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Experience of George Eubanks

Michael has a BA in History & American Studies and an MSc in American History from the University of Edinburgh. He comes from a proud military family and has spent most of his career as an educator in the Middle East and Asia. His passion is travel, and he seizes any opportunity to share his experiences in the most immersive way possible, whether at sea or on the land.

Palo Pinto County, Texas

    About 1869, Geo. Eubanks and four or five others were hunting on Turkey Creek, about two miles above its mouth and about seven miles northwest of the present town of Mineral Wells. About noon, Geo. became separated from his companions. While he was eating some hack-berries, a fine bunch of wild geese lit on the prairie, not a great distance away. But about that time something frightened the fowls and caused them to fly. George raised up to see what was causing the disturbance, and discovered several Indians were already upon him. So he jumped behind a small post-oak tree, about six or eight inches in diameter. The twelve or fifteen Indians concealed themselves behind a large rock, and almost immediately the firing began. When the Indians attempted to surround George Eubanks, he would make them fall back with his rifle. The continuous firing caused Eubank's four or five companions to hurry to his assistance. When they did, the Indians ran away. The little tree, behind which Eubanks stood, was shot nine times, and the twenty foot rock, behind which the Indians found fortification, seemed to have been struck by Eubanks' bullets, about eighteen times. Needless to say, up until his companions came to his rescue, the Indians had George Eubanks in very close quarters.

    Note: Author personally interviewed: Jim Eubanks, a brother, and others.

The above story is from the book, The West Texas Frontier, by Joseph Carroll McConnell.

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