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Dan Roberts Shoots Indian Chief

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.

Kimble County, Texas
Picture of Dan W. Roberts
Dan W. Roberts

    During November of 1874, while Scott Cooley and Wm. Treweck were hunting a beef in Menard County for the rangers, they discovered about eleven Indians. Major John B. Jones, who was moving southward, was at a camp about six miles away. Treweck was told by Scott Cooley he could "loose-heard" the Indians while the former went to camp for reinforcements. Finally, however, Scott Cooley's horse was wounded in the knee, so he, too, went to the camp. Treweck had already gone with a part of the command, and Cooley took another. Among those that went along were Capt. Dan Roberts, B. Cowen, W.W. Lewis, Henry Sackett and seven or eight others. The Indians' trail was found where Cooley left them and followed to where the savages killed a beef. The rangers encountered the Indians about fifteen miles south of Menard. The warriors threw themselves in battle formation, and Captain Dan Roberts, who was then Lieutenant, killed a chief. Another Indian was also killed. So the remaining savages became demoralized and began to run. After they were followed two or three miles farther, a third Indian was killed and one captured. The savages were then followed considerably farther, and two more of their number murdered. So five Indians were killed and one captured.

    Note: Author interviewed: Captain Dan W. Roberts, W.W. Lewis and Henry Sackett, who took part in this engagement.

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

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