Erath County, TX - History - The W. C. McGough and other Fights

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The W. C. McGough and other Fights

During 1864 Jno. W. Middleton, from Stephensville, was preparing to go
to his home on the Kickapoo, about fifteen miles northeast. He met
Mark Stone and a young boy, going the same day in a wagon. So the two
men and the boy rode along, reasonably close together for mutual
protection. When they had gone about five miles Middleton, Stone and the
boy came upon several Indians. Mr. Middleton, who was riding a young
pony, rode back toward Stephenville. The boy was wounded, and Stone made
his escape unharmed, for just at the critical moment, W. C. McCough, Wm.
Blair, Geo. Ground, Narbo, and others, who bad been trailing the Indians
since the preceding day, arrived on the scene. When they did, the
savages fled. The pursuing citizens continued the chase. The citizens
caught the Indians when they reached the headwaters of Barton's Creek,
about sixteen miles northwest of Stephenville. Here a short fight
followed, and the citizens recovered about fifteen head of stolen
horses, and some Indian blankets.

During this exciting chase the whites ran on the Indians in the act of
burying one of their dead, which had been killed by Mark Stone prior to
the arrival of the rangers.

Note: Author interviewed: W. C. McGough, who was in the fight; Ike
Roberts, and others who were living in Erath and adjoining counties at
the time.

Further Reference: History of the Regulators and Moderators, by Jno. W.
Middleton.

The following story is from the books:

The West Texas Frontier or a Descriptive History of Early Times
in Western Texas
Volumes 1 and 2
by Joseph Carroll McConnell