The Jane Adeline (nee Smith) Wilson Story
Madison County ILGenWeb Coordinator - Beverly Bauser
THE SUFFERINGS OF MRS. JANE ADELINE (nee
SMITH) WILSON, DURING HER CAPTIVITY AMONG THE COMANCHE INDIANS
The following narrative of almost unparalleled suffering was
written out by Major Carlton and Mr. L. Smith, and can be relied
upon as authentic. It was published in the St. Louis Republican,
with the Religious Recorder, Syracuse, New York, as its source.
Following are the words of Mrs. Jane Adeline (nee Smith) Wilson,
who was born in Alton on June 19, 1837. She was 17 years of age
when telling her story in 1854. At the time of her capture
by the Indians, she was at the end of her 8th month of
pregnancy.
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“I was born in
Alton, Illinois on the 19th day of June 1837, and am, therefore,
in the seventeenth year of my age. My father's name was William
Smith; my mother's maiden name was Jane Cox. I had five brothers
and four sisters. I think it was in the year 1846 that we moved
to Missouri and settled at a boat landing or ferry called
Jamestown, on the North Grand River. My father kept the ferry.
About eight years ago [1846-1847] we moved from Missouri to
Texas, and settled near Paris, in Lamar County. Here my father
and mother died within one day of each other, leaving six orphan
children behind them. My eldest brother, who was in a ranging
company, now came to settle my father's affairs and make
provisions for our support. He secured homes for us with
different neighbors, but took the youngest sister [Ellen], our
‘pet,’ with him to place her with one of our aunts. One day's
journey from the place where he left us, he was attacked by the
winter fever, and died in one week.
I have three sisters
older than myself. Their names were Elizabeth, Cynthia, and
Caroline. My brother, James, and sister, Ellen, are younger than
myself. Ellen was four years old when my parents died. Caroline
is a dwarf, and the neighbors thought that the medicine that the
doctor gave her stopped her growth. She was a dear child, and we
all loved her because of her misfortune. (Here Jane was unable
to restrain her feelings and burst into tears.) I lived with
several neighbors until the first of last February, when I was
married to Mr. James Wilson, a young farmer, just beginning life
with a little property, consisting in horses and cattle. He was
but of nineteen years of age when we married. We knew but little
of life, for I was not yet sixteen. I fear we were crazy in
getting married while we were so young. (Poor girl! when her
thoughts went back to this period of her life, she wept as if
her heart would break.)
We had heard that people became
rich very fast in California, so we concluded to move and
commence life in that distant country. We gathered together the
little property we possessed and joined a party of emigrants
consisting of fifty-two men, twelve women, and several children.
The father and brothers of my husband were among this number.
There were in all twenty-two wagons, and the whole company was
placed under the command of Mr. Henry Hickman. We started from
Hunt County, Texas [northeast of Dallas] on the 6th of April
last, and took the route for El Paso. We arrived at the
Guadalupe Mountains about the 1rst of June. Here the Mescalero
Apaches stole from us nineteen head of cattle. Six men started
in pursuit, but were driven back by the Indians. We went thence
to El Paso. My husband not being able to travel well with Mr.
Hickman's train, he determined to remain at El Paso till the
arrival of another party of California emigrants. Five of Mr.
Hickman's men stayed with us. While here, the Mexicans stole
nearly all the property we had, and left us unable to proceed on
our journey. We could do nothing now except make our way back to
Texas.
About the last of July, we started on our return
with the fragments of our property which the thieves had spared.
On the first day of August, my husband and his father left us,
and fell into the hands of the Indians. I saw them no more after
this. I was told that they had been murdered. You may perhaps be
able to imagine my feelings when I found myself thus bereaved
and destitute in a land of strangers. My misfortune seemed
greater than I could bear, but I knew not that heavier trials
were in store for me.
Unable to continue my journey, I
returned to El Paso, where I remained till September 8th, when I
started once more for Texas with my three brothers-in-law, in
company with a small party consisting of five Americans and one
Mexican. Mr. Hart, who owned and commanded this train, having
some business in Texas which required his immediate attention,
traveled very rapidly, and I hoped in a few days more to be in
the midst of my friends.
As we had seen only one Indian
on the route, we flattered ourselves that we should not be
molested by any of the tribes which infest this route. When near
to the borders of Texas, some of our party stole three animals
from Mr. Hart and ran off. Mr. Hart, anxious to overtake the
thieves, started in pursuit, taking with him my eldest
brother-in-law (a lad some fourteen years of age), leaving
myself, a Mexican, and the two boys to follow as rapidly as we
could. We were at this time, within three days journey of a
military post at Phantom Hill, and were considered out of
danger. A discharged soldier being unable to keep up with us was
some distance behind, but I saw nothing of him after this. The
day after Mr. Hart left us, as we were traveling about noon, we
saw two Comanche Indians charging upon us in front, and at the
same time two others were seen driving up behind. We were all
very much frightened, and the Mexican jumped out of the wagon
and went toward the Indians, in order, if possible, to gain
their friendship.
The
mules of our wagon, four in number, becoming frightened by the
war whoop of the savages, turned out of the road and commenced
running as fast as they could. One of them fell down before we
had gone far, and the others were then obliged to stop. The
Indians now came upon us, and ordered the Mexican to take the
mules out of the harness. While this was going on, I got out of
the wagon and looked on in breathless suspense. After the mules
were unharnessed, the Mexican was stripped of his clothing, his
hands tied behind his back, and ordered to sit down upon the
ground. One of them went behind him and shot him with a gun,
while another stabbed him several times with a large butcher
knife. His scalp was cut off before he was dead, and put it into
his own hat; the hat was then worn by one of his murderers. I
was stupefied with horror as I gazed on this spectacle, and
supposed that my turn would come next. But the Indians, having
secured the plunder of the wagon, mounted us on the mules and
ordered us to go with them. As I left, I looked back and saw the
poor Mexican weltering in his blood and still breathing.
We took a northeast direction, and traveled slowly till sunset,
when we encamped. Here, the plunder, consisting of blankets,
bedding, clothing, bridles and some money which I had in my
pocket was divided among the Indians. Some articles considered
useless were thrown into the fire. My clothing was taken away,
except barely enough to cover my person. In the distribution of
the captives, the eldest boy, about twelve years of age, was
claimed by the chief; I became the property of one of the
others. I should have mentioned that one of our captors was a
Mexican, who had been stolen from the State of Chihumbia when an
infant. He was now as savage as the Indians, and claimed the
youngest boy as his prize. The scalp of the Mexican was
stretched on a stick and dried by the fire.
After giving
us some meat for our supper, the Indians began to secure us for
the night. The boys, with their arms tied tightly behind them,
were taken under guard by two of the savages. My feet were tied
together, and I was obliged to lie between the other two. I did
not sleep any during the night for I was afraid of being killed.
The next day we resumed our journey, and traveled in the
same direction. The boys were mounted on good animals, and had
bows and arrows. Their faces were painted Indian fashion, and
they looked like young savages. They appeared to enjoy this new
mode of life and were never treated with excessive cruelty. I
was mounted on a good horse, but being obliged to sit astride
the animal, the journey was exceedingly painful.
I had a
fine head of hair, which I valued very much, but the chief
ordered it to be cut off; I was not a little mortified in seeing
it decorating the heads of the heartless savages. My head was
thus left entirely unprotected from the intensely hot rays of
the sun.
Nothing of interest occurred except repeated
acts of inhumanity towards me, until the twelfth day of capture.
At this time, we were joined by two Indian men and a squaw.
These were all the Indians I saw till after my escape. Up to
this time my suffering had been so severe as to take from me all
desire to live, but now they were greatly increased. The squaw,
from whom I might have expected some compassion, was evidently
the cause of the new cruelties which I now began to experience.
My horse was taken from me, and I was mounted on an unbroken
mule without a bridle. I had a saddle, but it was worn out and
good for nothing but to torture me. This animal would frequently
toss me over its head of its own accord; but not being wild
enough to gratify the malice of the Indians, the chief would
sometimes shake the Mexican's scalp before its eyes. The beast
would then rear and plunge in the utmost fright, and I would be
thrown upon the ground with great violence. I have been tossed
from the mule's back as many as half a dozen times a day, and
once I was so stunned that I lay a considerable time before my
sense returned. My repeated falls greatly amused the Indians,
whose horrid peals of laughter might have been heard at a great
distance.
I never saw them exhibit the first sign of pity
towards me. It made no difference how badly I was hurt, if I did
not rise immediately and mount the animal which had just thrown
me, they would apply the riding whips, or gunstocks, or the end
of a lariat, to my unprotected body with the greatest violence.
The squaw would also help me to rise by wounding me with the
point of a spear which she carried. You may understand one
object the Indians had in view in putting me upon this wild
animal and causing me to be thrown so often, when I tell you I
expected to become a mother in a few weeks. They understood my
situation, but instead of softening their hearts it only made
them more inhuman, and subjected me to greater sufferings.
I was obliged to work like a slave while in camp; while
there was any service to perform I was not allowed a moments
rest. I was compelled
to carry large loads of wood on my back, which being destitute
of sufficient clothing, was mangled till the blood ran down to
my feet. I had to chase the animals through briars and bushes,
till what little clothing I had was torn into ribbons. I brought
the animals to camp in the morning, and had to watch them till
they were ready to start, and if one more wild than the rest ran
off, I must chase and bring him back, and then be knocked down
by the savage chief for my want of skill. When all were ready to
start, I had to catch and saddle my own wild mule without
assistance. If the party did not start immediately, I was
compelled to pull at the end of a lariat which the Indians would
fashion to a bush. They seemed to study every method of putting
me to death by piecemeal.
Exhausted by incessant toll and
suffering and extreme anguish from my wounds, I could not work
as fast as the Indians desired, and often when scarcely able to
stand, and hardly knowing what I was doing, I have been required
to do the work of the strongest man. And because of my inability
to accomplish my task satisfactorily, I have been whipped till
my flesh was raw. Large stones were thrown at me. I was knocked
down and stamped upon by the ferocious chief, who seemed anxious
to crush me like a worm beneath his feet. My head sometimes fell
under the horses' feet, and then the Indians would try to make
the beasts kick me. After all were ready for the day's journey,
I was obliged to travel as fast as the others, riding sometimes
over rocks and through bushes, aching and sore from head to
foot, and exposed alike to cold and heat, sunshine and storm.
I have gone two days at a time without tasting food. The
Indians depended on hunting for their subsistence, and sometimes
had nothing to eat themselves - unless there was an abundance of
food, I received little or nothing - when any game was killed,
the Indians would tear out the heart, liver and entrails and eat
them raw. I suffered exceedingly from thirst; I was not allowed
to drink, except while in camp. We frequently crossed beautiful
streams during the day, and I would beg the privilege of
dismounting to quench my thirst. But the Indians would always
deny my request with contempt. It was in vain I pointed to my
parched tongue and head blistering in the rays of the sun.
Nothing could soften them into pity, and I ardently desired
death that my torments might come to an end.
Every
indignity was offered to my person which the imagination can
conceive. And I am at a loss to know how I have lived through
the barbarous treatment which was inflicted upon me. Frequently
my feelings were so outraged that I was tempted to kill my
inhuman masters. My indignation burned particularly against the
chief, and I thought if only I could cut him to pieces, I could
die content.
We traveled every day - we usually started
about 10 o'clock in the morning, and halted about four in the
evening. The Indians were accustomed to go to the top of the
highest hills and stand there gazing in every direction. We
always spent the night on a hill and were thus exposed to the
cold autumn winds. We slept on the ground, generally without
covering. When it rained, the Indians made a tent of blankets
and wagon sheets they had stolen from us, but I was not allowed
to take shelter in it - I preferred sleeping outside in the
storm.
After my mule had become so gentle that I could
ride it without being thrown, it was taken from me and I was
obliged to travel on foot. The road over which we passed was
often very rough and stony and full of thorns. My feet were
wounded and bruised till they were covered with blood and
greatly swollen. But still I was obliged to keep up with the
rest of the party, and if I fell behind I was beaten till I was
nearly senseless. The Indians often urged me on by attempting to
ride their horses over me; many a mile of that road is marked
with my blood, and many a hill there has echoed to my useless
cries.
I traveled thus on foot some five or six days.
After the party was ready to start in the morning, the direction
of the route was pointed out to me, and I was required to go
before the others, in order not to hinder them. They usually
overtook me before I traveled far. I had always intended to make
my escape as soon as I found an opportunity. I never expected to
reach any friendly settlement, but I did not wish to give the
Indians the pleasure of seeing me die. On the morning of the
twenty-fifth day after my capture, I was sent on in advance as
usual. I had eaten no breakfast, and was very weak, but the hope
of escape now supported me. I hastened on as fast as I could,
and finding a suitable hiding place I turned aside and concealed
myself in the bushes. After this I saw nothing more of my
captors. I found afterwards by the tracks of the animals, that
they had searched for me; they probably thought I would die, and
therefore took less trouble to find me. I have no doubt the next
time they pass that way they will look for my bones.
My
situation was now distressing beyond all description; I was
alone in an Indian country, some hundreds of miles from the
nearest friendly settlements. I was without food, without
shelter, and almost without clothing. My body was full of wounds
and bruises, and my feet were so swollen that I could hardly
stand. Wild beasts were around me, and savages more wild than
beasts roamed on every hand. Winter was coming on, and death in
its most terrible forms stared me in the face. I sat down and
thought of my lonely and exposed situation, but I could not
weep; my heart was too full of woe. I remembered the events of
the few preceding weeks. The husband of my choice had been
murdered, and I was not allowed the melancholy privilege of
closing his eyes, and seeing his remains decently interred. My
little property had been stolen, and when within a few days'
march of sympathizing friends, I was captured by savages, and
after three weeks of indescribable sufferings, found myself
wandering solitary and destitute in the midst of the wild
prairies - my cup was filled to overflowing, but I resolved to
live in hope, if I died in despair.
After remaining three
days in the place where I first concealed myself from the
Indians, I went to a grove about half a mile distant and built a
little house of bushes and grass. Here I lived nine days. My
only food was the blackberries which grew on the bushes around.
I quenched my thirst at a spring nearby. My wounds pained me
exceedingly and I wasted to a mere skeleton for want of proper
nourishment. It rained upon me several nights in succession, and
my little house was unable to protect me from the cold storms.
More than once I spent a sleepless night, perfectly drenched in
rain; while the wolves, sometimes coming within five steps of
me, would make the woods ring with their frightful howling. They
would also follow behind me when I went to the spring during the
day; I expected some time to be devoured by them, but they are
great cowards, and I could easily frighten them away.
When I slept I would dream of seeing tables spread with an
abundance of every kind of food, but when I stretched forth my
hand to satisfy my hunger, the effort would waken me and I would
find myself weeping bitterly. When absent from my house on the
twelfth day after my escape, some New Mexican traders passed on
their way to the Comanche settlements. While standing on a small
hill, looking after them in order to be sure they were not
Indians, I was discovered by some three or four of the party who
happened to be some distance behind. They immediately came
toward me, and soon understood my situation. They kindly offered
to take me with them, and I gladly bade farewell to my house in
the woods. The Mexicans put me upon a burro, and gave me a
blanket and some men's clothing, in which I dressed myself very
comfortably. Two or three days after this we came in sight of a
band of Comanches, and as it was not safe for me to be seen by
them, I was left behind in a ravine, with the promise that the
Mexicans would return for me at night. As they did not fulfill
their promise, I started toward their camp. About midnight,
while wandering among the bushes, a Comanche Indian passed
within twenty steps. I thought I was a captive once more, but
fortunately the savage did not see me. I threw myself on the
ground and waited for day. In the morning, I started again for
the camp of the Mexicans, but before I reached it, I was
discovered by one of the trading party who was herding the
animals. This man is a Puebla Indian, of San Hdefonso, New
Mexico, and is named Juan Jose. To him more than any other man
in the party, I owe my present freedom. He told me the camp was
full of Comanches, and if they saw me it would be impossible for
the party to save me. He made me lie down on the ground while he
covered me with dried grass. I lay here all day, and at night
crept forth to quench my almost intolerable thirst. Juan came
and brought me some bread, and told me not by any means to leave
my hiding place the next day. That day lagged slowly along, and
I could hear the dreaded Comanches passing and repassing and
shouting to each other. At night Juan returned, bringing another
blanket and several loaves of bread, and told me that I must
remain here for seven or eight days longer, as the party were
obliged to go farther on, and could not take me unless I was
willing to become a captive once more. I saw the party disappear
the next day, and it seemed as if my hopes of rescue disappeared
with them. But I resolved to wait till the appointed time was
up.
In a ravine nearby, I found a large log which had
been left burning. This fire I kept alive day and night till the
Mexicans returned, and without it I should probably have frozen
to death, as the weather had become very cold. I covered a
hollow cottonwood stump with bark and leaves to keep out the
cold wind. This stump was my house during my stay here. When I
could endure the cold no longer, I would leave my house and run
to the fire, but was afraid to stay there long lest the Indians
should see me. The wolves soon found out my place of retreat,
and frequently while I was in the stump they would come and
scratch around and on its top. The hackberries were very scarce
here, and had it not been for the bread Juan Jose gave me, I do
not see how I could have been kept from starving to death.
The eighth day passed slowly by, and I knew not whether to
give way to hope or despair. But on the 8th I heard several
persons calling to each other. I feared they were Indians, but
they belonged to the trading party, and were on their return to
New Mexico. They had lost the place where I was concealed, and
were shouting to each other to attract my attention. I was so
overjoyed that I rushed toward them unmindful of briars and sore
feet. Juan gave me a fine horse to ride, and the whole party
treated me with the utmost civility and kindness. On the
thirty-fourth day of our return toward New Mexico, we reached
the town of Pecos. Here I met Major Carleton and Mrs. Adams of
the U.S. Army, who took the deepest interest in my comfort. Here
I laid aside men's apparel and was furnished with a supply from
Mrs. Adams' wardrobe. After remaining at Pecos a few days, I was
conducted to Santa Fe by the son of Governor Meriwether. To Gov.
Meriwether and also to the American ladies of this place, I
cannot be too thankful for their friendly sympathies and uniform
kindness.
The past seems like a horrid dream. I have
related nothing but facts, and no language that I can use can
fully express the sufferings of mind and body which I have
endured. My two brothers-in-law are still captives and unless
reclaimed will become as savages as Indians. The Mexicans saw
them with the Comanche's, but were unable to procure their
freedom. One is twelve years old, the other ten, and unless the
strong arm of Government is lifted up for their redemption,
there is no hope for them.”
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The following
was published in the Alton Weekly Courier, March 23, 1854,
concerning Jane Wilson’s brothers-in-law, that were with her at
the time of her capture:
(From the St. Louis Republican)
Fort Washita, Choctaw Nation
Chickasaw District, February 11,
1854
I read in your paper of the 24th ult., (received
here last mail) a thrilling and interesting narrative of the
capture and escape of Mrs. Jane Adeline Wilson, by the Comanche
Indians, last summer, by whom she and her two brothers-in-law
(boys) were taken as prisoners.
The facts and the
particulars of Mrs. Wilson’s capture, and the two boys, near the
fort, “Phantom Hill,” Texas, are corroborated by the same facts
related to me here, by the discharged soldier alluded to by her
in her narrative (the soldier having passed this way to
Arkansas), also, in relation to the Mexican driver being scalped
and shot, as Mrs. Wilson relates.
The
soldier stated here, on his arrival, that he was unable to keep
up to the wagon with Mrs. Wilson and the two boys, the Mexican
driving, and as his horse was worn down, and on coming up to it
he found the woman and both boys gone, the wagon robbed of all
its contents, mules gone also, and the Mexican driver lying near
the wagon, insensible, having been shot and scalped. The soldier
carried him to a small stream nearby, washed his wounds, and
afterwards carried him for several days on his back. They were
destitute of food, the Indians having stolen all from the wagon.
They lived for some days on the remains of the carcass of a dead
ox, found by the roadside, using an old razor for a knife, being
the only instrument the soldier had to cut. After several days’
slow traveling, they arrived at “Phantom Hill” post, where the
soldier left the Mexican, recovering.
Nothing has been
hard on this frontier of the two boys alluded to in Mrs.
Wilson’s narrative until ten days since, when one boy about
twelve years old, calling himself George Washington Wilson, was
brought in near here by Aaron Brown, an intelligent, educated
Chickasaw Indian who lives near this post. He had been out with
some Shawnees for the last four months, trading for mules with
Comanches.
They found this white boy with the Comanches
in a very destitute condition respecting clothing, having but
few rags on his person. Aaron Brown, with the characteristic
nobleness of heart peculiar to his tribe, seeing the white boy
in captivity and badly used, proposed trading some goods for
him. A few days passed before the trade was concluded. After
giving several hundred dollars’ worth of goods for the boy, the
Comanches wanted to draw the bargain, thinking they could extort
more, as they perceived Brown manifested a desire to have the
lad.
A few days since I heard from Fort Arbuckle,
situated sixty-five miles west of this post, that a white boy
had been brought in there by some friendly Indians, who had
bought him from the Comanches lately. This boy proves to be the
other brother-in-law of Mrs. Wilson, showing that all the
captives are now safe. Steps will be taken to restore them to
their friends.
Very respectfully,
Samuel C. Humes,
Sutler, U. S. A.
__________________________________
NOTES:
Jane Wilson gave birth to a baby boy in Santa Fe,
New Mexico, in December 1853. According to the book, “El Gringo,
or, New Mexico and Her People,” by William Watts Hart Davis,
Jane Wilson remained in Santa Fe until the next Spring, when she
was sent to her friends. I could find no further information on
Jane Adeline Wilson. She probably remarried, and hopefully lived
a long, happy life.