AS RELATED IN DETAIL, BY HIMSELF, IN PRISON, A FEW DAYS BEFORE HIS EXECUTION, TO DR. J. R. S. PITTS, THEN SHERIFF OF PERRY COUNTY, MISS.
When I was about ten or eleven years of age, my father sent me to school, and I went at intervals from time to time, to several good teachers. I might, with proper training and management, have received a liberal education. My father often insisted, and urged it upon me to study and try to obtain a good education, and he told me that he would send me to school as long as I wished to go. But being misled by my associations with bad company, I was engaged, instead, in studying mischief, and other things no way profitable to myself or advantageous to youths. It was my misfortune, that my disposition led me on to study how to cheat, defraud and swindle my comrades and school-mates, out of their pocket-knives, their money or anything they might have, which I wanted, and I was generally successful in my undertaking. If I could not effect my object in one way, I would resort to some other, and finally obtain it before I stopped. Indulging in this rude and mischievous disposition, I naturally became more hardened, and when at school, it was my delight to see the scholars whipped or otherwise punished, and I would often tell lies on any of them that would displease me, so as to cause them to get a flogging; and very often I would tell a lie on an innocent scholar, so as to clear a favorite and guilty one, and have the innocent one punished. It most generally happened, that I managed my villainy so as to get clear; it sometimes happened, however, that I got punished. This I did not care for any longer than the punishment lasted. So soon as I was released, I would commit a worse misdeed than the one I was chastised for, and any of my school-mates that were the cause of my punishment, I was certain to wreak my vengeance on, by having them punished in some way. From my bad conduct in school there was no teacher that would permit me to go to his school long at a time, and whenever I had any difficulty with my teachers, my mother would always protect and indulge me in what I would do; and being so indulged and protected, this excited me to commit crimes of greater magnitude. And I am frank, here to say, that my mother has been the principal and great cause of all my crimes and misfortunes, by stimulating me to the commission of those deeds that have brought me to what I am.
When I was about the age of twelve years, my mother one day sent me with a sack to a neighbor’s house (Mr. Helverson’s), to procure some vegetables or greens. I communicated my errand to Mrs. H., who told me to go to the garden and take what I wanted. I had no knife with me. I asked Mrs. H. to loan me a knife, which I knew she had, and she pulled out a very pretty little knife from her work-pocket, and told me not to lose or break it, for it was a present made to her by a friend. This I listened to and promised her that I would be careful. Now, while I was in the garden procuring vegetables or greens, my whole mind and wits were employed in devising some mode by which I could cheat the lady out of her knife. Finally, after I had procured my vegetables and placed them in the sack, I put the knife in the bottom of the sack; I then returned to the house, and told the lady that I laid the knife down in the garden, and had forgot the place and could not find it; I asked her to go with me and help me hunt for it, which she accordingly did, and we both hunted diligently, but to no effect. The lady was very anxious about her knife and much regretted its loss, while I was all the time laughing in my sleeve, to know how completely I had swindled her. This trick of mine passed off very well for a time. It was, however, found out that I had the knife, and that created some noise and trouble. I was accused of stealing the knife. But I denied all accusations and stated that I had bought the knife I had, in Mobile, and proved it by my mother, who always upheld me in my rascality. This may be said to have been my first successful feat in stealing, although I was in the habit of stealing little frivolous things from the school boys, before that time.
My father living a very close neighbor to Mr. Helverson, whose family is related to ours, their stock run together in the same range. My next onset in stealing was from Mr. H. again; he had a lot of very fine fat pigs, and these were at that time selling at a high price in Mobile. My brother Isham (nicknamed Whinn) and myself geared up a horse in a cart and started, pretendingly for a camp hunt to kill deer and haul to Mobile. We went a short distance that night and camped. During the night we went to Helverson’s hog bed, and stole a cart load of his finest pigs, fifteen in number, hauled them to Mobile and sold them at two dollars each. Although Mr. H. was satisfied in his own mind that we had stolen his pigs, yet he could not prove it; and I escaped again. So I was stimulated with my success, and being still more encouraged and upheld by my mother, and not exceeding fourteen years of age, I believed that I could make an independent fortune by thieving, and became insensible of the danger which awaited me. A short time after the incident just related had transpired, I made a second rake upon Mr. H.’s pigs. But in my second adventure, I was not so fortunate as I was in the first, for Mr. H. rather got me that time. The proof was sufficiently strong, and I was prosecuted, for the first time, for pig stealing. Well knowing my guilt as I did, and the evidence against me, I thought my case extremely doubtful. I was arrested by the sheriff of Jackson county, and had to give bond to appear at the Circuit Court of Jackson county, to answer an indictment preferred against me by the State of Mississippi, for the crime of larceny. The bond required me to attend the Court from term to term, and from day to day, until discharged by due course of law. My poor old father employed the best counsel to defend me, that could be obtained in all the country. This cost the poor old man a large sum of money. My counsel, after learning the facts of the case, advised me that my only chance of acquittal, was to put off the trial as long as possible. This he did from term to term, in hopes that something might occur to get me acquitted. I well knew if my case should be brought to a hearing, I would be convicted, and I dreaded the consequences; for I knew that there would then be no chance on earth to prevent my being sent to the penitentiary.
Fully sensible of my situation, young as I was at that time, it became necessary for me to devise some plan to get out of the scrape, and I reflected for weeks how to manage this matter. One day, in a conversation with my mother and some other confidential friends, she and they advised me to consult Gale H. Wages; and my mother said she would send for Wages and see him herself, as he was a particular friend of hers. This she accordingly did, and he came to our house. There were several of the clan at our house then, though I did not know them at that time as such; but my mother did, as I afterward found out when I joined them. Among the many plans proposed by the clan, none seemed to suit my mother or Wages. Some were for waylaying and killing the witnesses; some for one thing, and some for another. Finally Wages made his proposition, which was seconded by my mother. This was the proposition I had been waiting to hear, for my mother told me that whatever plan Wages would pursue, he would be certain to get me clear. His plan was, that we should, in some way or other, endeavor to have the Court house and all the records destroyed, and so destroy the indictment against me. By that means there would be nothing against me, and I should be acquitted, as no charge would rest against me.
With this plan I was highly pleased, and much elated with the idea that I had a friend fully able and competent to bear me out, and who would stand up to me at any and all hazards, and bring me out clear. Wages pledged himself to me in private to do this, and he was as good as his word. We set a time for the accomplishment of our design, and we accordingly met. The precise date I cannot recollect, but it was a dry time, and a dark night, with a strong breeze from the North. After procuring sufficient dry combustibles, we entered the Court-house, went up stairs, and placed our combustibles in the roof, on the windward side of the house. Wages went down stairs to patrol around. After reconnoitering around sufficiently, he gave me the signal, by a rap or knock on the wall; I immediately sprung open the door of my dark-lantern, applied the match, and made my escape down stairs, and Wages and myself left the place in double quick time. We halted on an eminence some five or six hundred yards to the southeast of the Court house, to watch the conflagration. Such a sight I never had before beheld. The flames seemed to ascend as high, if not higher than the tops of the tallest pine trees; they made everything perfectly light for over two hundred yards around. After the Court-house, records and all were completely consumed, and the flames had abated and died away, we took our departure for home, rejoicing at our success in the accomplishment of our design. There was a great deal of talk and conjecture about the burning of the Court-house, and we were accused—at least, I was strongly censured, but there never was any discovery made, nor any proof sufficient to get hold of either Wages or myself; so I again got clear of a crime of which I was guilty and for which I ought to have been punished.
The assistance, advice and protection I had received from Wages, gave me the utmost confidence in him, and he had unbounded influence over me; I looked on him as my warmest and most confidential friend, and I eventually pinned my whole faith on him and relied upon him for advice and directions in everything. Although a villain, as I must now acknowledge Wages was, yet he had some redeeming traits in his character. At his own home he was friendly, kind and hospitable; in company, he was affable and polite; and no person at first acquaintance, would have believed for one moment, that he was the out lawed brigand that he finally proved himself to be; and I firmly believe he would have spilt the last drop of blood in his veins to protect me; yet I must say that he was the principal author of my misfortunes, and has brought me where I am.
After the burning of the Court House, the intercourse between Wages and myself became more frequent. We became strongly allied to each other, and confidence was fully established between us. Wages one day made a proposition to me; to join him, and go with him, alleging that we could make money without work, and live in ease and genteel style; that there were a great many persons concerned with him, in different parts of the country, some of them men of wealth and in good standing in the community in which they lived; that they had an organized Band that would stand up to each other at all hazard; that they had a Wigwam in the city of Mobile, where they held occasional meetings; and that they had many confederates there whom the public little suspected. To this proposition I readily acceded; it corresponded with my disposition and idea of things, and then, being the age I was, and stimulated by my past success, I feared nothing.
I went to Mobile with Wages, and there he introduced me to some of his comrades, who were members of his Clan. They accordingly held a meeting at their Wig-wam, and I was there introduced by Wages, (who was their president,) as a candidate for membership, I should have been rejected, had Wages not interceded for me. I was finally passed and admitted to membership. Wages then administered to me the oath, which every member had to take. I was then instructed and given the signs and pass-words of the Clan; and above all was cautioned to keep a watchful eye, and not to let any person entrap me; nor let any person, under pretence of belonging to the Clan, or wishing to join, obtain in any way information from me in relation to the existence of the Clan, or their plan or mode of operation. The oath was administered on the Holy Bible. (Oh! what a profanation of that good book!) The form of the oath was: “You solemnly swear upon the Holy Evangelist of Almighty God, that you will never divulge, and always conceal and never reveal any of the signs or pass-words of our order; that you will not invent any sign, token or device by which the secret mysteries of our order may be made known; that you will not in any way betray or cause to be betrayed any member of this order—the whole under pain of having your head severed from your body—so help you God.”
Wages was President and Chief of the Clan. All important business of the Clan was entrusted to his care. He called meetings, gave all notices to the Clan for their gatherings, and when assembled he presided in the chair. In all matters, he had the preferred right to introduce resolutions for the benefit of the Clan.
There were present at this meeting, Charles McGrath, Vice-President; McClain, Secretary; John Eelva, Henry Sanford, Richard Cabel and Sampson Teapark, Vigilant Committee; William Brown, of Mobile, Tyler.
After I was thus initiated, and invested with all the signs, words and tokens, and fully instructed in the mysteries of the Clan, I was taught their mode of secret correspondence, by means of an alphabet or key, invented by the notorious Murrell, of Tennessee. I was furnished with the alphabet and key, and in that same mystic writing I was furnished with a list of all the names that belonged to our Clan, and a list of several other Clans, that ours was in correspondence with, their several places of residence, and the locations of their Wig-wams; so that when we stole a horse, a mule, or a negro, we knew precisely where to carry them, to have them concealed and sold.
After I had been thus fully initiated and had become identified with the Clan, Wages and McGrath, knowing my ability, and that I was a keen shrewd and cunning lad, took me under their immediate special charge. We had a rendezvous at old Wages’ about twelve miles from Mobile, and another at Dog River, about the same distance in a different direction. We ranged that season from one place to the other, and sometimes in town, stealing any and everything we could. Sometimes killing beef, hogs and sheep, hauling them to town and selling them; sometimes stealing a fine horse or mule and conveying it to some of our comrades to conceal; and occasionally a negro would disappear. All this while, we pretended to be engaged in making shingles, burning charcoal, and getting laths and pickets, each for himself. We always managed to furnish the family with all the meat they could use.
We worked on in this way until late in the summer or early in the fall of 1839, when most of the inhabitants had left the city; and we having six of our Clan then employed as City Guards, we rallied our forces and Wages ordered a meeting. It was there resolved that we should prepare ourselves with boats and teams—the boats to be stationed at a particular wharf in Mobile, on a certain night, and the teams at a landing named, on Dog River the next night. It was also ordered that we should assemble at our Wig-wam on the first night at seven o’clock. The meeting then adjourned.
The promised evening came, and every member was punctual in his attendance. It was a full meeting of the Clan. We all rigged ourselves out with false moustaches, some with false whiskers, some with a green patch over one eye, and many of them dressed like sailors, and thus fitted out and disguised, we were ready for action, with all kinds of false keys, skeleton keys, lock picks, crow bars, &c. At nine o’clock the City Guards turned out, and by a previous arrangement, those of our comrades who mounted guard, were on the first watch. They immediately sent two of their number to inform us where to make the first break. They had reconnoitered previously and knew what places had the richest and most valuable goods, and they had also procured false keys for several stores. Thus armed, each man with his revolver, bowie knife and dark lantern, about ten o’clock we started out. Our first break was a fancy dry-goods store which we opened with one of our keys. We took over $5,000 worth of goods from that store, fine silks, muslins, &c. We next entered a rich jewelry store, and made a clean sweep there. There were no fine watches; we got some silver watches and two or three gold watches, left, we supposed, to be repaired. Our raise there was about four to five thousand dollars. Our next break was on a large clothing store. There we took $3000 worth of the finest and best clothing. While we were at this, some of the clan were packing off and storing in their boats. We had procured two butcher carts, which would stand a short distance off and our men packed and loaded the carts, which they hauled to our boats. About half-past eleven o’clock, knowing that there would be a new guard out at twelve o’clock, we dispersed and set fire to each of the stores we had robbed. Soon there was the cry of fire; the wind commenced blowing, and the fire spread rapidly. Our Clan now commenced operations anew; we seized and carried out goods from any and every store we came to, still retaining the carts. We kept them constantly employed; and before daylight we had loaded two large, swift boats, and had a large quantity of merchandise in a “wood flat.” A little before daylight, we left with our boats for Dog River. We arrived there about eight o’clock, ten miles from the city, and went up the river to our landing place, where we secreted our goods until that night, when we had our teams at work, hauling off and concealing goods, which we finally accomplished the second night. Wages then ordered a meeting of the clan, and punctual attendance was required. The object of this meeting was for a report from each member of the amount of goods he had obtained, so that an equal distribution might be made. From the report then made, we had procured over twenty-five thousand dollars worth of goods of almost every description. We had an abundant supply of groceries and liquors. Our friends in the city had a bountiful supply of almost everything. We made a division of our plunder, and Wages, McGrath and myself got for our share about six thousand dollars worth. We were permitted to select the finest and most costly goods, such as the jewelry, fine silks, muslins etc., which we could carry in our trunks.
Having properly stowed away our effects, we took a trip from Mobile to Florida by way of Pensacola, carrying with us some of the jewelry, watches and dry goods. We traveled from Pensacola through Florida, with our pack of goods, as pedlars, each taking a different route, and all to meet at Apalachicola on a certain day. Wages went the middle route, McGrath the southern route, and I went the northern route. I traveled some distance, occasionally selling some of my plunder. I eventually arrived at a very rich neighborhood, near the Chatochooca river, not far from the Alabama line. There I soon disposed of most of my goods.
I fell in with a house where a very rich old widow lady lived. She bought a good deal of my jewelry and other goods for her two young daughters. I pretended to be sick, for an excuse to stay there. This lady had a very nice mulatto girl about seventeen years old. During the time I was there pretending to be sick, I made an arrangement with this girl to run away with me; I promised to take her for a wife, and carry her to a free State. She was to meet me on a certain night at the landing on the river, about one mile from that place. I left the house pretending to go to Columbus, Ga., and traveled up the river some thirty miles, where I stole a canoe. I procured some meat and bread and started down the river. On the night appointed I was at the landing, and about ten o’clock the mulatto girl came. She had provided bed clothing and provisions in plenty. I then started down the river with my girl. We went about thirty miles that night, and lay by in the river swamp all next day. The next night we made about fifty miles down the river. The third night we reached Apalachicola, two days previous to the time appointed to meet Wages and McGrath. I landed a short distance above town, and left my girl in a swamp just after daylight, and then went to the city. In looking around I fell in with John Harden, he being one of our clan. He soon gave me an introduction to a place where I could conceal my girl, and stay myself. The next day McGrath arrived; I met him in the street, and gave him a sign to follow me to our rendezvous. I showed him my girl and told him the way I had got her; he then told me that he had stolen a likely negro fellow, and had him concealed in a swamp about four miles from town. After dinner, and a little before night, McGrath and I went out to the swamp, brought in his fellow, and concealed him at the same place where my girl was.
The next day about eight o’clock Wages came up; we were all on the lookout for him. We gave him a hint to come to our place. We showed Wages what a raise we had made; he then told us that he had stolen two negroes and two fine horses, and that they were concealed in the swamp about five miles from town. In fear of pursuit he said we must leave instanter. We made an arrangement with Harden and our landlord to take the horses. They gave Wages twenty-five dollars a piece for the horses, and our board bill. That night Wages and Harden went out to the swamp; Harden took the horses and left, and Wages brought in his negroes and placed them with ours. That night while Wages was gone after his negroes McGrath and I went to a coffee house, and while there we met some Spaniards that had a little schooner there, and which was then loaded for New Orleans. We made the arrangement with them to carry us and our negroes to New Orleans, returned to our place, and had everything prepared. About ten o’clock Wages came in with his negroes, and we all went on board the vessel, which weighed anchor and sailed down the bar. Next morning the captain cleared his vessel, and by ten o’clock we were over the bar and under way, with a good breeze. On the second night, a little before day, we landed at the Pontchartrain railroad, and left in the first cars for the city. We went into one of our places in the city, got breakfast for ourselves and negroes, and at nine o’clock we left in a steamboat for Bayou Sara. We landed there, crossed the river and went to one of our clan—a rich planter—where we sold our negroes. I got one thousand dollars for my mulatto girl; McGrath sold his fellow for eleven hundred dollars, and Wages sold each of his boys for nine hundred dollars. We took our money and left for Mobile. My girl made considerable fuss when I was about to leave, but I told her I would return in a month, and rather pacified her. I must here acknowledge that my conscience did that time feel mortified, after the girl had come with me, and I had lived with her as a wife, and she had such implicit confidence in me. My conscience still feels mortified when I reflect how much better it would have been for me to have kept her and lived with her than to come to what I have.
On our way to Mobile we stopped in New Orleans three or four days. During our stay there was one fire. We made a small raise on that of about one hundred dollars each. McGrath came very near being caught by attempting to make a second haul. We left next day for Mobile; landed at Pascagoula, and walked home by land, with our money and the small amount of goods we had stolen in New Orleans.
We then deposited our money, and gathered all the balance of our fine goods that we had stolen in Mobile at the great fire, and what we had stolen in New Orleans, and prepared ourselves for a second tour. We had realized about four thousand five hundred dollars, which we hid in the ground, and we took each of us about one hundred and fifty dollars for our expenses, and an equal share of the goods.
On the 25th day of March, 1843, Wages, McGrath and myself left Mobile bound to Texas; we went to New Orleans, where we landed the next day. We remained there about three days and sold a great quantity of our goods, such as were too heavy to carry. While we were in the city Wages won about seven hundred dollars from a Tennessee corn dealer by the name of Murphy. McGrath and myself had lost about one hundred and fifty dollars each. We left New Orleans, went up the Mississippi, and landed at the house of an old friend that belonged to our clan. His name was Welter. We spent one day and night with him; we had seen him in the city a few days before, and were invited to call, but when we approached his residence we all pretended to be entire strangers. This was a strict injunction upon our clan—when traveling never to meet any of our comrades as acquaintances, but always treat them as entire strangers, that we had never seen in our life.
Wages pretended to have some business with the old gentleman, and introduced himself, McGrath and myself under fictitious names. The old gentleman had two very nice genteel daughters. They were sociable and refined, well educated, and highly accomplished every way; he was wealthy, and had a good reputation in his neighborhood, and no one would for one moment have suspected him of belonging to our clan. But I afterward learned from Wages that this old gentleman had belonged to the Murrell Clan for many years; and that was what carried Wages there, to get some information relative to some negroes that had been stolen and carried to Louisiana near the Texas line. Wages also informed me that this same man made all his property by stealing and kidnapping negroes from Kentucky, Tennessee, Virginia, Ohio, Indiana and Illinois. Having obtained the information we wanted, we made preparation to leave. We offered to pay our fare, but this was promptly refused. We were well entertained; the old gentleman furnished us each with a flask of good brandy, and, after thanking him and his family for their kind, hospitable treatment, we bid adieu, and took our departure for Texas.
We got on a steamboat and went up the Mississippi to the mouth of Red river, and up that river to a landing called the New Springs. There we paid our passage and went on shore, each with his pack and his double-barrel gun. We stopped at a house about one mile from the river, where we called for our dinner, which we got, and we all remained there until next day, during which time we sold a considerable amount of our goods at that house and in the neighborhood, which made our packs much lighter. We left next day, stopping at all houses, and selling our goods, which we did at a rapid rate, as we had stolen them and were not sufficient judges of their value to know what price to ask, and in consequence we often sold them at one-half their value, and so soon got rid of them.
Having disposed of the principal part of our goods, about the fourth day after we left the New Spring landing, we were approaching the prairie county on the Texas border. We provided ourselves with bread and salt; we had ammunition. Shortly before night, we came to a small piece of woodland, by a ravine. There was a large drove of cattle of all sizes there; McGrath shot a very fat two-year old heifer; we skinned the hind quarters and tenderloin; we built up a fire, salted some of our meat and roasted it by the fire and feasted sumptuously. The wolves came near our camp and made a dreadful noise, but at daybreak we shot and killed three and the balance ran off. They had devoured all the heifer’s meat, but we had provided sufficient for our journey that day. We set out and traveled in a direction to find a settlement, then made about twenty-five miles south of Shreveport. That was the place where Welter had told Wages that the negroes were, that we were after. We traveled about thirty miles that day, and suffered very much for water. We reached a settlement a little before night, on some of the waters of the Sabine River. It was the residence of some stock keepers; there were some three or four families, and some fifteen or twenty Mexican drovers, and horse thieves; they had just been to Natchitoches, and had a full supply of rum; a few of them could speak English. We quartered with them, and that night we opened the little remnant of our goods and jewelry, and had a general raffle. By the next day we had realized from our raffle, sufficient to purchase each of us a good Spanish saddle and bridle, and a good Texas horse. We learned from one of these Mexicans the residence of the man who owned the negroes that we were after, and we also learned that he and his family were strict members of the Methodist Church. Now it was that one of us had to turn preacher, so as to reconnoiter around the place. Wages and I put that on McGrath. We all mounted our horses and started, having procured plenty of lassoes, &c., McGrath being an Irishman and his tongue tipped with plenty of blarney.
We traveled for two days very moderately, and, our chief employment was drilling McGrath, how to pray and sing, and give that long Methodist groan, and “Amen.” He having made considerable progress, we went to Natchitoches. McGrath entered that town by one road, and Wages and myself by another. McGrath went among a few of his brethren that evening.
To our astonishment it was posted at every corner, that the “Rev. Mr. McGrath, from Charleston, South Carolina, would preach at the Methodist Church that evening, at half-past seven.” We attended church. McGrath took his stand in the pulpit. He made a very genteel apology to his audience, saying he was much fatigued from his travel; that he had caught cold and was very hoarse and could not sing; but he read out the hymn. It was: “Hark from the tombs a doleful sound.” One old brother pitched the tune to Old Hundred, and they all chimed in, Wages and myself among the rest; Wages sang bass and I tenor, and we all made that old church sound like distant thunder. After singing, McGrath made a very good but short prayer; he then took his text in the 16th chapter of St. Mark, at the verse where Mary the mother, and Mary Magdalene found the stone rolled from the door of the sepulchre. “And he said unto them, Be not affrighted; ye seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified; he has risen; he is not here; behold the place where they laid him.” He read several verses in that chapter, and then made some very good explanations relative to the parables, and prophesies on the coming of the Messiah, and the mysterious way in which he disappeared, and wound up his discourse by telling the audience that he had been a great sinner in his young days, that it had been but a few years since the Lord had called him to preach, and he thanked his God that he was now able and willing to lay down his life upon the altar of God; he then raved, and exhorted all to repent and turn to God; and after raving about half an hour called all his hearers that wished to be prayed for to come forward. The whole congregation kneeled down; he prayed for them all, and finally finished, sang another hymn and dismissed his congregation, and we all retired, Wages and myself to a gaming table, and McGrath with some of his brethren. Next day the members of the church there waited on McGrath to know what was his pecuniary situation. He told them that he was very poor, was on his way to see a rich relation of his, about two hundred miles from there; that he carried his gun to keep off wild beasts, etc. They made up money to buy him a fine suit of black, a new saddle and saddle-bags and fifty dollars in cash. We remained there two days, when McGrath left. Wages and I left by another road. We all met a short distance from town and made the proper arrangement for our operations. McGrath was to go on to the house of this man that had the negroes, and there make what discoveries were necessary. He was to join Wages and myself at San Antonio on the first day of September following. Wages and I left in the direction for the Red Land on the Irish bayou.
A few days after we passed the residence of an old bachelor who had a large number of negroes; he was absent at Natchitoches and had left his overseer in charge. We stopped there, and remained two days; we procured some whisky from a grocery store a short distance off; prepared some of it with poison, and induced the overseer to drink freely. We gave him a full dose of the poison, and before day on the third morning he was dead.
Meanwhile Wages and I had made arrangements to steal a likely negro woman and two young negroes, a boy and girl, about ten years of age, besides two of the finest horses on the place. We sent out runners to let one or two of the neighbors know that the overseer was dead; we had our negroes and horses concealed about five miles distant, and about sunrise we offered to pay our bills and left, pretending to go to New Orleans. After we had got out of sight of the plantation we made a circuit and went to the place where the negroes and horses were concealed. Having provided ourselves with provisions, we remained secreted at that place all that day. That night we started with our negroes and horses. Wages took the lead; our horses and negroes were all refreshed. We traveled a brisk gait all that night and till next day at nine or ten o’clock. We suffered greatly for water, having met with none after midnight, until we stopped at a small creek. We had passed no houses after daylight. After we stopped we stripped our horses, gave them water and hampered them to graze; we got water for ourselves and negroes, and took a little spirits we had, and eat the balance of our provisions. After we had rested a little while, Wages took his gun and went up the creek in search of game; I took mine and went to the road we had just left, and went on rather down the creek. At the distance of about two miles I came to a plantation. It was an old stock place, inhabited by some of the old creole settlers that had lived there in Spanish times. I inquired the distances and courses of the country. They told me it was about forty miles to the first river, and that there was but one settlement on the road where we could get water for ourselves and horses, at about twenty-five miles. After I had got this information I purchased some bread and potatoes and a small piece of dried beef, and returned to our camp. Wages had killed a fine deer, and he and the negro woman were roasting a fine piece. We fared well that day. That night about dark we left our camp, provided with provisions for two days. A little after midnight we reached the first water. A little before daylight we reached some settlements and woodland; we traveled a short distance and came to a small, deep river. We there found a ferry flat and some small boats. We took the flat and carried our horses and negroes over; took the flat back, and took a small boat, and Wages and I crossed to our horses and negroes. By this time we could discern the appearance of day. We mounted and traveled on; we could perceive we were passing several large plantations; by sunrise we had traveled four or five miles. We could see at a distance several clusters of woodland in the prairies. We made for one of them some distance from the road, which we found afforded sufficient shelter for that day. We found some water, but not plenty, and very bad; our horses would drink but little of it. We stripped and hampered our horses to graze, took our breakfast and told the negroes to go to sleep. I went to sleep, and Wages kept watch. About twelve o’clock I was awakened by the report of a gun. I rose up and found that Wages had shot a fat yearling beef. We skinned and saved the hind quarters and loin, and salted it a little and barbecued it. While Wages lay down and took a nap the negro woman and I attended to the meat. About an hour before sunset Wages awoke, and we all eat heartily. We eat the last of our bread and potatoes; our horses had finished grazing and were resting, and about sunset we began to pack up for traveling, with plenty of meat and no bread. About dark we left our sheltered woods and started on the road again. We were then about one hundred and twenty miles from the place where we had stolen the negroes. We traveled on that night about thirty miles, and reached a large creek between midnight and day. We passed one or two plantations, and very little woodland. When Wages came to the creek he examined the ford and found horse tracks; he rode in first, went over and came back, and took the bridle of the horse that had the two little negroes and led him safely across, and the negro woman and myself followed. We went on some seven or eight miles, and came to woodland and plantations again. Some of the plantations were very large. We continued traveling till daylight; after day we passed several fine, large plantations. The sun was about one hour high when we came to a ferry on a large river. We called, and the ferryman was a negro; we inquired the distance from the last river we had crossed; he said sixty-three miles. The negro was a very intelligent fellow; we inquired particularly for San Antonio, and told him there was where we were going. We inquired for several other places, and left; at a short distance we found a place where we could rest, not far from a plantation. There Wages and myself procured some corn for our horses, the first they had eaten for several days. We also procured some bread; after we had fed and rested our horses and slept some ourselves, a little before night we started again. We traveled that night about thirty-five miles, and stopped at a small creek and camped till daylight. We then started, crossed the creek, went out a short distance and turned our course more to the east. We took a trail that led us down the creek. We halted about noon to rest our horses, which by this time were much fatigued. Here we procured something for ourselves to eat.
We were now over two hundred miles from the place where we had stolen the negroes; we here enquired for several places and where was the best place to locate. We wanted to find a rich neighborhood where there was good society, etc. We got directions for several places, among the rest the lower settlement on the Brasos river. After we had rested, late in the afternoon, we set out, pretending to be bound for San Antonio, but we steered our course for the Brasos river, where we arrived the second day after. We quartered our negroes with a planter there and traveled around. We at length found a purchaser, some twenty miles from the place where the negroes were. We delivered them to him and received the pay for them—sixteen hundred dollars. We took the horses about forty miles and sold one, and about thirty miles further we sold the other. We then went some distance and sold our own horses.
We had realized from all our sales a little short of two thousand dollars. This was about the tenth of May. The money was principally in New Orleans Bank bills, and we had some gold and silver to pay our little expenses. We now steered our course for San Antonio, on foot, and reached there in about five days. We traveled leisurely, and procured some two-headed Texas gourds to carry our water through the prairies. After resting a day or two, we looked around to see how the land lay. We went into a store and bought two light Spanish saddles, with bridles and all the apparatus for riding. We put them up in a genteel package, and provided ourselves with provisions for two days. Each shouldered his pack, and we left San Antonio in the night, and steered our course west. We had traveled some ten or fifteen miles, when we stopped at a small creek and camped. Next morning we traveled on some twenty-five miles farther, when we came to a ranche, where there was a great stock of horses, mules, jacks, jennies and horned cattle. We hid our saddles before we approached the place, and went up with our bundles of clothes and guns and asked for something to eat, which was given us—plenty milk and bread. Only one or two of the people could speak English, and that very indifferently. An old man, the head of the place, and his drover and herdsman, spoke the best English. We asked the old man to let us have a couple of horses and saddles, and we would go with him a hunting and take our guns; we told him we wished to see the country; he told us “yes,” and furnished us with horses. We spent a week or more with him. We killed plenty of venison to supply the whole ranche.
One day Wages told him that we wanted to go and camp out that night about twenty-five miles off; we would be back next night, and wanted one of his gentle mules to pack; he told us to take the mule and any horses we pleased, and helped us to pack up, with water, provisions and whatever we wanted. We started and remained out that night and the next, and returned the third day. We had seven fine deer in all; he asked what kept us so long—had we been lost? We told him we had, and that while we were out we had met with an acquaintance of ours, buying horses and mules, and that he had furnished us money to buy thirty good horses and thirty mules, if we could get them delivered at a certain place named, about one hundred miles from there. We showed him the gold we had, and satisfied him as to the money, which was to be paid on delivery of the horses and mules at the place mentioned. The horses and mules were selected, and the price agreed upon. Gentle lead and pack mules were selected, and every preparation was made for our departure. We were to go with him and return with him, so as to see that the contract was complied with. The day arrived and we set out with five mules packed, and five gentle lead mules, with bells on, and a young half-breed Indian to assist in driving, and all of us mounted on the best of horses. We had managed to procure our new saddles and put them in their packs, on a mule that was set apart for us. Thus equipped, with plenty of water and provisions, we set out a little after daylight. Our travel that day was upwards of thirty miles, on account of having water. The next day was farther. We however made the two points. The next day our only stopping place was about twenty miles, and the next was thirty miles.
This twenty-mile place appeared to be a dead lake or spring, with an underground discharge, with a few small groves of timber near by, and several lakes or sinks in the ground, in the direction the water was supposed to run under ground. We left our second night’s camp on the third morning, and arrived at the twenty-mile place in the forenoon. We, as usual, stripped and hampered our horses to graze, eat dinner, and the old Mexican and his man lay down to sleep. Wages and I took our guns and went off, pretending to hunt. We killed a turkey and a prairie hen and a small deer. We cleaned our guns, wiped them out, loaded them with the largest buck-shot, took our game and went to the camp. While loading our guns, we made the arrangement in what way to dispatch our traveling companions, for that was the way we intended to pay for the horses and mules. So it was agreed that the next morning, before day, we were to prepare some dry grass and have our guns ready; Wages was to get up, wake me, and we were to set the straw on fire, to make a light to see the position in which the two men lay.
All that night I did not sleep one minute of sound sleep. The most awful and frightful dreams infested my mind all night, and Wages told me the next day that his sleep was disturbed in the same way, and he then regretted the act and wished he had not done it.
Wages rose in the morning and easily waked me, for I was not in a sound sleep. We took our guns; I crawled close to where the young man lay, and got my gun ready. Wages was to fire first. He put his light against a small brush, and the old man partly waked and turned his face toward Wages, who fired the contents of one barrel in the old man’s forehead.
The young man was lying with his back to me; I placed the muzzle of my gun to the back of his head, where the neck joined it. My finger was on the trigger. At the report of Wages’ gun, I pulled the trigger, and there was but little distinction in the report of the two guns.
Both men gave a suppressed, struggling scream, and expired.
Our next work was to dispose of them, which we did by slinging them with ropes, swinging them on a pole, carrying them to one of the sink holes close to the camp, and burying them there. We deposited with them all the clothes that had any blood on them; and with the hatchet they had, we sharpened a short pole and partially covered them with dirt. We next went to the camp and raked out with sticks and brush all the signs of blood, and took brush and dry leaves and built fires on the ground where we had killed them. All of this we had accomplished by a little before sunrise.
Our next work was to prepare to leave the place. We took the old man’s fine massive silver spurs, his silver stirrups and silver bridle bits, his gold rings, sleeve buttons, etc. We took our new saddle and bridles, and concealed all the old ones in the prairie, about five miles from the camp. After we had arranged everything to our liking, we gathered our pack mules and packed them; herded up the lead mule and the drove; Wages mounted the old man’s horse, and I the young man’s, we tied our other two horses together and turned them in the drove, and all things being now completed, we set out about eight o’clock in the morning.
We now had the sixty horses and mules and the ten lead and pack mules, the two fine horses of the old man and his servant, and the two horses he had loaned us to ride, which made seventy-four head in all, and a better selected drove of horses never left Texas. We pursued our journey that day very silent. Wages had but little to say and I had less. We had in our hurry and confusion forgotten to supply ourselves with water, and had but little victuals to eat that were cooked. About a quart of water in our gourds, was all we had for the day. We came to the water late in the evening. We suffered very much for water that day, as did our horses. We stripped and hampered them to graze, after they had got water, and then prepared some thing for ourselves. We had our turkey and part of the deer; we built a fire and barbecued the game. After we had eat, Wages said he could not sleep, and told me to lie down and take a nap.
I laid down, but could not sleep. Every time I would fall into a doze, the vision of the young man I had killed the night before, would appear before my eyes, and I would start up in a fright. After several ineffectual attempts, I finally got up, and told Wages I could not sleep, and told him to try it. He laid down and was quite still for some time. All at once he screamed out “Oh! my God!” and jumped upon his feet. I called and asked what was the matter, and he declared that he saw the old man he had killed, standing over him, and that he plainly saw the shot holes in his head, and the blood running down his face. So we both set up the balance of the night.
The next morning we started very early. About noon we came to a large creek where we procured plenty of water for ourselves and the drove; we halted and rested awhile, and then pursued our journey with little delay, making the route as direct as possible for the mouth of Red River. We did not pass the settlement on Irish Bayou, nor Natchitoches. We arrived at the mouth of Red River and went down the river until we came opposite Bayou Sara, where we had our horses and mules ferried over.
We went to a man living out from the river, and effected a sale of all the horses, except the four saddle horses. We went up into Wilkinson County, Mississippi, where we sold all the mules, getting fifty dollars for each of the horses and an average of seventy-five dollars for each of the mules. We sold the two saddle horses that Wages and myself rode before we killed the two Mexicans, for one hundred dollars each. We then shaped our course for Natchez, and when within about twenty miles of it, we effected sale of the two horses we were riding, to one man; he gave Wages one hundred and fifty dollars for the horse the old Mexican had, and he gave me one hundred and twenty-five dollars for the one I rode, and sent us in a carriage to Natchez, where we arrived about the last of June. We had realized on our trip that time about six thousand six hundred and seventy-five dollars.
We had not been in Natchez long before a steamboat passed down and we went on board. We had preserved our saddles, bridles and all our traveling equipage. We landed at New Orleans, went to the bank and deposited all our money, but a few hundred dollars, which we retained in gold coin—two and a half and five dollar pieces. We remained in New Orleans to spend the fourth of July with our associates there.
On the 5th of July, 1841, Wages and I left New Orleans and embarked on a small steamboat bound to Shreveport on Red River, taking with us our saddles, bridles and traveling equipage. In consequence of very dry weather Red River was very low. We had some delay in getting to Shreveport. We, however, reached there, and found some wagons traveling out to the interior of Texas. We made arrangements with them to haul our baggage, and we traveled with them part of the time, some times before them and some times behind. We kept with us our bridles and ropes or lassoes. About the fourth day after we left Shreveport, we started on before the wagons, and traveled some fifteen to twenty miles. By noon we came to a settlement on the border of a small river, one branch of the Trinity, we supposed, and there rested and eat some bread and meat. In the evening we reconnoitered and discovered in the vicinity a large, newly settled plantation, a good number of horses and mules grazing around, and a large number of negroes about the place. Wages sent me to watch on the main road for the wagons, while he watched the horses and mules. About sunset a negro came to drive the horses and mules to their lot. Wages asked what his master’s name was and what State he moved from. He told Wages his master’s name was Smith; and he moved from South Carolina. Wages asked if he was a good master. The negro said no; that he did not feed well nor clothe well, and that he drove hard and whipped hard. Wages then told the negro, if he would come down that night to the ferry, which was about two miles off, he would give him a shirt and pantaloons and a dram. Wages then came to where I was stationed on the road, but the wagons had passed about one hour before. We hurried on and got to the ferry a little after dark. The wagons had just got over and were camped on the other bank. We called, and the ferryman let us over, and went to his house some distance off. We took supper with the wagons. After supper, Wages and I feigned an excuse to cross the river to bathe. We took with us a flask of whiskey and the shirt and pantaloons Wages had promised the negro, and crossed in the ferry flat. We made fast the flat, went up the bank and there we found the negro, true to his promise. Wages gave him the dram and the shirt and pantaloons. Wages then asked the negro if he did not want to leave his master and go to a free State. The negro said he did; that he had runaway three times in South Carolina and started to Ohio, but was caught every time. Wages then gave him another dram and asked him if he could steal three of the best horses on his master’s plantation, and bring them to that ferry the next night or the night after. The negro said he could. Wages then told him, if he would bring the three horses and one bridle and saddle and go with us, that he would take him to a free State. The negro promised to do so, and said he could do it next night as well as any other time and said he had two halters to lead with, and an old wagon saddle. We told him we had saddles and bridles. We gave him another dram and let him go, and we wet our heads and crossed over to the camp.
Next morning we told the wagoners that we would stop a few days in the vicinity, and rest awhile and hunt. We went on two or three miles, to the border of the prairie, and took out our baggage, among which we had two small three-gallon kegs of whiskey, one full, and the other with about one gallon in. We paid for hauling our things, bid the wagoners adieu, and they drove on. We shouldered our baggage, as much as we could carry; went a short distance from the road and concealed it; and went back and took the rest to the same place. We then took our flasks full of whiskey, our two gourds full of water, and some salt, and went about a mile on the edge of the prairie, where we built a small fire. We next turned out to hunt meat. We could find plenty of cattle, but were afraid to shoot them so near the settlement, for fear of discovery before we had accomplished our purpose. We hunted some time and finally came in view of a small grove of trees, about a half mile distant. Wages and I separated; I went on one side and he on the other of the grove, and we found a few deer there. We killed one small buck, which we took back to our camp and skinned and barbecued him, and eat, and prepared the rest to take with us. We laid down for a nap and awoke about an hour by sun; and took our things to where we had the others concealed. About sunset we eat our supper, took our bridles, lassoes, guns, and flasks of whiskey, and started back to the ferry, which we reached about half an hour after dark. We concealed ourselves near the landing, until about nine o’clock. Wages then took the ferry flat and went over the river; I remained on the same side to watch. If we discovered any person we were to make the noise of the swamp owl.
Wages had been across about an hour when up came the negro, with the three horses; Wages immediately took the negro and horses in the flat and crossed over. We soon put bridles on the horses and Wages mounted one and I mounted the other—bare backed. Wages took the lead, the negro next; and I in behind; we both had our guns well loaded and both cocked, for fear the negro had betrayed us, and we were determined to kill with every load in our guns, if attacked. We soon arrived at the place of our baggage. Wages and I very soon saddled our horses and divided our baggage and gave a part to the negro. We then divided the whiskey and had about one gallon and a half in each keg; I took one and the negro one, and we tied them to our saddles with the ropes. We filled our two flasks; Wages took our meat, and about eleven o’clock that night we all set out, Wages ahead, the negro next and I in the rear, and I assure you we pushed from the word go, all that night, mostly through prairies.
Some time before day we came to a settlement, and a little farther on we came to a small river. Knowing it must be very low, we determined to ford or swim. We started in; it was very deep. About the middle, we came to a gravelly bar. Wages halted, and said to us that he could see a ferry flat; he believed the water was very deep near the shore, and we must swim and try and land above the ferry flat. He told me to take care of my gun and ammunition and to wait until he and the negro got through and out. They started, and got to the bank. Such splashing you never did hear. Wages got out; the negro’s horse bogged; he jumped off and took the bridle, and the horse got out. Wages then told me to bear up, which I did, and got through. We then got water, filled our gourds and took each a dram, mounted our horses and pushed on again till daylight appeared.
Wages and I then consulted, whether to keep on or lay by through the day. We concluded it was safer to stop, conceal the negro and horses, and watch the road. We began to look out for some woodland, and about half an hour after sunrise we descried woodland to the west, at some distance. We made for it, stripped our horses and hampered them to graze; took our dram, some water, and eat our breakfast on venison without bread, and Wages took his gun and went to watch the road, I took my gun and went west to hunt water. We left the negro to mind the horses; we took our flasks; each went his own way. I walked about a mile and came to some prairie land, and a short distance further I saw woodland and plenty of cattle and horses; I knew there must be water there. I hunted and found plenty, but it was very bad. In searching around, I found a flock of turkeys and killed two and cleaned and washed them there and went back to the camp. The negro had been tasting the contents of his keg, as he said, to make it lighter, and he was pretty tight; I told him he must stop that until we got further off; he said he would. We made a fire and roasted our turkeys. I told the negro to go to sleep, which he did. After he had slept his nap out, I laid down and told him to watch and wake me about two hours before sunset. We then put saddles on two horses and led one, and went with our gourds to the water. Our horses drank some; the negro drank powerfully—the whiskey he had taken down made his coppers a little hot. We filled the gourds and returned to camp, where we had dried all the traveling equipage, and we then packed and arranged everything, ready to travel when Wages should return.
About sunset he came in and informed us that no person had passed the road in pursuit of us; but that two men had passed the other way, and if we had kept on that day we should in all probability have got ourselves in trouble, for these men said they were in pursuit of two thieves who had stolen two horses and three negroes on the Irish Bayou, in April last, and that the same thieves were suspected of having poisoned the overseer on the same plantation. They told Wages they had traveled nearly all Texas; they had been to San Antonio, and all western Texas, and could get no news of the fellows. Wages then told them that he had a family and resided about twenty miles from that place, on the next river they would come to, about ten miles below the ferry; he was looking for his horses; that he had removed from South Carolina; that he crossed the Mississippi river about the first of May, and had met two men with two very good horses and three negroes, and they were near the river. He described the horses and negroes, and they declared they were the same that had been stolen. Wages then inquired if they had seen his horses. They said they had not. He then said to them: “Gentlemen, I have a little whiskey in my flask; will you take some?” They replied they would, if it did not disfurnish him. He told them he should return to a camp he had, about five miles off, where he had some comrades helping him to hunt his horses, and they had a little more there in a small jug. They drank. Wages then inquired of them about the country south and west of there, and about the roads and the water, etc. They told him it was fifteen miles to the first water—a large creek, but fordable; and that it was twenty-five miles to the next, and that was to ferry. Wages having obtained the information he required, offered them his flask again. The sun then was about one hour and a half high. He saw three men come riding from the same way we had come; they were riding very fast; they rode up and inquired which way we were traveling. Wages told them he lived east of that about twenty miles; was hunting his horse. The other two men stated they were on the hunt of some stolen horses and negroes, that were taken from the settlement on Irish Bayou, in April; that they had been through western Texas, and were now direct from San Antonio. The three men enquired how far they had traveled that day. They said from the last ferry, about forty miles. They then inquired if the two men had met any person on the road. They replied no. One of the three then said that some person had stolen a negro and three horses from them the night before, and they were in pursuit of them, and they had seen signs where they had swam the river, ten miles back. Wages then told them that just after daylight that morning his dog had awakened him, and he looked some distance off and saw a white man and a negro on horseback, traveling a new road, in a southeast direction, and about twenty miles southeast from that place. The negro had a lead horse. Then Wages described to them the horses (which were the same we had). They said they were the same, and immediately turned their course. Wages gave them some directions and they all left. Wages then hurried to our camp as fast as he possibly could.
On his arrival I could see that something was wrong; that he was irritated, and, I thought, alarmed. He was much exhausted for want of water; he took a little and a dram, eat a few mouthfuls of turkey and sat down. He told the negro to catch the horses, put the bridles on and hitch them, saddle his own horse, and have everything ready as quick as possible. The negro started. Wages then said to me: “James, I am more alarmed now than I ever have been since you and I first started out in Alabama. Our situation is truly a critical and dangerous one, and I am at a loss what to do.” He then told me what information he had that day received, and then asked me what I thought it best to do. I reflected for a few moments, and this idea immediately occurred to me, and I said to Wages: “We must cross that forty-mile ferry before daylight to-morrow morning.” Wages studied a few moments and said “agreed!” and we were not long in saddling up and packing all things, ready to travel. We filled our flasks with whiskey, gave our negro a good horn, and drilled him as to the mode of travel. About dark we left our place of concealment.
Wages took the lead, the negro about thirty-five yards behind, and I about thirty-five yards behind him, so as to evade any sudden surprise. We soon reached the main road, and Wages pushed on at a fast gait. In about three hours we reached the fifteen-mile creek; here we stopped about three-quarters of an hour, let our horses drink and blow; we got water, eat some of our turkey, took a dram, and gave the negro one, filled our gourds with water, and about eleven o’clock we started again, Wages in the lead, and traveled until about three o’clock in the morning. We saw a light near the road; Wages stopped and came back to me to know if he should ride up and inquire how far it was to the ferry. I told him no; that the best way would be to go round the fire and push on, which we did, and about two or three miles further we came to woodland and a plantation. We quickened our pace, and about one mile further, a little before four o’clock, we reached the ferry. Wages told me to strip off my clothes and he would do the same. We stripped, and placed the negro in the bushes with the horses. We swam over and were not many minutes getting the flat over. We put on our clothes, took the horses and negro, and crossed over. Our horses drank, and the negro filled our gourds while we were crossing. We landed, made the flat fast, as we had found it, mounted the horses and left in a hurry.
As we got out from the river we could see the appearance of day. Our horses we could discover were getting very much fagged. There was a farm at the ferry, and so we went out through a lane. We did not travel far before day, and we soon reached the outskirts of the woodland and came again to the open prairie. Wages then stopped and said we had better leave the road and lay-by again. We left the road, and went in a westerly direction, up the river, on the border of the woodland and prairie, about two miles, and then stopped. We stripped our horses and hampered them, as usual, to graze. Wages complained of being sick; was low spirited; I told him and the negro to lie down and take a nap. They eat some of my turkey, laid down, and soon went to sleep. I took a good dram and eat as much turkey as I wanted, and there was but little left. I then took my gun and hunted around a short distance; I found we were not more than one mile from a plantation; I saw plenty of stock, hogs and cattle, but was afraid to shoot one so early in the day; I hunted around for water, and above the plantation I came to the river, about one mile and a half from where our horses were. I went back to the camp; Wages and the negro were still asleep; the horses had filled themselves and were lying down under the shade of a tree. I took another dram, a little water and laid down to rest. In about an hour Wages awoke and got up; said he felt better. I then related to him my discovery; he said we must be very cautious, and told me to lie down and take a nap. I showed him the direction where the water was, and he rode one of the horses at a time, until he gave them all water; he then took the negro and they went and killed a small beef, and about sunset brought in the hind quarters. We soon had a fire of wood that did not make much smoke; roasted as much beef as we could eat; cut up the balance and dried it; took with us what we could conveniently carry, and about dark set out again, not knowing where we would get the next water. Our salt, too, had given out.
We traveled that night about twenty miles before we came to water, and that was a small creek that scarcely run, and had very little timber land about it. Wages said our safest course would be to conceal ourselves there until he could reconnoitre. We remained there until near daylight, gave our horses water and started. We soon struck the prairie, and again turned to the west and went some two miles along a trail to a piece of woodland, where we again stripped our horses and hampered them to graze. We built a fire and barbecued our meat. Wages then told me and the negro to lie down and sleep, and he would take a look around. I went to sleep, and about twelve or one o’clock Wages awoke me, and when I opened my eyes there was another man with him—a large, dark-skinned, coarse-looking fellow. Wages introduced me to Mr. James; Wages had known Ben James for many years. James then told me that he was settled there for the same business we were in, and that we would be safer with him than by going on; by remaining with him we could rest and refresh ourselves and horses, and that he would go with us to another of our clan, about one hundred miles from San Antonio, where our negro and horses would be safe until we left again for the Mississippi river. This other man’s name was Scott, from Mississippi. James advised us not to sell the negro or horses in Texas; that there were plenty of men in Texas who followed hunting and trailing thieves and robbers, and that they had dogs of the bloodhound breed that would be certain to overtake us if they got after us.
We went to James’ place; concealed our horses and negro, and remained with him five days, during which time Wages and I watched the road closely to see if any person passed in pursuit of us, particularly at the ford of the creek.
James provided his family with meat and bread for the two weeks trip he intended to make with us. He advised us to leave the main road and go with him to the house of the man Scott. He piloted us through. We traveled the most of the way by night, and arrived at Scott’s the fourth night. After making the proper arrangement with Scott, we sent our horses out in the mountains and the negro to take care of them, with a man that Scott had employed for that purpose, for we understood afterward from James that they always had from one to two hundred head of stolen horses there, which it was the business of this man James to steal and drive and sell. We paid him fifty dollars for piloting us through.
After we had rested and all things were arranged, Wages and I took our bridles and lassoes, with a few clothes in a small bundle, and left in a direction for San Antonio. It was now about the first of August. We traveled about twenty miles the first day; the weather was very hot, water was scarce, and we suffered a great deal. We changed our course so as to pass through a section of country where water was more plentiful, and on the evening of the second day we reached a settlement where there was plenty of water and the inhabitants were thickly settled. At the house of a very respectable farmer we stopped and inquired if we could rest two or three days, and were told we could. A great many questions were asked us about our journey, where we were from, where we were going, and the object of our journey; to which we answered them we were South Carolina planters looking for good land; that we were large slave holders, etc., and that we came in summer and took it on foot leisurely to ascertain the health of the country. We inquired if there were any churches in the vicinity, and were told there were none, but that traveling preachers sometimes preached at private houses. We were then informed that there was to be a large camp meeting about the middle of August about twenty miles from there. We at once agreed to attend, because we were almost certain we should meet McGrath there.
We accordingly attended, and sure enough we met that reverend gentleman. Through some of the brethren we obtained an introduction to the Rev. Mr. McGrath, and after the preliminary conversation we became very strict members of the church. We obtained a short private interview with McGrath, and made an appointment for a private conference that night; and accordingly that night, after supper, preaching and prayer meeting were over and the patrol was out and stationed, and all things were still, McGrath, Wages and I went outside of the patrol lines to hold private prayer. No one suspected anything. After we were alone McGrath inquired what success we had met with, and we related to him all we had done, in a condensed form, which seemed to astonish him when we told him we had a negro and three line horses yet concealed and not disposed of. We then inquired his success. He had made a raise out of the religious brethren of about one thousand dollars, by begging, and they had paid for four fine horses for him, which was equivalent to about five hundred dollars more. He would sell his horse, saddle and bridle, and go to his congregation and tell them he had been robbed of his horse and all his money and clothes. The people would throw into the “hat,” and buy another horse, and fit him out with new clothes and money. The horse he then had was given him about fifty miles from there, and if we would steal his horse and hide him the brethren would soon give him another. Wages did this the next night, and concealed the horse in the woods not far from a plantation, where he procured green corn to feed him, about five miles from the camp ground. Next day there was found a piece of broken rope to the tree, and the preacher’s horse was gone. There was a great noise about it. McGrath told the brethren he thought he knew the place the horse would go to, and that he could obtain him if he had another horse. They furnished him with one, which he was to return if he obtained his own. The one furnished was a splendid young horse. Wages, about an hour before sunset, would stroll off and go to where the horse was, and water and feed him about dark, and back to supper and then to prayer.
The meeting lasted four days. The night before the meeting broke up, there was another preacher’s horse that went the same way. He was a remarkable fine horse, and belonged to an old preacher who lived about seventy miles from the camp ground. We now had ourselves again on horseback. It was then understood between Wages, McGrath and myself that it would not be safe for us to go to San Antonio, and that we had better leave Texas as soon as possible. We arranged with McGrath to meet us at Scott’s in three days. Wages and I called on some of the preachers to pray for us, announcing to them our departure on our exploring expedition on foot. Many of the brothers and sisters joined in this prayer. After receiving the benedictions of the elders of the church, Wages and I left about three o’clock. We had left our guns at a house about two miles distant from the camp ground. We took them, procured some bread and meat, and a bottle to carry some water, and then went to the place where Wages had concealed the horses, found them safe, and more green corn around them than they could have eaten in two days. We then took out our bridles from our bundles and fitted them on. Wages had stolen blankets with the horses, and two bed quilts. We arranged these to ride on, and with our ropes or lassoes, we made substitutes for stirrups. By this time it was sundown. We took our guns and looked around to see if there were any spies out. We saw no one except the people on the farm, driving in their stock. We returned to the horses, and about dark set out. Wages took the lead on McGrath’s horse, a fine traveler, and I, on the other, just walked right up to him. We traveled about six miles an hour and did not push. Before day sometime, we had traveled some forty-five miles to a creek, and knew we were within twenty or twenty-five miles of Scott’s. We laid by all next day. About sundown, we again started, and reached Scott’s before that night.
Long before daylight next morning, our horses were sent off to the mountains with the others. The next day up rolled the Rev. Mr. McGrath. We introduced him as the Rev. Mr. McGrath, whom we had seen in South Carolina. Mr. Scott and family invited him to spend two or three days, during which time Wages, McGrath and I had a full consultation.
Having been with Wages so long, I knew his judgment to be superior to mine, and I knew that McGrath was wanting in stability; that he was too wild and uncertain in his actions; I therefore proposed to let Wages plan out our future course, which McGrath agreed to. Wages then said: “Boys, it is time some of us were leaving Texas—particularly James and I. Mac, you can remain here as a striker for us, until we get those negroes you have described to us. You say there are seven of them—two men and their wives, one of them with one and the other with two children, and the youngest child is about four years old. They will have to be carried away by water. We never can get them away by land, and the Christmas holidays will be the only time that we can effect that with safety.”
“Now,” said Wages, “my plan is this: You leave here before we do, one or two days, and wait for us at some point and pilot us through to Red river, above Shreveport, where we can cross with our negro and horses and land in the Indian Nation. You can then remain and preach around until Christmas; you appoint a two or three days’ meeting for the negroes near Red River; pretend to prevent frolic and drunkenness, and about that time James and I will be on hand, with a boat to effect our object; and it will be policy,” said Wages to McGrath, “for you to remain some weeks after we are off with the negroes, and meet us at Natchez or Vicksburg.”
McGrath agreed to this; directed us what route to take; promised that he would meet us at a river, about sixty miles from Scott’s, on the fifth night from that time, and that he would wait there for us. On the morning of the fourth day McGrath bid farewell to Mr. Scott and family, promising to call and see them again, God willing. We remained two days longer; prepared ourselves with some packs and provisions, and went to the mountains where our horses were. We paid Scott fifty dollars for his trouble. We packed our horses and led them; Scott sent a pilot with us, to conduct us through the mountains, a by-way, about forty miles, which we traveled in two days; he then put us in the road to go to where we were to meet McGrath, and we met him on the night appointed. He had all things in readiness. We crossed the river and laid by in daytime and traveled by night, McGrath with us.