all white prisoners and they are all given up. There is three [white captives] among us somewhere but none present. There was five, but two are dead. Mopechucope now tangentially addresses the cause of the Council House Fight, "My people are blind and foolish and are not willing to give up their prisoners without pay. But I will fix all that to your satisfaction. Those that have relatives in Texas shall buy

9579-534: The way to San Francisco del Oro. On the way back the Comanches were engaged by U.S. dragoons near Parras, losing part of their booty. In August Yellow Wolf, Buffalo Hump, and Santa Anna were in Mexico once again, leading 800 warriors. As war chief of the Penateka Comanche, Buffalo Hump, and Yellow Wolf too, dealt peacefully with American officials throughout the late 1840s and 1850s. In 1849, Buffalo Hump escorted Robert S. Neighbors and John S. “Rip” Ford's expedition along

9682-422: The white child hostages were all murdered that they had no use for the captives and the Texians let them go. They were innocent of any wrongdoing and just another mouth to feed. By June, most were allowed to walk away. At least two women, a girl and a boy were held in San Antonio until about the first of February 1844 when the Comanche finally came in for more peace talks and more prisoner swaps. Before returning of

9785-436: The white prisoners and then make the exchange which they won't grumble [at the price] at for that is their custom. Before the Comanche women and elderly men were let go, on March 26, captive, Mrs. John Webster, came into town with her three-year-old. She had been a Comanche captive for 19 months and had just escaped with her infant before the slayings, leaving her 12-year-old son with the Indians. Two days after her arrival,

9888-502: The young girls as he would write, “Their lot [disposition] is most pitiful.” In an attempt to prevent further raids, the fledgling Texas government funded volunteers farmers to patrol the perimeters of the settlements. In May, 1839, Captain John Bird and 30 Texas Rangers skirmished with Comanche chief Buffalo Hump at what is now Bird's Creek in present day, Temple known as Bird's Creek Indian Fight . Many Indians were killed. In response,

9991-727: Was a War Chief of the Penateka band of the Comanches . He came to prominence after the Council House Fight when he led the Comanches on the Great Raid of 1840 . Little is known of Buffalo Hump's early life: education in his youth and training as a warrior, together with his cousin Yellow Wolf (Isaviah, spelled also Sa-viah and sometimes misspelled as Sabaheit, alias Small Wolf), went on under their uncle Mukwooru 's ("Spirit Talker") influence and their cursus honorum ( i.e., rising through

10094-442: Was abducted. In captivity, she met with Thomas Pierce (10), a boy whose family was also massacred by the Comanche in front his eyes. Because the Comanche had lost their relationship with the Mexicans of San Antonio, the Penateka band had no means of obtaining gunpowder. They asked Mrs. Webster to show them how to make it but she was no help. The Peneteka were desperate to obtain more and thus sent, chief, Mukwooru into San Antonio with

10197-513: Was asked by Mrs. Maverick why the others were not brought in. She replied that it was the deliberate falsehood of the Comanche and that she had seen several prisoners at the camp a few days before. She also said that the Indians intended only to bring a few in at a time in order to acquire more ransom. Dolly Webster corroborated this as being told by the squaws that their men never intended to ransom her or her children. Texas Secretary of War, Colonel William G. Cooke asked chief Mukwooru : “Where are

10300-408: Was determined that five of the seven captives they had brought with them were citizens of Mexico and were so, "Indianized" after being so long captive, they would certainly return to their tribe. The two Mexican citizens of San Antonio were exchanged. These were then interviewed and asked of the disposition of the white captives in their possession. They stated there were eight or nine white children in

10403-430: Was in a camp nearby and sent some Mexican interpreters on horseback to demand the release of recently kidnapped Texans or, they must prepare for a fight. Mukwooru and his band had not come to fight and as a show of faith brought forth a white captive, James Putnam (9) for which they expected a ransom. Colonel Henry Wax Karnes provided remuneration, but this was apparently not enough as during the council, they complained of

10506-490: Was in the council room when the fracas began and stumbled to his chambers but was stabbed to death. Others stabbed the Mexican translator while others rushed at Judge Hood. He didn’t get far before three men were on top of him stabbing him just as the soldiers entered through the door one at a time. Captain Fisher, sword in hand began slashing and ordered, “Fire!” and twelve principal chiefs and another woman were shot and killed inside

10609-433: Was shot and killed by friendly fire. The ball hit him in the liver and blew a hole out the other side of him. He died almost instantly among a pile of dead bodies including another child. A crowd of Comanche burst out of the courthouse leaving all of the women and two elderly men behind. Eleven Comanche lay dead inside. Several more were shot and killed just as they exited or as they attempted to mount their horse. In summary,

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