jasonbo
Sr. Member
PACKSADDLE MOUNTAIN
A LEGEND OF ROMANCE AND ADVENTURE
By SANDRA THOMPSON
In 1757, Don Bernado, discovered a vein of gold in Packsaddle Mountain and peons worked the mine until 1775. The mine was believed to be the lost Los Almagres gold and silver mine. One story goes that the mine was attacked by Indians in 1775 and the Spaniards filled in the mines so the Indians could not work them.
Another version of the story goes that the Indians were working the mines and the Spaniards, eager to gain the wealth, attacked the Indians. All of the Spaniards were killed and the Indians, fearing another attack, filled in the mines. Both versions of the story agree that for many years human bones were found on top of Packsaddle Mountain, to attest to the fierce struggles that went on there.
As stories go, Packsaddle Mountain was so named for the depression, or the gap, in the mountain or an early traveler who found an abandoned packsaddle on the hill, left from a previous traveler, and so named the mountain accordingly.
Speculation of the last Indian battle fought on top of the mountain, which is located in Llano County, Texas, happened in August of 1873. Apaches, ( or Comanches, depending on who is telling the story ) established a camp on top of the mountain and began to plunder ranches in the valley below.
On August 9th cowboys from Moss Ranch found a dead cow that had been shot with an arrow. The next day eight of the men armed themselves with Colts and Sharps, a repeater carbine, and began searching for the raiding Indians. The cowboys finally found a fresh trail of about 20 Indians. They slipped up on one Indian, who was busy admiring his freshly painted face, in a small hand mirror. He escaped into the brush, yelling to alarm the other Indians. Three cowboys were seriously injured in the ensuing fight which left 5 to fight 21 Indians. The Texan's accurate fire drove the Indians back. The Apaches ( or Comanches ) ran into the thick undergrowth. The Texans, thinking that they had run off, dismounted to attend to the injured cowboys.
The Indians sprang from the underbrush. The cowboys went for their guns and the Indians halted. The chief tried to get his warriors to make another charge. They refused and the chief, Winchester in hand, walked towards the cowboys stopping to fire every few feet. As he got closer he was shot by many Spencer bullets and fell dead alongside two other Indians that had been killed in the battle. As soon as the chief fell, the remaining Indians retreated with their dead and wounded. One of the cowboys then scalped the chief and the other dead Indian.
The wounded Texans recovered at the Duncan Ranch. The bodies of Indians were found weeks later in caverns near the battle site.
In 1924 the mine was again thought to have been found by two Austin men. Silver ore was thought to be worth $1,000.00 a ton after mining would begin. One of the men proclaimed , that after all the taking of human lives, Texas would become the richest mining state in the United States. The mine ceased operations about two years later, after the rich veins were not found.
Much of Packsaddle, a described 600 million year old sandstone mountain, lies on an exposed bed of Honey Creek at the foot of the mountain, by SH 71. Traces of silver and gold and other metals have been found in Honey Creek.
A LEGEND OF ROMANCE AND ADVENTURE
By SANDRA THOMPSON
In 1757, Don Bernado, discovered a vein of gold in Packsaddle Mountain and peons worked the mine until 1775. The mine was believed to be the lost Los Almagres gold and silver mine. One story goes that the mine was attacked by Indians in 1775 and the Spaniards filled in the mines so the Indians could not work them.
Another version of the story goes that the Indians were working the mines and the Spaniards, eager to gain the wealth, attacked the Indians. All of the Spaniards were killed and the Indians, fearing another attack, filled in the mines. Both versions of the story agree that for many years human bones were found on top of Packsaddle Mountain, to attest to the fierce struggles that went on there.
As stories go, Packsaddle Mountain was so named for the depression, or the gap, in the mountain or an early traveler who found an abandoned packsaddle on the hill, left from a previous traveler, and so named the mountain accordingly.
Speculation of the last Indian battle fought on top of the mountain, which is located in Llano County, Texas, happened in August of 1873. Apaches, ( or Comanches, depending on who is telling the story ) established a camp on top of the mountain and began to plunder ranches in the valley below.
On August 9th cowboys from Moss Ranch found a dead cow that had been shot with an arrow. The next day eight of the men armed themselves with Colts and Sharps, a repeater carbine, and began searching for the raiding Indians. The cowboys finally found a fresh trail of about 20 Indians. They slipped up on one Indian, who was busy admiring his freshly painted face, in a small hand mirror. He escaped into the brush, yelling to alarm the other Indians. Three cowboys were seriously injured in the ensuing fight which left 5 to fight 21 Indians. The Texan's accurate fire drove the Indians back. The Apaches ( or Comanches ) ran into the thick undergrowth. The Texans, thinking that they had run off, dismounted to attend to the injured cowboys.
The Indians sprang from the underbrush. The cowboys went for their guns and the Indians halted. The chief tried to get his warriors to make another charge. They refused and the chief, Winchester in hand, walked towards the cowboys stopping to fire every few feet. As he got closer he was shot by many Spencer bullets and fell dead alongside two other Indians that had been killed in the battle. As soon as the chief fell, the remaining Indians retreated with their dead and wounded. One of the cowboys then scalped the chief and the other dead Indian.
The wounded Texans recovered at the Duncan Ranch. The bodies of Indians were found weeks later in caverns near the battle site.
In 1924 the mine was again thought to have been found by two Austin men. Silver ore was thought to be worth $1,000.00 a ton after mining would begin. One of the men proclaimed , that after all the taking of human lives, Texas would become the richest mining state in the United States. The mine ceased operations about two years later, after the rich veins were not found.
Much of Packsaddle, a described 600 million year old sandstone mountain, lies on an exposed bed of Honey Creek at the foot of the mountain, by SH 71. Traces of silver and gold and other metals have been found in Honey Creek.
