Revisiting the Purpose of the 1855 Callahan Expedition: A Research Note

Abstract

Revisiting the Purpose of the 1855 Callahan Expedition:A Research Note Curtis Chubb (bio) On October 1, 1855, 111 Texas Rangers of the Callahan Expedition began crossing the Rio Grande in order to punish the Lipan Apaches who had been raiding Texas frontier settlements and then retreating to Mexico. The Indians had become accustomed to the United States Army soldiers stopping at the border; the governor of Texas, however, had authorized the Rangers to "follow them up and chastise them wherever they may be found."1 Over the past century, many historians have labeled the expedition as a slave-hunting venture. The steady repetition of this interpretation has resulted in unproven allegations now being advertised as fact. For example, the Bullock Texas State History Museum claims on its website that "the announced purpose of the raid was retribution against the Lipan Apache, but most of the activity centered around recovering escaped slaves."2 This research note presents the results of a critical analysis of the evidence that has been used to support the claim of slave hunting. Unexpectedly, the analysis revealed that none of the evidence is convincing. Contemporary nationwide newspaper reports and documents containing statements of those involved with the expedition clearly indicate that the [End Page 417] Rangers crossed into Mexico only to punish the Lipans for the harm they had done to Texans. The Lipans had murdered and kidnapped frontier settlers in addition to stealing their horses and killing their cattle.3 Texas frontier settlements were under increased attacks by Indians in 1855. When the United States Army failed to respond to pleas for help, citizens sent petitions requesting protection to Texas governor Elisha Marshall Pease. A petition from citizens living near Bandera dated September 21, 1855, provides insight about the Indian raids' intensity: "[H]aving no horses (having been robbed of every animal) we cannot follow them or in any way avenge our wrongs."4 A major factor in the increased Indian attacks was the emigration of the Lipans from Texas to Mexico in January 1854.5 The Lipans used Mexico as a sanctuary while executing raids into Texas. Texas state senator Robert Taylor succinctly stated the problem facing Texas: "The reason why appropriate protection has not already been furnished to our Western frontier by the troops of the General Government, under the command of Gen. [Persifor] Smith is that they have never followed these marauding Indian parties into their secret hiding places beyond the Rio Grande."6 On July 5, 1855, Governor Pease responded to citizens' pleas for help by commissioning James Hughes Callahan to muster a company of eighty-eight men for three months of service to protect an area north and west of San Antonio.7 Soon afterwards, Callahan confirmed that the Lipans were the major marauders and organized an expedition to take the battle to their refuge in Mexico. On September 7, Callahan wrote a letter to Pease that constituted a military briefing of his plans to follow the Indians to their homes. He gave the governor the reason for his expedition and his plans for how it would proceed: There has been a great many depredations committed on our frontier lately (as you are aware of) but it is almost an impossibility to catch them as they come in – in small parties, and scatter so that they cannot be trailed. The only recourse that we can have on them is to follow them to their homes. You have granted me the privilege of following them and I intend doing so at an early period. I have made my arrangements to start on the 15th instant [September] with sixty five men belonging to the Company, and about forty gentlemen who have volunteered their services in search of the Indians who have been committing depredations upon us. I am almost confident that I can find them and should I be so fortunate [End Page 418] as to do so, I shall severely chastise them (or at least endeavor to do so). I shall leave the balance of the Company at Camp to protect this portion of the Country in my absence – I will be gone until near the expiration of our term...