Texas GenWeb Archives
Gillespie County





Report of J.H. Leavenworth 11/9/1865
Letters Received by the Office of Indian Affairs 1824-1881
M234 roll 375 frame 34
National Archives & Records Administration
Transcribed by Billy Markland


Agency for Kiowa, Comancha [sic] & Apache
Indians of Upper Arkansas
In the field near Cow Creek ranch
9th November 1865


To Honl. D.W. Cooly
Comm. of Indian Affairs


Sir

I have the honor to report my arrival at this place this afternoon, seven days from the Kiowa camp. I have brought to this place three more prisoners, one woman and one girl recovered from the Kiowa's and one boy from the Comancha's, these three with the five at the Kaw agency makes eight recovered up to this time – I found three more prisoners still held, one by the Comanchas and two by the Kiowa's, but so far off, to have got them would have kept me a long time in their country. The Comancha assured me I should have the little boy the first time I met them and the Kiowa who held the little girl, gave her to me but she was far off – I have virtually recovered ten (10) out of eleven (11) held by the hostile Indians – There is no doubt but what I can recover the eleventh, a child three years old who has been adopted by a Kiowa family, but it is like giving up their own flesh and blood. I have had a very hard trip but it is over, and I am awaiting orders. I have however, one request to make, and it is, that I may be permitted to return these prisoners to their friends personally, as I feel I have been somewhat instrumental in getting them from the Indians.

The names of the prisoners at Council [Grove?] are

  1. Mrs. Caroline McDaniels [sic] [Transcriber's Note: I suspect this is Caroline McDonald]
  2. Rebecca Jane McDaniels [sic]
  3. James Taylor
  4. Dorcas Angeline Taylor
  5. James Vaughn (as near as could be ascertained)

At Cow Creek with me

  1. Mrs. Elizabeth Sprague
  2. Alice Almeda Taylor + brother & sister
  3. James Benson (9 or 10 years old)

Still with the Kiowa

  1. Milla Jane Sprague
  2. Mahala Louisa Elizabeth McDaniels [sic]

And with the Comancha's

  1. one boy name not known

Milla Jane Sprague, Mrs. E. Sprague's youngest child, aged between three & four years is the only one held with any tenacity – I had much trouble to get Mrs. Sprague and at one time the excitement was so great that a rupture of the Kiowa tribe appeared almost inevitable – The two chiefs Holo-ga-ka-wat and Parry-wah-[Symon?] of the Yan-per-nilles band of Comancha's were so confident there would be a fight they rallied their men and surrounded my ambulance and said they travelled the same road as myself, and they, and their men would die with me – A large number of the Comancha's are anxious to settle down and become "white men". They are in my opinion, except the No-ko-na band the best and most reliable Indians of the plains and can be made herdsmen and agriculturists [sic] long before almost any others, as they have never learned the vices of the whites to the extent of the others – The Kiowa's are the most unreliable and it will require constant watching to keep them within bounds – They have been so accustomed to raid into Texas during the Southern troubles it will require some troops on our southern and southwestern border to hold them in check. I have ascertained on this trip that they are driving stock from the borders of Texas to sell to speculators north. I wish the Supt. would take the subject up and give the most deffinite [sic] and positive instructions on this subject - I also wish I could be allowed to visit Washington to consult with the Commissioner on the subject of Indian Affairs of the plains and N. Western Texas. The greatest interest of the In. Dept. being in that direction in my opinion.

Respectfully Yr. Obt. Servt.
J. H. Leavenworth
U.S. In. Agnt.