General Edward H. Tarrant

Duane's take

Here's how the official marker tells it, and I'll do my best to do it justice. Somewhere in this very vicinity, and when a marker says 'this vicinity,' friend, it means right here, right where you're rolling, something happened on May 24, 1841 that the state of Texas saw fit to carve into stone. General Edward H.

Tarrant rode into this country with 70 men. Seventy. Not a regiment, not an army; seventy men, out here in territory where several Indian villages sat along a creek.

That creek is called Village Creek now, and after what happened that May, you can understand why the name stuck. Tarrant's men attacked those villages. When it was over, many horses had been recovered, and much stolen plunder reclaimed.

Twelve Indians were killed, and many more were wounded. But this is where the story turns, and you feel the weight of it settle in. The Texans paid a price too.

Captain John B. Denton was killed. Captain Henry Stout was wounded.

Captain Griffin was wounded. Three names the marker holds onto, because somebody thought the world ought to remember them. General Tarrant walked away from that creek with whatever he came for, but not without cost, and the land here has been keeping that account ever since.

What the marker says

In this vicinity May 24, 1841 General Edward H. Tarrant with 70 men attacked several indian villages situated along a creek (now called Village Creek) and recovered many horses and much stolen plunder. 12 Indians were killed and many wounded. Of the Texans Captain John B. Denton was killed. Captains Henry Stout and Griffin were wounded.