Off on a scouting mission

By Jim Warren

Fort Merrill, Texas
December 14, 1850

Dear Mom,
Well, it's that time again. I've been picked to go on scout again. It seems that the hostiles have been raiding along the Agua Dulce Creek and up to the very edge of Corpus Christi. Capt. Kinney complained to the governor of Texas, the Governor complained to the President, the President complained to the Secretary of War, he complained to the commanding general in San Antonio, and the general told us to get off our backsides and go on scout! We are supposed to leave in the morning for Fort Lipantitlan to meet a group of ranchers and citizens who are going to tell us where they have seen the freshest Indian sign so we can plan how to proceed in getting them to fight or leave the area. We hear that they are Comanches, which is probably right because they seem to be the main troublemakers most of the time.
The scout will consist of a sergeant, a corporal, eighteen privates, two packers, and six mules. Antonio is one of the packers. I'm glad were using pack mules because our wagons are so old they stay broke down most of the time. Capt. Plummer has sent a number of requests to department headquarters in San Antonio asking to survey and hopefully condemn some of them, but has not been successful yet.
I've got to go down to the blacksmith's shop and pick up some of my horse gear. I was re-stringing my stirrup leathers this morning and found that the tree was loose and creaking. At first I thought it was broken, but on taking off the skirts I saw it was only a metal strap that lost some screws and came loose. Well, I had to take off all the skirts then to check the other screws and then get the smith to replace them. He should be through by now so I've got to put it all back together tonight to be ready to go at first light tomorrow.
We drew our rations today and the commissary was running low on vinegar so he wouldn't give us any. I guess we won't miss it too much in the field because we hopefully will be able to kill some deer and have fresh meat instead of the stuff we get here at the fort.
Well, I'm off to the smith's. Write real soon.

Your son,
Henry

(Jim Warren is an archaeologist living in George West.)