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I’m just going to add a little bit of context to this raid, by far the largest ever staged by Comanches against Texians. Most accounts give the actual cost in lives to be surprisingly low; 20 victims. Even if it were five times that number in terms of undiscovered bodies that would only be 100 victims.

In 1840 the estimated population of Texas was 70,000 people, by numbers White, enslaved and Tejano in that order.

As was usually true, the alarm and worry affected far more people than the raid directly did itself. Same thing is true in our popular histories, the mundane and ordinary lives of regular folks are often overlooked.

MONDAY AUGUST 10 was a relatively quiet day in terms of combat, at least in reports. The Comanches and Kiowas had broken with custom and, prob’ly buoyed by their numbers, were moving slowly to the north, about 25-30 miles each day the next two days.

Meanwhile couriers were raising the alarm far and wide, and men mustering hastily to intercept.

As for Ben McCulloch in particular, he and three companions had been riding all night, from Tumlinson’s command back to Gonzales.

Ben McCulloch seething with anger that he had been unable to bring Tomlinson to force to charge all day, turned his Gonzalez company over to a Lieutenant and departed with three of his trusted men. McCulloch rode hard back towards Gonzales throughout the night.

As he neared Gonzales, he dispatched one man to find Captain Matthew Caldwel, who was returning with a group of men from chasing other Indians. He also dispatched another of his men to ride hard to the Bastrop area, where he reached Colonel Edward Burleson at noon on August 10.

Burleson then began to raise all the volunteers in his power to go to their assistance. He plan to ride out the following morning, in company with some of his trusted Tonckawa scouts.

Across the river from Burleson‘s plantation, cousin Susan was enjoying her wedding ceremony. Gas from many miles away headed assemble to watch the wedding. One of Burleson‘s riders appeared just as a happy party was enjoying a toast to the bride. Just as quickly as the horseman dashed into the yard with the warning the wedding was deserted as all the able men raced to help.

While he awaited the return of Captain Caldwel Ben McCullough assisted the Gonzalez citizens in raising another volunteer company, Captain James Byrd was elected to command 30 additional Gonzales volunteers.

Worth noting that Ben McCulloch and his companions had been on the Comanches’ trail for three days, culminating in a prolonged skirmish and then a fifty-mile all-night dash back to Gonzales.

By this time too word had reached Bastrop and San Antonio.

Meanwhile additional men released by Tumlinson were likewise rushing north to get around and ahead of the Comanches.