My FRIENDS AND BROTHERS,
The Mexican Government have called on the new settlers of this
Colony to fight their enemies the Wacos Tawakanies and Toweass Indians
Indians. The cherokees and their friends the Shawnees and
Delawares are also new Settlers; like us they have come to seek a new
home in this country and procure lands from the Mexican Nation,
and like us they also owe obedience to the orders of the Government
and are bound in duty to fight the enemies of the Mexican people.
I can with confidence answer for the cherokees that they are good
warriors, but as yet they have not had an opportunity of proving
to their new friends the mexicans how useful they can be—you have
no doubt been anxious to do so and have always been ready to turn
out and fight for your new country, you sent me word by Mr John
Cummins and John Miligan that you would join us to fight the
wacos whenever I called on you. I have always looked upon you as
friends who could be depended on I am happy to inform you that
an opportunity now offers for you to shew the Govt that you are
both good warriors and good citizens. The men of this Colony will
attack the waco and Tawakany villages on the Brazos on the
morning of the 25 of may next, and I now call on you both as an officer
of the Mexican Govt and as a friend and brother to aid us in the
war with those Indians. My plan is for the Militia of this Colony
to attack the waco and Tawakany villageson the main brazos river
at day light on the 25 of May and for the Cherokees Shawnees and
Delawares to attack the Tawak[an]y village on the head of the
Navisotabout 30 miles east of the Brazos at the same moment. As
soon as the villages are destroyed, you will send a party in to the
villages on the river to look for us and we will then make such
arrangements as may be deemed necessary. It is my wish to distroy
the Toweass villageon Red River before I return home and if you
have men enough to spare to detach a party to attack that village
at the same time we attack the others it would be best, to do so.
If this cannot be done bring all your men to the Tawakanies and we
will fit out a party to attack the Toweass—My friends I have
informed you of my plans I have placed great confidence in you for
you are the only persons out of this Colony that I have called on
for aid—I am the friend of the cherokees, and wish to give them an
opportunity of shewing the Government what good soldiers and
faithful citizens they will make and I have no doubt if you turn out
in this expedition and distroy the Tawakany village on the head of
the Navisot, that it will be the means of securing you land in the
country for as many of your Nation as wish to remove here—I have
no authority to promise you land, but I will promise my aid and
friendship in your favor with the Government and I have no doubt
of succeeding, but you must first show the Government that you are
both able and willing to fight for them. I will also befriend the
Shawnees and Delawares. Some of them may know me My father
has had hundreds of them at his home at the Lead Mines in
Missouri, he was a short fat man and lived at a place called Mine á
Burton, he traded with the Shawnees and Delawares and was their
friend I was then a little boy and have often played with the
Shawnee children—we are now men and let us fight in union and
together as we used to play—
The bearer of this is Mr John R, Foster I have sent him express
to see you and wish you to write me a positive answer by him
wheither you will join us in this war and wheither you will attack
[the] Tawakany villageon the head of the Navisot at the time
appointed. And how many men you can furnish
I wish you to keep the business a profound secret from the
Keechies. Ananies and all those small tribes—They are bad Indians
and are at war with the mexicans and friendly with the Tawakanies.
also keep it a secret from the Americans and Spaniards for some of
them might give our enemies notice My men on the Colorado killed
eleven Tawakanies and two Keechis on the 3d day of this month—
they came into the settlement to steal horses—
I wish you to send me an express to the home of John P Coles
ten miles below the San Antonio road on the east side of the Brazos
river to inform me when you start on the expedition and how many
men you will take so that I may know to a certainty how to make
my arrangements
Your friend and Brother, S. F. A.
San Felipe de Austin April 24, 1826—-