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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.

Comanche County, Texas

    The authorities differ slightly concerning the date of this difficulty. Several interviewed stated that Gid Foreman was killed the same afternoon, and only a short time before the Indians killed Jowell Baggett and wounded Bettie, his sister. But one or two others were of the opinion his death occurred the day previously. But the preponderance of evidence and physical facts indicate that the same Indians murdered both within a short time of each other.

    March 3, 1860, Gid Foreman lived on the Leon in Comanche County about four or five miles northeast of old Cora. He was returning home from Cora accompanied by Dave Merchant and Calvin Lester. Just before they reached the home of Mr. Foreman, the road divided. Gid Foreman took the left road to his residence and the others followed the road to the right.

    When Foreman had only gone about three hundred yards from Calvin Lester and Dave Merchant and was within sight of his own home, he was charged by Indians. Calvin Lester and Dave Merchant heard him hollowing. Foreman made an attempt to run to some nearby timber but was soon killed with arrows. Gid Foreman usually was well armed but only a few days before sold both of his pistols.

    Note: The author personally interviewed Dave and Dick Cunningham, D.T. (Pat) Lester and others; also corresponded with A.I. Kuykendall, who married Bettie Baggett, mentioned in the succeeding section.

    Further Ref.: Early Days in Central Texas, by F.M. Cross; Indian Fights on the Texas Frontier, by E.L. Deaton.

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

A slightly different version of this story appears in J.W. Wilbarger's book, Indian Depredations in Texas:

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