comanche war trail artifacts - the howard county, texas ... 1 revision for web.pdf · countless...

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Comanche War Trail Artifacts From the Crossing Point of Olden Texas Trails

COMANCHE WAR TRAIL ARTIFACTSPre-Historic & Indian Era Relics

from theCrossing Point of Olden Texas Trails

By Doyle Phillips and Many Contributors

The Big Spring in the late 1800s.The building is the pumphouse of the Texas & Pacific Railroad.

Published by Doyle Phillips/FotoGraficaAP 251 Guanajuato, Guanajuato CP 36000

MéxicoPhone: 473 732 1638

Email: [email protected]

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Introduction

The lands around present-day Howard County, Texas were visited by NorthAmerica’s most ancient people. Countless stone artifacts from prehistoric times(Paleolithic) have been found all over the countryside: dart or projectile points,drills, awls, scrapers, metates, manos and hammerstones—and a few unidenti-fied objects. Ancient campsites are located almost everywhere, marked by charredrock burned from repeated use at campfires.

Clovis Culture dates to about 10,000 B.C. (12,000 years ago) and is namedfor discoveries at Clovis, New Mexico. Perhaps the second oldest humans are theFolsoms, named for Folsom, New Mexico. The third is named for the projectilepoints found at a massive animal kill site near Plainview, Texas. Probably con-temporaneous with the Plainviews was the Midland peoples of what is now Mid-land, Texas. All relied on killing big and dangerous game. In those times therewas plenty of water and grassland in the region so that nomadic hunters wouldnaturally cover this area on their perpetual forays for food. Keep in mind thatlarger animals created trails and ‘roads’ that made them easy to follow from wa-tering hole to watering hole.

Eventually paleoindians were replaced by the American Indian, and there isabundant lithic evidence of many diverse cultures having come to the HowardCounty region far back in time. In a single cottonfield I have found identifiableprojectile points ranging from a Midland of 12,000 years to a ‘late’ point of about400 A.D. (The farmer who had worked this section of land over thirty yearscollected countless different point types from the field, which seems to have oncebeen the edge of an ancient lake.)

Some of the cultures were, almost certainly, semi-permanent residents of thearea because of the abundance of water and game. But predominantly the peoplewere seasonal visitors. The Lipan Apaches may have been the Indians most usu-ally dominant until the Horse Comanches began taking over about the 1600s. Onearly maps of Texas the region is labeled “Droves of Wild horses and Cattle” andwith the names of Indian tribes. Eventually the maps began showing the LlanoEstacado. The explorer Josiah Gregg’s map of 1844 is the first I’ve found showinga “Chihuahua Road” running right through the coordinates of the Howard Countyarea. (Dr. Henry Connelly’s caravan route, 1839.)

For a fine overview of the Comanche War Trail history and mystique see“Terror in the Night “ by Mike Cox, Texas Highways, August 1997.

The artifacts in this book are the result of three different ‘roundups’ heldduring 1999. Collectors from the area brought their finds to the Gem and MineralShow and to the library at Howard College. Hundreds, maybe thousands, of ob-jects were cataloged; only a few of them are shown in this book.

In 1849 the famous Captain Randolph B. Marcy passed this way on his expe-dition from Santa Fe to El Paso to Missouri and named the ‘big spring of theColorado’. He wrote that he had followed a ‘beautiful road’ to arrive at the spring.He noted that the entire landscape was covered in Indian artifacts, and the In-dian guide knew the place well, his brother having been killed in a fight withother Indians at the spring.

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Captain Marcy noted:This appears to have been a favorite resort for the Comanches, as there are

remains of lodges in every direction; indeed, our Comanche guide tells us thathe has often been here before, and that there was a battle fought here someyears since between the Pawnees and Comanches, in which his brother waskilled. He also informs me that there is a good wagon route from here to the RioPecos, Striking it some seventy miles lower down that where we crossed, keepingentirely to the south of the Llano Estacado, and crossing the head branches ofthe Colorado.

There is a Comanche trail leading over this route, and it would, undoubt-edly, be the best between this point and Chihuahua, as it is nearer than theone we have traveled, with no sand upon it and an abundance of water.

I think by taking the trail at this place (the big spring) and keeping the crestof the Llano Estacado on the right, one would have no difficulty in gettingthrough to the plains at the Chihuahua crossing.****This book could not have been produced without the interest and point identifica-

tion experience of Mark Collier (Big Spring). Richard Rose (Midland) an authority onpaleopoints worked with us at all three roundups. A good time was had by all at theseevents, which were solely for historical recording, not for trading or evaluation. Manycollectors took the time to bring in their finds. Unfortunately, there are thousands moreobjects in private collections that people failed to bring in. I can only hope that in someway they will document their artifacts; our culture and history require us to be stew-ards of the past.

Doyle Phillips, EditorBig Spring, Texas 25 January 2000

Table of Contents

Projectile Points In alphabetical order by Type Name............... Page 5 Other lithic artifacts begin on Page 44

Scrapers, Knives, etc ............................................................... Page 54

Unidentified Objects ................................................................ Page 59

Mystery Artifact: The Howard County Cannon Discovery .......... Page 62

Maps ....................................................................................... Page 71

Bibliography and Sources ........................................................ Page 72

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Notes about Identifications and Types

Names of the artifacts in this book are generally agreed on by academic researchers;a large number of publications are available for your further investigation. Many ofthe type names pertain to the locales in which the artifact was found, such as theTexas river area called the Pedernales, a specific townsite such as Clovis (NewMexico), counties and people.

Shapes and sizes within a type may vary to a maddening degree. Also the chert(flint) may come from different regions and, consequently, colorings will sometimesvary within a designation.

Trading among the Indians (and probably the pre-Indians) included flints; so it isnot too unusual to find a Central Texas point made of material from West Texas. Nor isit surprising to find points here that come from many other places because of the exten-sive trade in finished projectile points and, after a fight, Indians were known to scav-enge the battlefield salvaging arrows, spears and lances. It would have been convenientif these artifacts had stayed in their native areas exclusively.

Doyle Phillips Editor

30 miles

«

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Projectile PointsAll items are shown at actual size unless otherwise indicated. The medium-

to-large size points were used for lances, spears and atlatls. In general, the small-to-tiny points were arrow tips.

The proportion of types in this catalog does not scientifically indicate that atype predominated in this region. For example there are many Pedernales shownbut that does not necessarily mean that there were not as many or even moreAndices brought in for cataloging. My unscientific impression from looking at allthese artifacts indicates that western, southern and central Texas are the mainsource of types found in the big spring region.

For projectile point identification, material sources and flaking techniquesplease refer to the bibliography in back of this book. It is a fascinating study. Asa designer I have been awed by the craftsmanship—and the artistry—of theseancient people. Much is lost by printing them in only black-and-white. If youneed to see any of the points in color please contact me at the addresses noted onPage 1. --D.P.

Abasolo 5,000 - 2,500B.C.

Translucent material likefrosted glass; beautifullycrafted in a difficultstone.The dark mark is a plowhit.

Denton Collection

Winterbauer/TorresCollection

Escanuela Collection

tion

Winterbauer/Torres Collection

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Almagre 2,500 - 1,000 B.C.


Andice 8,000 - 6,000 B.C.

Dawes Collection

Agate Basin 9,000 - 8,000 B.C.

Shortes Collection

In this idealized and well-organized Comanche Village the men and boysin the foregroundare taking it easywith their gamesand horses andpowwow. Thewomen enjoy lifedoing all the work,like hide-scrapingand preparing thevictuals; in thebackground choicecuts of meat maybe seen on dryingracks.

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Angostura 7,000 - 6,000 B.C.

Simer Collection

Enderle Collection

Collier Collection

Axtell (?) 2,500 B.C. - 200 A.D.

Griffin Collection

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Beaver Lake?8,000 - 1,000 B.C.

If this is a Beaver Lake it trav-eled a long way from its knownterritory in Tennessee, Ken-tucky and Alabama

Conner Collection

Bell 6,000 - 3,500 B.C.

Damron Collection

Denton Collection

Portrait of the Comanche ChiefBow & Quiver

by George Catlain, 1832

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Bonham 800 - 1,600 A.D.

Simer Collection

Winterbauer/Torres Collec-tion

Allen Collection

Bulbar Stemmed1,000 - 1,500 A.D.

Enderle Collection

Griffin Collection

ApacheWarrior

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Wegner Collection

Conner Collection

Reid Collection

Bulverde 3,000 - 1000 B.C.

Collier Collection

Cathey Collection

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Variant Bulverde? Simer Collection

Phillips Collection

Caracara 600 - 1,500 A.D.


Carrollton2,500 - 1,000 B.C.

Denton Collection

Denton Collection

Kiowa War Club

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Castroville 4,000 - 1,000 B.C.

Made of multi-coloredAlibates flint

Wilson Collection

Wegner Collection

Clovis 10,000 - 8,000 B.C.

Magnificent design, craftsmanshipof a multi-colored material

Enderle Collection

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Conner Collection

Cathey Collection

Conejo 2,000 - 300 B.C.

Denton Collection

Denton Collection

Cuney 1,300 - 1,650 A.D.

Enderle Collection

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Enderle Collection

Dalton 8,500 - 7,900 B.C.


Darl 1,000 B.C. - 500 A.D.

Baird Collection

Damron Collection

Damron Collection

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Denton Collection


Early Stemmed6,000 - 2,500 B.C.

Corner Notched

Reid Collection

The Indian bow, whether small orlarge, was a powerful weapon. Cabezade Vaca, a soldier familiar with thecapabilities of European weaponry,was nevertheless repeatedly im-pressed by the Indian arrow’s pen-etrating power (c. 1527).

In 1849 Captain Randolph B.Marcy wrote: As we were about toslaughter an ox, one of the Indiansrequested to use his bow for that pur-

pose, and approached towithin about twentyyards of the animals,strained his bow tothe full extent, and letfly an arrow, which

buried itself in thevitals of the ox,passing through;breaking two ribsin its course. It isthus that they killthebuffalo...which

these Indians (who are called theupper Comanches, or “buffalo eaters”)mainly depend for a subsistence.

Captain Marcynamed the BigSpring (1849)

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Ensor 850 B.C. - 150 A.D.

Collier Collection

Early Triangular 3,800 - 3,000 B.C.

Craft Collection

Phillips Collection

Ellis 1,000 B.C. - 1,000 A.D.


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Exceptionally fine wine andcream coloring

Castle Collection

Winterbauer /Torres Collection

Shanks Collection

Fairland 1,000 B.C. - 500 A.D.

Wegner Collection

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Fresno 600 - 1,800 A.D. (?)

Cathey Collection

Allen Collection

This elaborated point is indeeda Fresno type.

Shanks Collection

Conner Collection

Folsom 9,000 - 7,000 B.C.

Thin, delicate and translucentumber coloring

Webb Collection

Allen Collection

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Frio 1,000 B.C. - 500 A.D.

Collier Collection

Newton Collection

Gary 2,000 B.C. - 500 A.D.

Conner Collection


Garza 14 - 635 A.D.

Simer Collection

Collier Collection

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Griffin Collection

Hoxie (related to Darl)5,000 - 2,500 B.C.

Worthy Collection

Guerrero 1,700 - 1,800 A.D.

Enderle Collection

Harrell 1,100 - 1,500 A.D.

Collier Collection

Hell Gap (?) 8,000 - 7,500 B.C.

Griffin Collection

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Shanks Collection

Shanks Collection

Kinney 1,500 - 1000 A.D.

Rose Collection

Lerma (?) 6,500 - 2,000 B.C.

Cathey Collection

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Collier Collection

Collier Collection

Grigg Collection

Livermore 800 - 1,400 A.D.

Rose Collection

Lott 1,3500 - 1,500 A.D.

Collier Collection

Marcos 1,000 - 500 B.C.


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Reid Collection

Baird Collection


Marshall 2,000 - 300 B.C.

Worthy Collection

Grigg Collection

ComancheWarrior

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Worthy Collection

Shanks Collection

Unusually large

Denton Collection

KiowaBrave

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Maud 1,250 - 1,650 A.D.

Collier Collection

Metal Point After 1500 A.D.?

With an embossed Christian cross;found at the big spring

Rose Collection

Martindale 4,000 - 2,500 B.C.

Collier Collection

A chronicler of the Coronado Expedition (Winship, 1896: 527-528) de-scribed these prehorse plainsmen as people who follow the cows [buffaloes],hunting them and tanning the skins to take to the settlements in the winter tosell.... They travel like the Arabs, with their tents and troops of dogs loadedwith poles and having Moorish packsaddles with girths. When the load getsdisarranged, the dogs howl, calling someone to fix them right. These people eatraw flesh and drink blood. They do not eat human flesh. They are a kind peopleand not cruel. They are faithful friends. They are able to make themselves verywell understood by means of signs. They dry the flesh [of the buffalo] in thesun, cutting it thin like a leaf, and when dry they grind it like meal to keep it andmake a sort of sea [sic] soup [mush] of it to eat. A handful thrown into a potswells up so as to increase very much. They season it with fat, which theyalways try to secure when they kill a cow. They empty a large gut and fill it withblood, and carry this around the neck to drink when they are thirsty. When theyopen the belly of a cow they squeeze out the chewed grass and drink the juicethat remains behind, because they say that this contains the essence of thestomach. They cut the hide open at the back and pull it off at the joints, using aflint as large as a finger, tied in a little stick with as much ease as if workingwith a good iron tool. They give it an edge with their own teeth. The quicknesswith which they do this is something worth seeing and noting.

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Meserve 7,500 - 6,000 B.C.


Midland 9,000 - 5,000 B.C.

Saxton Collection

Saxton Collection

Phillips Collection


Montell3,000 B.C. - 1,000 A.D.

Collier Collection

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Moran 700 - 1,200 B.C.

Collier Collection

Motley 1400 - 300 B.C.

Wegner Collection

Collier Collection

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Denton Collection

Morrill 6,000 - 1,000 B.C.

Allen Collection

Nolan 4,000 BC. - 2,500 B.C.

Reid Collection

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Collier Collection

Phillips Collection

Conner Collection

Worthy Collection

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Reid Collection

Daniels Collection

Shanks Collection

Rose Collection

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Collier Collection

Allen Collection

Palmillas 1,500 - 500 B.C.

Shanks Collection

Pandale 4,000 - 2,700 B.C.

Daniels Collection

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Pedernales 4,000 B.C. - 1,000 A.D.

Conner Collection

Conner Collection

Daniels Collection

Pace Collection

Apache Warrior

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Phillips Collection

Donnelly Collection

Perdiz 900 - 1,560 A.D.

Simer Collection

Almost clear agate

Collier Collection

Cathey Collection

Worthy Collection

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A life-time collec-tion from ruralHoward County,typical of probablyhundreds of oth-ers.

Allred Collection

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Shanks Collection

Shanks Collection

Daniels Collection

Plainview 9,000 - 6,000 B.C.

Conner Collection

Conner Collection

Apache Woman

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The “bigspring”markedon both1810and1839

This1844map,thoughflawedandvague,clearlyshowsone ofthe earlyroadsthroughthe re-

Route ofCara-vansFrom

Route ofCara-

and 37 are shown separately under the Comanche War TrailArifacts tab on the website.

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The “bigspring”markedon both1810and1839

This1844map,thoughflawedandvague,clearlyshowsone ofthe earlyroads

Route ofCara-vansFrom

Route ofCara

Page 36 and 37 are shown separately under the Comanche War TrailArifacts tab on the website.

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San Patrice (or Paisano)8,000 - 4,000 B.C.

Cathey Collection

San Saba 3,000 - 2,000 B.C.

Reid Collection

Reid Collection

Sabinal 1,100 - 1,250 A.D.

Rose Collection

Rockwall 700 - 1,400 A.D.

Reid Collection

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Exceptional color

Conner Collection

Shumla 1,000 - 200 B.C.

Phillips Collection

Talco 1,200 - 1,600 A.D.

Simer Collection

Tortugas 3,000 - 2,000 B.C.

Daniels Collection

Portrait of Man-&-Chief,Pawnee

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Trinity 2,000 - 1,000 B.C.

Denton Collection

Uvalde 4,000 - 1,000 B.C.


Toyah 1,400 - 1,650 A.D.

Collier Collection

Denton Collection

Denton Collection

Travis (?) 2,800 - 2,000 B.C.

Lamb Collection

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Enderle Collection

Baird Collection

Conner Collection

Reid Collection

Denton Collection

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