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Indians Surround Carter Brothers and Others in Stephens County

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.

Stephens County, Texas

    About 1871, John Carter and Wm. Forbis left the Carter and Love ranches on Big Sandy, about fifteen miles southwest of old Picketville, in Stephens County, for Palo Pinto. These citizens had gone about ten miles due east when they saw about six Indians, so the two returned to the ranch and were joined by Lish Carter, Jim Carter, and V.P. Parkham. All then went back to find the Indians. They had not gone a great distance, however, when fifty savages appeared. The citizens were then looking for thick timber. After reaching the brush and the roughs of Indian Creek, they dismounted and lay on the ground. The whites only fired a few shots, but the Indians discharged their guns and arrows many more times. After wasting a great deal of their ammunition, they rode upon a nearby hill, held a pow-wow, and went away.

    Note: Author personally interviewed: Lish Carter, who lay on the ground while the savages were stripping the trees of their leaves.

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

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