As it turns out, not all the Texans dismounted with Huston..
From John Henry Brown...
"From the timber a steady fire was kept up with muskets and some long range rifles, while about thirty of our men, still mounted, were dashing to and fro among the mounted Indians, illustrating a series of personal heroisms worthy of all praise.
In one of these Reed of Bastrop had an arrow driven though his body, piercing his lungs, though he lived long afterwards.
And an excellent description of the fight at this point from the good Reverend Morril, the guy who drove the ox cart thirty miles before riding through the early hours of the morning to alert Burleson.
The enemy was disposed to keep at a distance, and delay the fight, in order that the packed mules might be driven ahead with the spoils. During this delay several of their chiefs performed some daring feats. According to a previous understanding, our men waited for the Indians, in the retreat, to get beyond the timber, before the general charge was made.
One of these daring chiefs attracted my attention specially. He was riding a very fine horse, held in by a fine American bridle, with a red ribbon eight or ten feet long tied to the tail of the horse. He was dressed in elegant style, from the goods stolen at Linnville, with a high-top silk hat, fine pair of boots and leather gloves, an elegant broadcloth coat, hind part before, with brass buttons shining brightly right up and down his back. When he first made his appearance he was carrying a large umbrella stretched. This Indian and others would charge towards us and shoot their arrows, then wheel and run away, doing no damage. This was done several times, in range of some of our guns.
Soon the discovery was made that he wore a shield, and although our men took good aim, the balls glanced. An old Texan, living on, Lavacca, asked me to hold his horse, and getting as near the place where they wheeled as was safe, waited patiently till they came; and as the Indian checked his horse and the shield flew up, lie fired and brought him to the ground.
Several had fallen before, but without checking their demonstrations. Now, although several of them lost their lives in carrying him away, yet they did not cease their efforts till be was carried to the rear.
I'm wondering if the Comanches were the loudest Plains Indians there was in a fight. Ford (in "RIP Ford's Texas") comments upon this...
In the commencement of a fight, the yell of defiance is borne to you loud, long and startling. The war whoop has no romance in it. It thrills even a stout heart with an indescribable sensation. The excitement of battle is quite as evident among these people as it is among others.
That part is to be expected, the paralyzing war whoop goes clear back to before our frontier and back east would be accompanies by a volley of ball, shot or arrows from cover, perhaps followed by thrown 'hawks before the rush, with which the Indians were known to be remarkably dexterous.
Here's the different part....
Let the tide turn against them, send lead messengers through some of their warriors and then the mournful wail is heard: its lubrigous notes are borne back to you with uncouth cadences, betokening sorrow, anger, and a determinnation to revenge.
We here in the Western culture can understand war whoops on attack, I have heard the Rebel yell may have been copied from an Indian call, where it diverges from our culture is the concept of setting up a mournful dirge or howl right there on the field if one of our own side got hit.
But, Ford reports it was so, and we have similar reports from Plum Creek. This from Moore, on the occasion of the wounding or killing of the prominent Comanche...
John Henry Brown felt that the chief was either dead or dying, for the Indians set up a peculiar howl, a loud mournful wail. At this instant, "Old Paint" Caldwell shouted to Felix Huston, "Now, General is your time to charge them! They are whipped!"
Birdwatcher
