B.F. Speer to Sam Houston, December 1860

Antelope Tex
Decb 2nd 1860

To His Excellency
Sam Houston Gov Tex

My dear Sir

I now take the liberty
to write you a line as Regards
our Situation at this time in Jack
County and ask your Excellency
for the first time to think of our
Condition and grant us some Protection[.]
Sir I am no news Paper writer neither
do I seek notoriety but I am moved
by suffering humanity to ask you to
hear the truth and then think of
our situation and see if something
can not be done for our Relief[.]
On Monday 26 Nov a band of
Indians numbering 53 made a brake [sic]
on This Settlement[,] Killed Some 8 Persons
mostly females[,] wounded 6 others[,] Pilaged [sic] &
destroyed several houses[,] taken [sic] all they could
Cary [sic] and set on fire a house in ½ mile
of me[.] Shot at me not over 50 yds
all in broad day light[.] Stole over 200
head of horses and last but not least
Scalped one poor unfortunate woman alive[.]
It is thought She will Recover.

Our County is almost entirely depopulated[.]
What is to be come [sic] of us heaven only
Knows. Shall we have to abandon our
homes after our last horse is gone and
be cast forth on an unfeeling world with
out money or Shall we be protect[sic][.]

The Indians were all clothed[,] had hats Bonnets
& handkerchiefs riding [?] on Blankets[.] [O]ne Blanket