The following are true accounts of a Texas Ranger who was captured by Comanche Indians and held captive for slave labor for 03 years.  Some accounts are so terrible that YOU may want to skip this section.  However, you can learn from his long captivity and the life-saving survival tricks used by himself and the Comanche Indians. –

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This article in no way slanders the Comanche Indians.  Their murderous acts were their way, their custom, when the “white man”, their enemy, trespassed on their land.

Before I go into Nelson’s capture by the Comanches, I want to give you some of his background information so you can better appreciate his life experiences and real survival from his 03-year enslavement.

Texas Ranger Nelson Lee was born in Brownsville, NY in 1807.  Lee was born for adventure.  He’s a veteran of the military and Texas Rangers.  Lee saw action against Mexicans, outlaw gangs and Comanche Indians.  An international traveler in the US Navy, he took part in combat actions pursuing pirates off Africa, protecting American Consulates in South America, and even a face-off with the British ship who held Americans and their ship.  His last action with the US Navy he was involved in a bloody battle against Mexicans that resulted in a draw.

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Bad Ass Texas Ranger – Nelson Lee!

In 1840 Lee craved action and joined the famous Texas Rangers.  Texas at that time was nothing less of chaotic and wild!  The Texas Rangers were actually formed at this time to bring civilities to the state of Texas and surrounding areas.  The qualities that differentiated Texas Rangers from regular folks were superior tracking, superior physical endurance, and superior marksmanship abilities.  The pay was a $1 a day which was big bucks back in them days and there were no regulated uniforms.

Lee joined a company of Texas Rangers consisting of 45 men under the command of a Scotchman named Captain Ewin Cameron.  His first encounter was with a band of Comanche Indians.  However, their main focus turned to invading Mexicans from the south.  Their company married-up with another group of Texas Rangers.  Word was, there were Mexican forces in the area numbering as many as 3,000 well-armed soldiers.  The small band of Texas Rangers was no match for the Mexicans, their role was to gather intelligence on the advancing Mexican Armies.  That night at Panta Clan, Mexicans crept in their camp and stole everything they could grab.  The next morning the 02 groups of Texas Rangers saw action with some of the Mexican forces and not only repelled them, but recovered their stolen gear and more than 40 mules!

After the Panta Clan engagement, Nelson and 16 other Texas Rangers were involved in a spy mission led by Ben McCullough.  They gathered intelligence on Mexican and Indian threats.  At one time they witnessed approximately 700-hundred raiding Comanches.  The spies kept their distance and continually observed the Comanches.  They witnessed one attack on a settlement at Lindville near Matagorda Bay (125-miles up the coast from Corpus Christi).  The spies witnessed the burning of the settlement, the killing of 04 men and abduction of 03 women.

The brave Texas Rangers couldn’t do a damn thing about it.  Their mission was to gather information and were no match for 700 killing Comanches.

Reinforcements of approximately 300 arrived and the Texas Rangers took the fight to the Comanches.  Still greatly outnumbered the Texas Rangers used their stealth, good planning, and their superior weapons (rifles & pistols) to take-on the Comanches.  But they did not want to take on the Comanches on their terms.  Their primary mission was to rescue the 03 women prisoners and secondary mission of recovering the property taken at the Lindveille settlement.

The Texas Ranger snuck-up in 02 groups on the Comanche camp and raided it.  They recovered 02 of the 03 women and many possessions.  Nelson was injured on the raid he took part of and fell off his horse to the ground.  Without saying anything and in the chaotic confusion of the raid, other Texas Rangers came to his aid and secured him.  The raid by the Texas Rangers was a great success.  Nelson completed his 06-month term with the Texas Rangers where he settled in Seguin, Texas (30-miles east of San Antonio).

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Brave Texas Rangers!

Later, Nelson joined-up with his old commander, 36-year old Texas Ranger Captain Ewin Cameron – not under Cameron’s command.  Cameron was later captured at the 1842 battle of Mier, and executed in Mexico under the orders of the Mexican Dictator.  Cameron resisted till the end and gave no confession to discredit himself or the United States.

Nelson returned to Seguin, Texas where he took a job capturing wild horses.  Nelson answered the call to volunteers and again joined the Texas Rangers but was repelled back by sickness.  Regaining his health, Nelson again joined the Texas Rangers in San Antonio, this time under the command of Jack Hays.  Nelson compared him to Hercules.  Hays had great hate for Mexicans and Indians.  Gathered in San Antonio, the almost 50 Texas Rangers awaited their orders from President Houston.  More than likely it would be engagements against Mexicans or Indians.

The Rangers headed-out for the frontier.  After 03-04 days of travel the Rangers stopped at a stream to rest and gather water.  One Ranger went to get a deer when he galloped back to the camp with the alert of Mexicans nearby.  The group quickly saddled-up and headed-out to engage them.  This was to be known as the “Sevilla Scrape.”  Outnumbered, the brave Texas Rangers closed-in on the 80 Mexicans who in turn ran.  Closing on the Mexicans, Hays ordered them to halt but the chase continued.  The Texas Rangers closed-in on the 80 Mexicans and it was point blank shooting and hand-to-hand combat.

The brave Texas Rangers took on only one casualty while the Mexicans suffered more than 40 killed, 10 wounded, and the remaining taken prisoner.  The prisoners were escorted back to San Antonio.  They were met by a cheering crowd.  The Mexicans were tried, convicted, and hung.

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Walker’s Creek Battle!

Word was out that Indians were terrorizing citizens of settlements along the Guadaloupe (western Texas).  The Texas Rangers would soon be on their way.  But first they were complimented with and issued new Colt revolvers.  The Texas Rangers deployed in-search of the rampaging Comanches.

The Texas Rangers wandered in search of Indians.  They came to “The Fork” near Walker’s Creek and camped.  The Fork was a piece of land   surrounded by high ground (50- 100 feet) on 03 sides.  The next morning, they noticed some Indians on horse looking down on them.  Hays knew his Rangers were in trouble.  The terrain had them boxed-in and he knew behind those spying Indians were the main body.

So Hays alerted his Rangers and they slowly headed out towards the high ground directly toward the spying Indians.  Halfway up the high ground, the Indians took-off.  Hays immediately ordered his men to follow and they changed directions to their flank.  They went up the side of the mountain and closed-in on the main body of approximately 200 Indians taking them on their flank instead of the anticipated head-on attack.

The brave outnumbered Texas Rangers charged at the surprised Indians and dealt a deadly strike with their new Colt revolvers.  It was no match.  The outnumbered Rangers soundly defeated the 200 Indians.

The Rangers lost only 03 men while the Indians lost 90 to include their chief who fought to the end.  The surviving Indians galloped off, running for their lives.  This battle was known as the Walker Creek Battle.

Let me pause real quick. The brilliant tactics they just used are still being used today and are the Principles of a Raid which are taught to modern day elite warriors.  The 03 Principles of a Raid are Surprise, Speed, and Violence of Action (in that order).  Surprise is a must but if it’s compromised, well trained modern day warriors still use Speed and Violence of Action to overwhelm and defeat their enemy.

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Go Static Before Dark:  The Texas Rangers carried on with their mission.  One procedure they always executed was to STOP AND MAKE CAMP 02-HOURS BEFORE SUNSET!

Let me pause real quick.  In your Survival Program and videos, I always stated this same policy to go static (make camp) 02-hours before dark.  You have no business wandering around at night unless you really know what the heck you’re doing and you have a partner with you or you’re in a group.

Listen, the Texas Rangers used this as a ruse while in hostile injun environment.  This is what they really did:

• Stop 02-hours prior to dark
• Make camp (Rangers had their own Priorities of Work and job assignments like gathering wood, feeding & watering the horses, getting game for dinner,…
• Eat dinner
• Wait till dark and saddle-up and ride for 01 more hour off their original direction.
• After riding 01-hour, they would find the most secluded spot to a clandestine camp (no fire, no noise, no movement).
• 02-hours before sunrise, the Texas Rangers were already up and roaming the frontier. They were up early cause those injuns liked attacking at night using the limited visibility to their advantage.  And modern battle tactics still use this same night fighting tactic to this very day!

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Texas Ranger Snakebite Remedy:  On their way back to San Antonio, Texas – Nelson stopped and got off his horse to be struck by in his own words an “enormous rattlesnake” – it struck him in the ankle.  Another Texas Ranger nearby, a Spaniard saw everything and immediately went to Nelson’s aid.  First, he got out his knife and drove it through the rattlesnake’s neck securing it to the ground.  With the snake still alive he took another knife and began cutting small portions of the snake and applied it to the bite site like a poultice.

The white flesh of the snake coming in contact with the venom would in Nelson’s own words “turn a perfect green!”  Nelson could feel the snake flesh poultice drawing the snake venom from his ankle.  The Spaniard continued cutting flesh from the snake and applying it to the wound till it turned green then replaced it with another and another, and another and another white piece of snake flesh.

This was continued till the entire snake was used.  Nelson stated this snake bite remedy worked so good and in his own words “remedy proved effectual, inasmuch as I suffered nothing from it afterwards save a slight soreness…”

Through my research, this has got to be one of the most fascinating snake bite remedies I have ever come across.  I will attempt to contact a world class snake expert in Saint Louis area to confirm this snake bite remedy.  See Pioneer Snakebite Remedy.

Now don’t you feel more survival ready Anytime Anywhere?  Sure you do!  And YOU ARE one of the very very few that know this neat life-saving snake bite remedy and the HUNDREDS and HUNDREDS of other basic, advanced, and ultra-advanced survival applications, techniques, and tricks!  Only from IRISAP!

After braving other engagements, in 1844 – 1845, Nelson again retired to Seguin to round-up cattle and wild horses.

On his last cattle drive, he met General Twiggs who learned Nelson was a longtime Texas Ranger.  General Twiggs wanted to know very detailed information about the country along the Rio Grande river.  Nelson was then led to General Taylor who’m also wanted to know the same intricate details.

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Recon:  Let me pause real quick.  Do you know what the Generals were doing?  They were doing a live Recon.  Remember PRSC?  Sure you do.  The Generals are planning operations along the Rio Grande (border of Mexico) and they wanted credible data from a credible source.  The United States was at war with Mexico.

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Only Brave Texas Rangers Would Do It!

A new Regiment of Rangers were being assembled under Jack Hays.  Nelson was one of the 1st to join.  But 18 Texas Rangers under Captain “Mad” Walker immediately set out as an advance party to Corpus Christi where they learned General Taylor was fighting at Fort Brown 140-miles away.  Arriving at Fort Brown, the 18 Rangers found that General Taylor was completely surrounded by Mexican forces.   There was no way to get through so Captain “Mad” Walker and his 18 brave Texas Rangers did the unexpected.  They confidently rode right up to the Mexican forces.  Their plan was to go right thru the middle of them and at the last possible moment charge through them to the gates of Fort Brown.

And that’s exactly what they did.  They slowly rode up to the Mexican forces who probably thought they were messengers, support troops,…  As the Texas Rangers approached them not a word was said till about 50-yards from the forces Walker yelled out “Charge” and the 18 Texas Rangers spurred their horses to a full gallop at top speed penetrating the Mexican forces on their way to the gates at Fort Brown.  Their daring penetration went without any casualties.

Once the 18 were secured in the fort General Taylor asked “How in God’s name, boys, did you get through?”  The 18 Rangers were now attached to May’s (Charley May) dragoons as spies.  Their future exploits were nothing less than heroic.

Now that you have a good foundation of unquestioned bravery, heroics, patriotism, savviness, of this Texas Ranger – Nelson Lee, let me tell you about the test of his life – real survival that would test every fiber of his existence!

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03 Years Of Enslavement – Death – Hatred – Suffering!

Nelson Lee took a break from his nothing less than heroic campaigns while a Texas Ranger.  Nelson returned to his business round-up and herding cattle & horses.  In 1855 he met William Aikens who was in the same business.  They combined their business efforts and with other investors.

Nelson and his partner Aikens headed to New Orleans to get supplies and returned to their headquarters at San Patrico (just north of Corpus Christi).  Upon their return, the group hired 19 assistants who will be paid $50 at the end of the cattle – mule-drive in California.    Their plan was simple – head towards California gathering wild mules & horses on their way and sell them in California.  Just 01 good horse would get $30 – $50 dollars!

March 1855 Nelson, Aikens and the group headed out to Matamoros.  Their initial plan was to use the lush vegetation near the Rio Grande.  Travelling at a rate of only 15-miles a day, the drive pressed on.  Each morning at 3:30am, the bugle alerted everyone to wake and begin their assigned duties from cooking, packing supplies on mules, rounding-up the herd,…  Several headed out in advance to look out for Indians and prevent stampedes.  Tamed horses once they mix with wild free horses of the frontier would change their nature and go wild causing a stampede.

The drive would usually stop at noon for rest till the bugle call at 3:30am the next morning.

31 March 1855 the drive entered a lush valley about 05-miles wide and 20-miles long.  The valley was loaded with beautiful vegetation, and grazing antelopes, buffalo, deer, wild horses,…  And up to the 02 April was the same.

03 April 1855 at exactly 12 midnight, Nelson just finished his watch.  He and the other sentries were relieved by 04 other sentries.  It was cold and a heavy thick fog engulfed them but other than that, the very experienced Texas Ranger saw no signs of danger.    Laying on his buffalo robe, Nelson tried to go to sleep.  It wasn’t till 1:00am till he finally fell asleep.

The next thing Nelson knew coming out of his deep sleep was wondering if it was a dream?  Just before 3:30am the camp was overrun – with screaming killing Comanche Indians.  Grabbing his rifle and getting to his feet, Nelson was still in a sleepy state but he didn’t get a shot off, he was immediately lassoed and wrestled to the ground by several Indians where they tied him up with buffalo hide using brutal force.

The small camp was overrun with Indians in just a few seconds.  Only 04 survived the attack including Nelson himself, Aikens, Martin, and Stewart.  They were spared their life on purpose.  All the others were killed immediately and scalped.  The four men were immediately stripped of all their clothes and replaced with the same as what the Indians were wearing.

When Nelson was stripped, one of the Indians discovered a watch he had in his coat and was AMAZED at the noise it made and especially when the alarm went off at 3:30am and rang and rang.  A dozen other Indians gathered around in amazement.  The Indian that held it pointed to Nelson – the owner.

They untied Nelson’s hand and gestured that he make it “ring” again and that’s what Nelson did.  Nelson did this several times and the AMAZED Indians put it to their ears to listen.  Nelson thought they regarded him as a supernatural having a link to their Great Spirit!

At dawn it started getting light, the Indians gathered their rewards from their killing raid.  They took everything.  Nothing was left.  The 04 prisoners were led around the camp to witness what had happened to their comrades.

Their naked bodies were cut up – chopped-up, butchered, their insides were cut out, their tongues were drawn out and a stick drove through it, and their scalps cut away as war trophies.  They were led to the sentinels a few hundred yards away where their butchered bodies were found.  The sleeping sentinels didn’t have a chance, the sentinels were killed by stealthy Indians before an alarm could be sounded.

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Indian Recon:  Nelson then realized that they had been observed by the Indians since they entered the valley days prior.  The Indians were doing a RECON (PRSC)!  Nelson wished he had brought his dog along, who was a very reliable early warning dog that could have sense the advancing Indians and could have saved their lives.  Nelson figured there was between 200 – 300 Indians.

Later the Indians came at them many times shouting with their tomahawk raised just stopping short from impaling the tomahawk.  They also grabbed their hair many times going through the motion with their knives of scalping them.  Was this an indicator of what was to come?

This intimidating ceremony finally came to an end where the 04 prisoners were blindfolded by a deer skin drawn down over their heads.  They were tied to mules and off they went.  Not knowing where they were going, Nelson remembers being hit by multiple branches causing bruises to his face and chest.

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Comanche Favorite Food:  After the 1st day of travel they stopped and the blindfolds taken off.  Nelson observed that the Comanches favorite food was horse meat.  They cut it in steak size portions and cooked it on a stick over the fire.

I’ve (author) eaten horse meat and depending how it’s prepared it taste real good!  With the right condiment – it’s very tasty.  The Comanches also ate buffalo and venison (deer meat).  He noticed with the streams full of fish and all the small ground game and fowl, he never saw them eat it.

The 04 prisoners were tied-up and centered in the camp surrounded by the Comanches.  Nelson observed that Martin was silent and kept to himself, Stewart was frightened and in tears, and Aikens in his brave way advised everybody to be courageous to the end.

The Indians finished eating their cooked horse meat.  They cooked more and when it was burning hot they flinged the hot pieces on the 04 prisoners which had them jerking wildly to escape the burning meat.  The Indians laughed crazily – this was their entertainment. The burning horse meat left blisters on the 04 prisoners.

For the night the 04 prisoners were staked spread eagle to the dirt ground, even their head was staked so they couldn’t move it.  They were frozen in place.

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Comanche Boat Invention?:  04 April 1855 the prisoners were bounded and blindfolded again and everything was packed-up.  The move of this day’s travel was slower because of the river crossings of animals and the 04 prisoners.  Before the prisoners were floated across the river, they took-off their blindfolds.  Nelson witnessed how they planned to float himself and the other 03 prisoners across the river – possibly an invention by the Comanches was a floatable boat that they folded-up when not used!  They used a buffalo hide!  A buffalo hide that isn’t prepared properly for a rug, coat or other pliable items (keep reading), will turn stiff.

Note:  Now I’m not sure exactly how the Comanches used the buffalo hide to make a floatable boat from a buffalo hide but I suspect they formed it like a flat cup, boat,… in order to displace water.

2nd Note:  Lucky guess, I was right.  I came across a photo and description of this “Indian buffalo boat.”

Nelson noted the boat was small but still big enough for a grownup to fit into – in his own words “each was seated in a little buffalo-skin boat.”  The 04 prisoners were ferried across the river.  To the bow (front of boat) of the boat was a hair rope which was tied to the tails of the mules that pulled them.

Let me pause real quick.  You can actually make a VERY STRONG ROPE from grass.  It’s very time-consuming but can be done.  I and a dozen other SERE students used a grass rope for climbing.  It was very durable and probably still exist today!  Natives in the highlands of Peru use grass to build huge grass bridges over deep ravines.  An estimated 22,000-feet of grass are used to build these grass bridges which last and are rebuilt once a year!  They’re able to withstand the weight of several grown people at the same time.  As far as using HAIR, I haven’t tried it but why not?  I’m sure it’s very durable and strong too.  Let’s get back to Nelson.

05 April 1855 was like the other 02.  The 04 prisoners were blindfolded and bound to their mule.  Again, they were hit by branches, had burning horse meat thrown on them and staked spread eagle when they slept.

06 April 1855 was the 4th day of travel.  Nelson heard the Indians shouting at someone afar.  Replies were faint but as they travelled the replies grew closer.

They were closing on a main camp.  The 04 prisoners were untied from their horse and blindfolds removed.  The 04 prisoners were surrounded by up to 600 Indians.  The Indian chief arrived and again Nelson was handed the watch.  The chief wanted to hear the watch ring!  And that’s what Nelson did.  Again, they were amazed!

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Comanchee TeePee:  Nelson estimated the camp to have about 400 teepee tents.  In the center of the rows and rows of tents was a “lodge” where the one of the chiefs (civil) lived.

The tents were constructed from buffalo hide and 10 – 20 foot poles.  The poles (07 – 09) were secured in the ground in a circle about 03 – 04 feet apart and aimed diagonally towards the center but not touching.  Buffalo hides sewn together were secured around the poles.  An opening was covered by another buffalo skin acting as a flap.  It had a weight at the bottom of it.  In the top of the teepee was a small opening for venting (smoke).  To prevent flooding, there was a deep narrow ditch dug around and close to the teepee.  A small firepit was centered in the teepee.

The village was always located near water and woods at the same time.  The water was necessary and the woods broke the north winds in the winter and gave shade during the summer months.

Throughout that day and evening, the prisoners were again threatened by many Indians when they screamed at them threatening to impale their tomahawk in them or scalp them as they viciously pulled their hair.  Again, that night they were put to sleep – tied-up spread eagle.

07 April 1855 was different in that Nelson was allowed to eat breakfast with the civil chief (there is also a war chief).  A large piece of horse meat was placed on a long stick, the stick was placed in the ground so that the horse meat cooked over the fire.

A side dish was boiled corn served in a dish which was a small section of bark.

A few hours later there was a council of about 50 Indians, Nelson knew they were talking about him several times.  At one time, again they wanted to hear the watch alarm but this time Nelson refused.  The council dismissed and they gathered just outside the camp about 1/4-mile away along with hundreds more.  Something was going to happen.

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Human Sacrifices!

Nelson was curious as to what was going on.  A big Indian secured him and escorted him outside the camp where he found Stewart, Martin, and Aikens naked and tied spread eagle vertically to standing poles.

Stewart and Aikens were side-by-side facing Aikens just 10-feet away.  Nelson was stripped and tied spread eagle to his 02 vertical poles facing Martin and Stewart.

The chief Big Wolf (civil chief) with several of his leaders stood by.  The war chief with 200 hundred Indians nearby and approaching slowly in a puppet-like walk.  Each Indian had a flint knife in one hand with a tomahawk in the other.  The long file of 200 Indians passed by Stewart and Martin.  02 of the youngest Indians broke ranks and scalped Martin and Stewart right then and there and got back in their places.  Both men still conscious the blood flowed down their faces.  They screamed, cried, begged for mercy,…  The file of silent Indians passed Nelson and Aikens with no scalping.

And they came around again, this time the Indians were screaming their chants and as   each of the 200 hundred Indians passed, they took their flint knives and sliced into the bodies of Martin and Stewart.

The cuts weren’t deep cuts to cause quick death but were cuts to inflict painful torture.  The file of 200 Indians passed and they came around again and sliced into the bodies of Martin and Stewart again.  Nelson and Aikens remained untouched.  And again the 200 Indians filed by screaming cutting into the two bodies till every square inch of their bodies were cut into.

The procession stopped and the Indians took a break.  Stewart cried and groaned while Martin kept screaming “Oh God have mercy on me.  Oh Father in heaven pity me.  Oh Lord Jesus, come and put me out of pain!”

Painful Note:  You ever had a paper cut?  It sure did hurt didn’t it?  Can you imagine having hundreds and hundreds of papercuts at the same time?  You see, Stewart and Martin were inflicted with HUNDREDS and HUNDREDS of paper cut-like wounds.  The pain was beyond explanation.  The reason the Indians barely cut the bodies of Stewart and Martin was because they wanted to inflict superficial cuts meaning there was no blood to protect the nerves.  Hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of nerves were exposed and SCREAMING OF PAIN!

Nelson and Aikens would look down to avoid the sight of this terrible torture but the Indians wouldn’t let them, they viciously grabbed their hair and pulled their head up forcing them to look at their dying comrades.  After the short rest brake for the Indians, they continued their procession of slicing into the 02 men.  After 02 more hours of this terrible torture, 02 warriors did a final 10-minute dance in front of the 02 dying men covered in their own layers of blood.  Upon completion of this dance, each Indian took out their tomahawks and impaled the shiny blades in the heads of Stewart and Martin ending the slow painful torture and their lives.  Their bodies were taken down and tossed to the side like they were dogs.

Now it was Aikens and Nelson’s turn.  They knew what was in store for them is what made it worse but they were surprised when they were taken down, redressed and escorted back to their separate camps.  The 02-hour torture of his friends haunted Nelson.  He was sickened and grew great hatred for the Comanche – vengeance was on his thoughts.  Suicide was also part of his thoughts – Nelson was a very brave, courageous, and honorable man – a Texas Ranger.

His many exploits and years with the Texas Rangers was proof of that but how could he be tortured for 3+ hours like his comrades Stewart and Martin?  But if Nelson had his choice he would kill as many of Comanches as he could and die honorably in hand-to-hand combat versus being tortured to death or suicide.

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Aikens Last Advice!

Days passed and Nelson wondered about Aikens.  One day Aikens was brought forward and they were allowed to talk.  Nelson was savvy but Aikens understood the Comanches.  He said they were spared because they “sacrificed” 02 at a time.  He told Nelson that his ringing pocket watch saved his life then and will keep him alive in the future and he should continue to pretend that ringing watch was linked to their god(s) which would make Nelson almost untouchable.  Aikens knew he was doomed; his fate would be that of Martin and Stewart.

Aikens last request that Nelson contact a friend in Corpus Christi, Texas and tell him of his fate.  He knew Nelson had a chance to survive his captivity and one day escape the Comanches.  Aikens was secured by his guard and that was the last known record of Aikens.  After the 01-hour talk with Aikens, Nelson had hope that he might survive his capture.

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Task Organized:  Days later Nelson was blindfolded and tied to a mule where he and a small group of Comanche travelled to another camp.  The camp looked like the last.  He learned the male Indians “smelled to high heaven,” they rarely took baths except on occasion during the warm summer months when the water was warmer.

The males did nothing.  They did no work in the camp.  The women did everything.  The males sole purpose was that of hunting and a warrior, that was their sole purpose – to hunt and to defend their camp and take the fight to their enemies (white man and other Indian tribes).

Days passed and the continued close guard over Nelson grew laxed.  They called Nelson “Chemakacho” which means “good white man.”  The civil chief, Big Wolf was his owner and Nelson his dedicated slave.  Whatever he wanted Nelson to do Nelson did and when he wanted the watch to ring, Nelson would make sure it rang.  The days turned into weeks and the weeks into months.  And Nelson their slave learned the ways of the Comanche.

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Comanche Ways!

The Comanches were superior horsemen.  They could get their horse to gallop at full speed and at the same time shoot their arrows from under the horses neck with deadly accuracy.

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Dressing And Preparing Buffalo Hides:  When they hunted deer they would bring the carcass into camp for the women to dress.  If a mustang (wild horse) or buffalo was killed, they would give directions to the carcass to the women who would go out and dress it.  The women would skin it and cut the meat in strips at the site and return with the meat and hide (buffalo).

To use the buffalo hide as a blanket, robe,… the women had a procedure that was a 6-week process.

Step 01:  The hide is placed on a flat log that’s about a foot wide.  The flesh is cut away using an adze (ax-like tool) till the hide-side is even throughout the hide.

Step 02:  The hide is secured to a frame and stretched and rubbed with a rough stone till the hide is spiny-like.  I believe this is done so the hide is able to absorb the concoction in Step 03.

 Step 03:  To insure the hide is pliable, a combination of pulverized fine brasswood bark and deer brains were rubbed into the hide every day for weeks (6) till the hide was permanently saturated with this concoction and forever pliable for the life of the buffalo hide.

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Comanche Burial!

Both the male and female Comanches were buried with all their possession including their horse (killed on site) in a pen of built-up dirt around them.  Bark was placed over them with more dirt on the bark.  Their heads facing west.  They believed the fallen Comanches would resurrect facing east and using their needed possessions, march that direction to drive off the white man to the east where they came from.

–Signaling:  The Comanches had a communication system to alert and inform other tribe members.  The following are some of their signals that would be written on birch bark and left on the trail.

War Path:  A drawing of a tomahawk or scalp.

Visiting Tribe:  A drawing of a pipe.

Hunting Buffalo or Deer:  Hair of deer or buffalo enclosed in the birch bark.

Gone For A Month:  Drawing of a full moon.

Gone For 02 Weeks:  Drawing of a half-moon.

Gone For A Few Days:  Drawing of a new moon.

Direction of Travel:  They’d cut into the trunk of a tree with their hatchet facing the direction of travel and insert the birch bark into the incision.  The exposed piece of birch bark pointing the direction of travel.

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White Slaves!

Approximately July 1855, Nelson witnessed 04 girls that seemed out of place.  Their complexion was different as was the way they walked and their hair was lighter.  From a distance he saw them bathe in the river.  They washed off all the paint on their faces – they were white women – captured white slaves!  Nelson tried to get information about the 04 girls but figured they were captured when they were small and were now immersed in the ways of the Comanche.

Nelson also witnessed a male captive brought into camp the way he was brought in months ago.  Nelson wanted to talk to him but they denied him.  The captive was later tied and blindfolded and taken away.  Chiefs from other tribes would visit and Nelson was ordered to make the pocket watch ring and he did so amazing the visiting Chief!

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Lassoing Bear:  Approximately November 1855, Nelson was ordered to mount a mule (free) and ride with the civil chief Big Wolf and 06 of his warriors.  Nelson noticed a bear in the distance.  Nelson witnessed a fantastic display of lassoing as was done to him when he was captured (see 03 April 1855).  He witnessed expert lassoing by Mexicans but the Comanches were far superior!  Each warrior had their own lasso.  Two warriors galloped towards the bear.  One Indian lassoed the bear around the neck and pulled him off his feet and the other Indian lassoed one of the bears hind legs and they stretched the bear pulling their lassoes in painful opposite directions.  The bear was finished-off and skinned and the meat eaten that night.  The hide, meat was used and the oil taken from the bear is used for hide preparation.

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Water Container:  Nelson prepared the meals for Big Wolf but always tasted his food and drank his water prior to Big Wolf consuming it.  Nelson wasn’t sure why they made him do this.  Big Wolf’s water container was a hollow buffalo horn that held about a few cups of water.

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Texas Ranger Is Sold!

The next day, the group arrived at the neighboring tribe.  They were in the camp of Spotted Leopard.  Later that day, Nelson heard the alarm and he was ordered to the center of the village.

Nelson had a flashback of the brutal tortures of Stewart and Martin and he thought this is his time.  There was a ceremony and Nelson was sold to Spotted Leopard.  Nelson brought a good price!

He was traded for 120 horses, 03 pack mules and piles of furs.  Nelson disliked Spotted Leopard from the beginning.  Four days later Big Wolf returned and there was a ceremony.  Nelson was given the pocket watch and he made the alarm sound several times entertaining both Chiefs, warriors and squaws.

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Nelson’s Escape!

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Escape Recon:  Since his capture, Nelson always had escape in his mind.  Enslaved under Spotted Leopard, his escape was now more probable.  As the months and years went by they were letting down their guard.  Nelson made it a point to learn all the routes and land around him.  One day he would escape.  And that day soon came.

Searching the land for its concealment and routes to the closest settlements even if they were many days away – he decided to escape even though they gave him strict orders his privileged movement was limited to village only.  Nelson chose to leave about midnight one night.

Slowly crawling out of the tent he shared with Spotted Leopard (servant 24-hours a day), he slowly and quietly maneuvered towards some thick vegetation that would hide him.  Nelson was soon met by a growling dog showing his teeth, then another and another till he was completely surrounded.

The dogs growled, snarled, and ready to attack and now they were waking the Indians around him.  Lucky for Nelson, the Indians were half-asleep and simply yelled at the dogs to shut-up.  Nelson put himself in reverse and went back to his tent and went to sleep.

Nelson’s new strategy was to stretch and bend the rules they put on him.  He’d go beyond the village a little bit and return.  He’d stretch it and stay away longer.  Eventually he wandered as he pleased.  They trusted that he would always do his chores and return like a dog.

Then one day at dusk he decided to escape taking advantage of the vegetation and the light between late afternoon and dusk.  With this lighting at a distance it was difficult to distinguish between an animal and a man.  Off Nelson went into a ravine for concealment but he didn’t get far.

Three braves on horseback thought his movement suspicious especially at that hour.  Nelson immediate took out his knife and pretended to gather fuel for fire for the evening meal.  The braves knew better and snatched him up and took him to the village.

The braves and the chief talked and Nelson was immediately staked down on his back in the tent and he thought that was the end of it till Spotted Leopard took out his knife and cut his tendon behind his right knee.  Nelson was tied down for 02-weeks and the chief bent Nelson’ right leg back & forth and reopened the wound to insure it wouldn’t heal properly – thus crippling Nelson for life and preventing future escape.

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Few Have Seen Indian Ways!

As time passed, Nelson saw what few white ever witnessed.  Nelson witnessed buffalo hunts, he witnessed fierce hand-to-hand fights between the Comanches and Apaches, he witnessed burial ceremonies, he witnessed escorts of hundreds of friendly braves escorting him and the Comanches safe passage back to their village.  Months passed when large group of Indians made camp near the village.

Something was going on beyond the village.  Later several braves secured Nelson and took him to the “party.”  Nelson’s blood boiled.  He saw a captured US cavalry soldier who was tortured.  He had a long stake driven through his heels and he was suspended upside down.  His ears were cut-off, his tongue drawn out.  He was sliced hundreds and hundreds of times throughout his body with flint knives like Stewart and Martin.

Nelson estimated that many pioneers and soldiers lose their lives every year with hundreds captured into slavery just like him.

Several months later Nelson witnessed 03 captured women brought to the village.  Their faces were painted but they were white women.  Their facial features and shape indicated this.  One of the women was over 60-years of age while the other 02 were probably 21 and the younger one 18.  The women were part of a wagon train which was making their way across the plains and continuously harassed by the Comanches.  The Comanches eventually assaulted the wagon train and killed all the men.  The men got off easy compared to the fate of the women who were sexually assaulted and enslaved forever.

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Tortured Slave!

When Nelson first saw them, they were already enslaved for 02 – 03 years.  The female slaves were worked daily and treated like dogs.  Unknown to them when they were no longer useful, the Comanches sacrificed them in a tortuous ceremony.  The elderly women did her best to maintain a capacity to work but her health finally failed her.  One day the 03 women were brought outside the village and staked.  The daughters were staked side by side facing their staked mother to witness her torture.  The mother was stripped of her clothing and put through the same slow torture as Stewart and Martin starting with being scalped.

This torture enraged Nelson.  He knew hundreds of captured white women were enslaved and tortured the same way as these unfortunate women.  Nelson had to escape.

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Sold To Rolling Thunder!

Chief Rolling Thunder was a frequent visitor of their village.  Nelson knew Rolling Thunder liked Nelson probably because of his pocket watch that rang like magic.  And sure enough Nelson was sold again and another ceremony marked the occasion.  The layout of Rolling Thunder village was the same as the others.  Nelson observed that Rolling Thunder was exceptionally intelligent and curious about the white man.

They had many conversation (broken language & sketches).  Rolling Thunder applauded the great cities and rolling trains of the white man but expressed the white man race would be killed by the Great Spirit.  Roving Thunder was also very sociable, he even wanted Nelson to take a wife.  And sure enough Rolling Thunder ordered several Indian women for Nelson’s inspection.  Nelson finally picked one, a petite squaw and married – her name was Sleek Otter who’s fame was that she was an excellent swimmer.

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 Fight To The Death!

Nelson was lucky that his chosen wife wasn’t wanted by a warrior brave which was the case of 02 warriors wanting the same squaw.  Both warriors had their differences brought before the tribal council before; but they just couldn’t settle on a peaceful compromise.

One morning towards the end of autumn, both warriors were brought forward to fight to the death over a squaw.  Both were centered in a large ring formed by the tribe.  Each warrior was tied together at their left arms using buffalo hide.  In their right hand each was given a knife with buckhorn handle with a blade about 09-inches long.

Both warriors stood by for the signal to start.  The signal was given and the fierce fight was on but didn’t last long.  Both warriors embedded their knives in the others neck which brought forth huge amounts of spurting dark blood.  Both warriors immediately dropped to the ground and died in the ring.

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Buffalo Hunt Recon:  Several days later Nelson, Chief Rolling Thunder, and a dozen warriors went on a recon to find buffalo for their annual buffalo hunt.  Nelson crossed some beautiful yet killer terrain (steep ravines, cliffs, huge valleys…).  He was studying the terrain for escape was still on his mind.  Rolling Thunder called Nelson forward.

He wanted to remind Nelson that the Great Spirit would eventually kill the white man for he showed him an abandoned and decaying town in a distant valley.  Nelson could barely make out a church steeple and a road or two.

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Another Attempt At Escape!

Several month later – spring time, escape was always on Nelson’s mind, he knew if he attempted another escape and was caught his punishment would be severe at best if not a tortured death like his comrades Stewart and Martin.  Escape was one thing but evading the Comanche warriors and starvation were serious concerns.  The group eventually returned to the village.  Days passed and the perfect opportunity for escape arrived.

Chief Rolling Thunder ordered Nelson to prepare for a long journey of 03-days to the north.  Chief Rolling Thunder was going to a convention with other chiefs.  The convention was to peacefully unite all the surrounding tribes and to join together to fight the white man.  The chief mounted a superior strong horse while Nelson mounted his slow stubborn mule.  Saying goodbye to his wife Sleek Otter off they rode to the north.  That evening they stayed the night at neighboring tribe of Chief Wild Horse and left the next morning after a mustang steak breakfast.  That night they would spend the night at another friendly tribe.

On their route they stopped for water.  Rolling Thunder ordered Nelson to get him some water using the chief’s buffalo horn.  Nelson had trouble getting clear water in the horn for most that entered it was mud.  Chief Rolling Thunder saw his trouble and decided to drink directly from the creek.  With the chief’s face in the water, Nelson saw his chance.  He secured the chief’s hatchet hanging from his horse’s buffalo saddle and buried the dull edge of the hatchet into the chief’s brain.  Nelson grabbed the chief’s knife, hatchet, and rife, mounted his strong horse and rode off to the land of freedom where ever that was.

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Nelson’s Evading And Survival Tricks!

Evading for his life, Nelson backtracked a few miles to get on a narrow trail that headed west.  During his evasion Nelson came across some very dangerous terrain that was slowly taking its toll on himself and his new horse.  He came upon some bluffs – cliffs that were so high, looking down he became dizzy.  Nelson could see nothing but a beautiful maze of unforgiving steep mountains complimented with their valleys.  During his initial evasion Nelson knew when Chief Rolling Thunder’s body was found, messengers would be sent throughout this vast wilderness to all the other tribes to capture him and he knew what was waiting for him upon capture.  These Indians knew the territory like the back of their hand and could track him down.  Nelson had to get to safety.

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Stubborn Dinner:  Nelson’s mule had followed him and he made good use of it.  Nelson cut its throat and dressed it for meat.  He easily got strips of meat back legs weighing about 10 pounds.

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Fire-Starting:  Nelson gathered some firewood to cook the mule meat.  He used gunpowder to start a successful fire.  Cooking the meat, he ate plenty then and jerkied more for several days in the future.

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Canteen Bladder:  Nelson had food but needed a way to store water.  The buffalo horn was good for retrieving water but not for storage and carrying it like a canteen.  So Nelson used the mule’s bladder.  He cut it out, blew it up by blowing into it and dried it so it kept its shape.  Nelson had a canteen which he filled with water and tied-off with a buffalo string.

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Surrounded By Predators:  Nelson made an almost fatal mistake.  He killed and dressed the mule in his camp.  That night he was surrounded by predators that could smell the kill miles away.  Panthers, wolves,… surrounded him.  They were so close he could hear them snapping the small twigs below their paws.  Nelson was up all night with the rifle at the ready.  He realized the fire saved his life from attack – keeping the animals at a distance.  From this almost fatal mistake Nelson learned to NEVER kill & dress game at the campsite again.

Nelson wandered through the maze of peaks and valleys always on the lookout for Indians.  For days he made his way through the unforgiving terrain and it was taking its toll on himself and his horse.  Cautiously Nelson ALWAYS reconned before entering an area.  He observed looking as hard as he could for any signs of Indians.

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1st Venison Kill:  Nelson brought down a deer with his rifle and this Nelson insured he kept a safe distance of 40-miles from the deer’s carcass where he dressed it (hindquarters) and where he made camp.  Nelson stated venison when properly prepared will preserve longer than any meat he knows of.  He prepared and ate plenty there and made venison jerky for his days of travel ahead.

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Navigation:  Two weeks in his evasion, Nelson was sure he was wandering in virgin territory.  The wilderness was absolutely beautiful yet unforgiving.  Nelson used the sun as a navigational aid during daytime and used the North Star to navigate at night.

See   www.survivalexpertbooks.com/navigation

Nelson and his horse were in a pitiful state.  Nelson came to a spot at a base of a mountain where there was vegetation for the horse, and water for both of them and deer to replenish his food stores and clothing.  He stayed there for 12-days trying to heal.

Shooting 04 or 05 deer, Nelson made good use of them with food, clothing, moccasins,…  He used the brains of the deer to prepare the buckskins for long life.   He even stacked-up rocks for an outdoor fireplace.

Nelson set out but his horse was beyond repair.  Nelson walked the horse leading him but he knew he had to separate and walk out to safety.  Nelson took his belongings and threw them over his shoulder and walked off.  Several days later Nelson found water gushing out of a rock!  He wanted to stay there, but the rest that night brought him to his senses.

It was now 56 days into his evasion, Nelson found a shaded area to rest.  Startled out of his restful sleep, Nelson heard the crack of a round (the “crack” of the round means a bullet just whizzed by your head – believe me)!  Nelson first thoughts were the Comanches found him.  Relieved, a Mexican fired the shot at a deer.  The Mexican rode up alongside him and spoke Spanish which the veteran Texas Ranger understood.

The Mexican took Nelson back to his camp where the others were astonished at Nelson’s appearance.  He related his 03-years of capture.  They eventually took Nelson into Mexico where Nelson stayed for 06-week under the care of a physician at San Fernandez, Mexico.  Nelson went to Havana where he eventually took a ship to back to Texas.

On 10 November 1858, Nelson finally arrived to the safety of the United States.  Arriving at a port in Texas, Nelson made his promise to Aikens to reveal his fate to a friend in Corpus Christi, Texas.  Nelson’s long survival began on 03 April 1855 and finally came to an end when he stepped foot back on safe US soil on 10 November 1858.  More than 03 1/2 years in Comanche control and evading the Comanche, Nelson survived the impossible.  I hope you learned the from Nelson’s experience and realize what the pioneers experienced to settle this great land.  Maybe you can copycat or you’ve added more of these survival applications, techniques, and tricks to your already BIG bag of tricks so you’re ready Anytime Anywhere!

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