A party of Tancahue Indians, have made, towards the middle
of last September an incursion up this river, and stolen from the
citizens their horses, several of them of American breed and very
valuable. At the same time another party of the same nation
went down the river, where the settlers live very scattered, and
compelled them to give them corn, etc. etc., with threats to kill
them because the Choctaws, Cochates and Alabamos have murdered
the Captain of the Cocos, his son and three other Indians, and a
Tancahue Woman, taking her son a boy three years of age prisoner.
To prevent such outrages hereafter, and to recover the stolen
horses I resolved to march against them, which I did, I surprised
their camp on the 2nd Instant, and compelled the captain to deliver
to me all the stolen animals, and to inflict with his own hands in
my presence a severe lashing on the marauders. I ordered them
also to leave this river and the Colorado at once, with a warning
that if they again attempted to steal cattle, or to molest the settlers
on these rivers, I would not be satisfied with lashes only, but would
cause the delinquents to be shot, an extremity to which I do not
wish to be compelled to resort.
I hope these measures will meet your approbation.
Estevan F. Austin.
Brazos River, October 20th, 1823, 3rd and 2d.