Jack County, TX - Obituary -  James Reed

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James Reed.

During July of 1864, Col. W. W. Cockran, twelve year old son, Walker C.
Cockran, Jimmy Daniels, Wm. Cureton, the father of C. M. Cureton, the
present Chief-Justice of the Supreme Court of Texas, and H. J. Cureton,
an attorney at Meridian, Mack Beshears, Boyken Bradley, Banj. Harris and
James Reed, met at the ranch of Capt. Ellis, which was on White Flat, in
Stephens County for the purpose of making a round-up on Big and Little
Cedar Creeks.

Since no Indian signs had been seen for a considerable time, the cowboys
decided to leave their rifles at the ranch. By noon, many cattle had
been thrown together. The weather being extremely warm, the cowboys
rested at noon, and let their ponies graze until about two o'clock in
the afternoon. They then resumed their work, and Capt. Ellis requested
Col. Cockran, his son, and Ben Harris. to go down the creek and hold the
cattle, which were wild in those days, because the country was unfenced,
and stock were seldom handled. Before they reached their destination,
however, Col. Cockran discovered Indians, and began calling loudly to
his son, who was riding an unusually good horse. The son thought his
father was only talking aloud to control the cattle. So he rode ahead
and in a short time, ran through the Indians catching Capt. John T.
Rowland, who commanded Company D, of the horses on the other side of the
creek. Mr. Cockran's son then ran back through the Indians, recrossed
the creek, to his father, and by this time, the savages were on their
steeds attempting to catch him. Since Walter Cockran was riding a much
better horse than his father and Ben Harris, in a short time the boy
was, perhaps, one-half mile ahead, and wanted ~o run completely away
from the savages, but each time, would be headed off by an Indian chief,
who also rode a splendid horse, and who made several attempts to catch
young Cockran's bridle rein. The Indians seldom killed small boys, but
rather preferred carrying them into captivity, so they could demand a
ransom for their return. After the fight had lasted for several minutes,
and the citizens ran about one mile, they retreated into an oak thicket;
and the Indians then rode back toward their stolen horses.

The shooting and noise made by the Indians, Mr. Cockran. his son, and
Ben Harris, bad by this time alarmed the remaining cowboys, who were a
considerable distance away. When the cowmen came to their companions'
rescue, they met -the Indians. Although the cowmen were only armed with
pistols, the fighting began in earnest, and the three who had retreated
into the live oak thicket, now joined the other seven. Again a running
fight lasted for about a mile, and during the fighting, James Reed and
at least one Indian were killed.

A short time before, the Indians had stolen some of James Reed's horses,
in Palo Pinto County, near the present city of Strawn. The cowboys were
surprised to see one of the savages riding the identical black animal,
which belonged to James Reed, and which the Indians had carried away a
few nights before. During the fighting James Reed said to Capt. Ellis,
"If that Indian riding my black horse makes another dash at me, I know I
am riding the best horse. I am going to run over him, and kill him."
This Indian, in a short time. made another play, but unfortunately
Reed's pistol failed to fire. This cost him his life.

During the thickest of fighting, Jimmy Daniels' pony, a bronco, was shot
the neck with an arrow, and began to pitch. Daniels after being thrown
from his horse, hid in a gulley until the savages were gone.

The body of James Reed was carried to the home of Capt. Ellis, the
following night. The next day the cowmen started with him toward his
home. Concerning this journey, Walter Cockran, himself, said:

"The next day we tied Reed on his horse. and took him home to his wife
and six children. . . ." That was a sight, when we rode up to the house,
with Reed tied to his horse, that I never want to see again."

James Reed was buried in the Davidson Cemetery between the present
cities of Strawn and Thurber.

Note:--Author interviewed and corresponded with Waller C. Cockran: W. C.
McGough; and others who lived in Palo Pinto and Stephens county at the
time. Also consulted the unpublished memoirs of Wm. E. Cureton. who was
in tile fight.

466. Wynn Hill Fight.-It was about 1864 that Milton (Dock) Wynn, Buck
Sanders, B. L. Henry, Thompson, Frank Lane. Luke Choate, and one or two
others who were out cow-hunting near Wynn- Hill, west of Jacksboro, had
a bitter engagement with the Indians. Some of these citizens were up in
a cove, in search of cattle, when charged by savages. They rushed back
to the flat and joined their companions and it was here the fight
occurred. The whites protected themselves behind scattered timber, and
in a draw, as much as circumstances would afford. Most of the Indians,
as usual, remained on their horses while most of the whites dismounted.
Milton Wynn had a double-barrel shotgun, and all the rest were armed
with pistols. One of the savages was armed with a rifle; and from behind
a stump with this weapon, he did deadly work. Milton Wynn, who remained
on his horse, soon received a mortal wound, and said, "Boys, I am shot."

His companions lifted him from his horse. He died shortly afterwards.
When the Indians realized the whites could not be bluffed, they withdrew
from the field, and went away. B. L. Ham was painfully wounded in the
leg, and Buck Sanders received a severe wound in his elbow, causing his
arm to be stiff for the rest of his life. One other man was, also,
slightly wounded. Milton Wynn's horse was killed, and Henry Thompson and
B. L. Ham's horses wounded.

This fight occurred about noon, and Milton Wynn, shortly afterwards was
moved to the home of Tom Roberts, his brother-in-law.

Note:-Author interviewed B. L. Ham, mentioned above; Mrs. Ed Wolfforth,
a sister of Buck Sanders: James Wood, A. M. Lasater, Joe Fowler, and
Newt Wood.


The following story is from the book:

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