I received, yesterday, your two communications of the 21st and
26th of August last; the first, instructing me to gather the largest
force possible and to march immediately and chastise the Tahuacanos
and Tahuiases in their villages; the second countermanding that
order in consequence of a report received by you, to the effect that
the hostile Commanches were in those villages, and might encounter
us in considerable number, were we to attack them at present. I
had received a similar report from some hunters, and was also
apprized that the Commanches, Tahuacanos, Tahuiases and Cherokees
have made a treaty of peace and close alliance. I cannot say whether
this last report deserves credit, but it seems to me very probable,
considering the antecedents which I have communicated to His
Lordship, the Political Chief of the Department.
Some Americans recently arrived from the Tahuacano villages,
told me, that the Chiefs of that tribe assured them it was not their
intention to be hostile with the Americans, that the last
depredations were committed by some Tahuiases of a village situated far
up on Red River, that they, (The Tahuacanos) wished to make a
treaty of peace with the Americans.
If the proposal I have made to the Political Chief of the
Department, in my communication of the 8th Instant, is approved, I expect
there will be no difficulty in preserving these settlers from Indian
hostilities, if we avail ourselves of the friendly disposition of these
Indians towards the Americans. However, in this, as in any other
case, we shall remain at the disposal of the government, ready to obey
and execute its orders; nothing but the critical circumstances in
which we are placed, could induce me to think of a proposal of the
kind. I request you to favor me with as early an answer on this
subject as is possible, to enable me to take, without loss of time, the
necessary steps either for war, or for neutrality with the Indians.
It is not possible, at present, to raise a sufficient force to attack the
Indian villages, owing to the number of our sick men, and, in
October, the Indians will leave their villages to go buffalo hunting; so
that if war, or peace is determined upon, it will be necessary to start
before the 15th of October.
In consequence of the continuous hostilities of the Carancahuase
Indians, and considering the conditions of the treaty of peace we
made with them at La Bahia, in September last; which was broken
by them without any cause whatever, and one of their parties having
lately shown themselves between the Colorado and Brazos, and in
the vicinity of some of the settlements making hostile manifestations,
I have been compelled in view of the security of our people, to give
positive orders to the Lieutenant of Militia in that section, to pursue
and kill all those Indians wherever they are found, with the
exception of Prudencia's party, provided said Prudencia remains West
of Buffalo Bayou, because it would be impossible to make a
distinction between his people and the others, if they continue mixed
together in our vicinity. Which I communicate to you in order that
you may be pleased to approve this measure, or to give me such
orders and instructions as you deem proper, and which shall be
strictly obeyed.
God and Liberty. Estevan F. Austin.
San Felipe de Austin, September 10th, 1825.