Leaving Victoria August 7, the Comanches continue…
August 1840 CE
Early on August 8, 1840, the Comanches surround the small port of Linnville, Texas, which is the second largest port in the Republic of Texas at the time, and begin pillaging the stores and houses.
Linnville, which is today a ghost town, is located three and a half miles northeast of present-day Port Lavaca.
The Comanches reportedly kill three whites, including customs officer Hugh Oran Watts, who had delayed his escape to retrieve a gold watch at his home (reportedly a family heirloom).
After killing Watts, the Comanche captured his wife of only three weeks, the former Juliet Constance, and a black woman and child.
Realizing that the plains natives will have no experience on water, the townspeople flee prudently from the Comanche raiders to the safety of the water.
They are saved by remaining aboard small boats and a schooner captained by William G. Marshall, which is at anchor in the bay.
While safe in the water, the refugees witness the destruction and looting of their town, unable to do a thing except curse them.
For that entire day the Comanches plunder and burn buildings, draping themselves grandly in top hats and stolen linens.
They tie feather beds and bolts of cloth to their horses, and drag them.
They herd large numbers of cattle into pens and slaughter them.
One outraged citizen, Judge John Hays, grabs a gun and wades ashore through the shallow water, and roars at the bemused warriors, but the Indians choose to spare him, believing him mad.
He will later find that he had waded ashore to face nearly a thousand Indians with an unloaded pistol.
At the time of the Great Raid, many trade goods are en route from overseas to New Orleans, Louisiana to San Antonio, Texas and Austin, Texas; a total inventory valued at over $300,000 is reported to be at Linnville at that moment, including an undisclosed amount of silver bullion.
After loading loot onto pack mules, the raiders finally begin their retreat in the afternoon.
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