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FORT LARNED, August 4, 1868. To the Editor of the Kansas State Journal. We have recently compelled the Camanche Indians to deliver up to me, without ransom, a white female captive, a bright, intelligent girl about nine years of age. When first questioned by me she called herself Millie, but afterwards said her name was Melinda Ann Caudle, that at the time she was captured there was a boy also taken by the name of Temple. She undoubtedly lived in Texas. Her father's name, she says, is Green Mayne Caudle, and that her sister and her child, the female cousins and the brother of the boy, Temple, were killed by the Indians at the time of her capture. If you will publish the facts in brief and request Texas papers to copy for the purpose of assisting me to uncover the relations of this poor child you will be performing an act of humanity which I know your good heart would prompt you to anyhow, and also conferring a favor on your friend and most obedient servant,
E. W. Wynkoop,
Source: Wynkoop, Edward W., "The Camanche Captive", The Daily Kansas State Journal, Lawrence, Kansas, Sunday Morning, 9 August 1868, Vol. IV, No. 20, page 1, columns 1 & 2.
For more information on the Legion Valley Massacre of February 5, 1868, in which Melinda Ann Caudle and Lee Temple Friend were captured by Comanche Indians, I would suggest you read the following account: Legion Valley Massacre. Melinda was recovered by Ned Wynkoop in August 1868 and eventually returned to her parents. Lee Temple Friend "remained a captive until December 1872, and when finally recovered had acquired the language and culture of his captors. He did not readapt well and died on June 2, 1876, soon after having been returned to his family." Melinda, or Malinda as this source has her name, died on March 11, 1933, in Marble Falls, Texas. These raids into Texas by Comanche bands had a rather surprising source, as explained in an editorial entitled "Rewards for Enemies and Punishment for Friends", which appeared in the The Daily Kansas State Journal on the same day that Ned's account of Melinda's rescue appeared: ". . . Now what are the facts in this case? At Medicine Lodge Creek Council last fall, when remonstrated with by the commissioners for making captures from the people of Texas, they replied that during the war they were encouraged by our officers and soldiers to raid into Texas and make captures of persons and property. They supposed it was all right to engage in this pleasant cavalry exercise. After it was explained to them that the "little unpleasantness" with our "Southern brethren" had been settled and that it was now wrong to make such raids, they agreed to abandon this practice, and stated that some of the Camanches of the staked plains who had not made a treaty with the Government, would doubtless continue to make these captures, and they thought they should not be held responsible for these acts as they had no control over them. As the New York Tribune justly observes: Now if these Indians procure captives from the raiding Indians, either by purchase or otherwise, and surrender those captives to our people, they are made to pay for it out of their annuities. A friendly service for which they are punished, instead of those Indians who committed the crime." I think life must have been very complicated and enormously frustrating for just about everyone back then. Chris
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