I have just Rd and read your of the 8th Inst by Mr. Brackin.
I am confined to my Pallet, and have been for several Days given
out by the spectators—I am now on the mend and by being proped up
etc. I have undertaken to write, I have 6 large blisters all raw and
runing yellow matter etc.
I came here with my Cart, black man and two white strange Gent,
who overtook me on the Colorado, on the evenig of—1st—found all
well, and in good spirits—In a few minutes a man by the name of
Smith came under whip, from the Guadaloupe who stated that
Delion, and son were a Coming with the indians to cut of the white
people as far as the Colorado—It would far exceed the limits of a
letter to detail all he said in relation to Delions threats and those of
his son fernander. in fact they were alarming as a person (Unknown
to me tho said to be respectable) has as I am informed by the Alcalde
here made Oath that Delion had lured the Indians to come and Kill
all the Americans here, and Mrs. Trudeau has told me that she
hirself will swear that she several times heard Delion aver that he
would have Dewitts head and that he would take it tied to his saddle
to the Guadaloupe—The many threats; the manner in which they
came here; and the persons who made Those threats Gave alarme to
the new settlers here and altho I myself are not easily alarmed yet
I confess that I scarcely new what to be about;—There was no order
made to fire from our station untill we were first fired on.
About this time I went to Smith and asked him many questions etc. he then told me that Moncholes of Labihia and his troops
were coming on with Delion,—I then told the Colo and all the people
that would hear me that there was no danger, and that I knew that no
Indians were coming and that I felt confident the commendant had
orders from Govt etc but the people were still alarmed. Dewitt
Often told them they must not oppose Govt and that all orders
coming from Govt must and should be obeyed, for fear some
accident might happen I took a few men in the night and went Some
Distance along the road in order to meet the Commendant and to
inform him the news that we had, heard, and that the people here
were afraid he was coming to put them to death without mercy etc
When the evening Star Disappeared I came back and again told the
men there was no danger and for them to be at rest, that I knew Mr.
Moncholes to be an officer, of the Govt and a Gent, and I then went
to sleep for the ballance of the night. In the morning the order
again was given by the Colo for no man to fire on or offer to fire,
without we were first fired on. I and the Colo went down the river
to select a place for my camp—when we had got a short distance, a
boy came on horse back and told us the indians were coming—we
returned on the way to the house when the Colo Asked me to go and
meet the Commendant and having my gun, I set it down by a tree
and went on foot as fast as I could to meet the troop (Several men
from the Station followed me with their ares [arms?]who layed
them down and wished I would let them to go with me) which I
refused to do and told them as they were strangers etc to go back;
that the Commendant and all knew me, and that I was not afraid to
go by my self—I did so and meet them some distance from the house
and shook hands with several; I told the Commendant that the
people here were afraid he had come to kill etc—he told me no that
he had Orders from the Chief etc to Dewitt, he road on to the house
and demanded the guns to be put away etc, the Colo before I got to
the house had meet them, and altho he repeatedly told the men to
put away the guns, the men were in such confusion that it was for
some time before they could be made to know that they would not
be Instantly put to death, the armes were Laid away and on (I
believe the next day) they were taken by Delion and put under
guard and have since been sent away to await the order of the Chief—
The Commendant told me that he expect the arms would all be sent
back in a few days etc that he would leave some troops here to guard
us untill the thing would be Determined. He took Dewitt of with
him 5 or 6 others—Some times Dewitt was told that he was a prisoner,
and at other times that he was free etc. my strength failes and I am
obliged to lie down, my head is like a whirl wind and my friend
adiew.