Mounds of history are caving into Wright Patman

Along the shores of Lake Wright Patman is buried a goldmine of early history of Cass County. However, this history is being lost, bit by tiny bit, as the bank breaks away and history falls to the shoreline below, only to be swept into the depths of the lake by the washing of the waves.

This history is of one of this area’s early civilizations - the Caddo Indians. There are three documented burial grounds along these banks, with the forces of nature having already eaten into the largest. The natural erosion along the steep bank slowly unearths human remains, along with burial offerings tucked into the graves of these early Americans.

Queen City High School teacher Gary Endsley has visited this area several times over the years. He frequently takes some of his science students on excursions to help rebury pieces of skeletons which have been unearthed, all with the permission of the Caddo Indians.

“This bank needs to be reinforced to stop this erosion and prevent any more of these items from being lost in the lake.” said Endsley. “However, the Army Corps of Engineers, which takes care of the lake and surrounding state-owned land, has yet to do anything to preserve the artifacts or prevent the bank from continuing to erode. I keep in touch with the Caddo Indian authorities, either by letter or e-mail, and send them photos to let them know what we find when we visit,” he explained.

Endsley led another expedition to the area Saturday, with four high school students, Michael Styles, Kenny Rutledge, Amanda Fowler, and Catherine Hill, and Texarkana College Student, Jessica Brown, working on a research paper, along to discover history. As the group trailed through the woods, fighting an onslaught of mosquitoes, various vegetation and other features in the area were noted and identified.

The sandy soil was identified as Bowie Fine by Endsley. “This type of soil is always a good place to discover Caddo Indian sites,” he explained. “The Caddo Indians liked to farm and set up their campsites in areas with alluvium deposits. During that time, the lake wasn’t here, only a river.”

Endsley pointed to a dead log along the trail, with the center dug out. “This looks as if a bear’s been here.” he said. “A bear will dig into a log like this looking for worms and bugs to eat. It was probably a Louisiana black bear.”

While heading to the burial mounds. Endsley explained that there are actually three separate mounds, a small burial mound, a red clay capped terrace mound, and then a larger burial mound. “The clay capped terrace mound was probably reserved for the tribe’s hierarchy. There are several levels, and it is believed that those of highest importance to the tribe were buried on the upper levels, with the descending levels reserved for those of less importance.” The third and largest of the mounds was simply a common burial ground. The mound measures 90 by 68 meters.

“There are only two clay capped terrace mounds documented, one is here, and the other is in Shelby County south of Nacogdoches,” explained Endsley as the group trudged along the old trail thick with undergrowth. A Maryland Meadow Beauty plant was called to the students’ attention, and caution was urged around poison ivy plants. Endsley stopped at a spot along the trail and took a couple of steps off the path, surveying the ground. “There’s a small cemetery just over there,” he pointed. “Don’t too many people know about it. The reason that I do is because when I was in high school, I dug up a skull there. I got spooked and put it back,” he added.

Broken glass remaining from early settlers was picked up and examined, along with pieces of pottery and flint, before being dropped back to the ground. “That’s what has to be done with these bits of history,” explained Endsley. “You examine and try to identify them, then return them to the area.” It is illegal to remove any item or artifact from stateowned property without permission.”

The group descended down a steep, slipper}’ embankment and walked along the shoreline in front of the disintegrating face of the burial mound. As they went along, they examined the face of the cliff for any pieces of human bone which might be extruding.

Endsley also warned to beware of snakes, especially moccasins in the area. Along the shoreline pieces of freshwater clam shells were examined, and the paw prints of a small animal identified as a raccoon were discovered. “The Indians would eat the freshwater clams when they didn’t have anything else to eat,” said Endsley.

After following the shoreline, the length of the burial mound, the group climbed to higher ground where the telltale signs of individual graves were in abundance. “These are shallow three-feet graves,” Endsley told the group. “The graves were filled in with topsoil, making them easy to identify in the face of the bank, due to the different color. All were buried facing East, just like we bury people today.” he said. “Facing the rising sun.” The Indians also sported tattoos, explained Endsley. The tattoos told each individual’s lineage.

While walking across the top of the mound, the group searched the individual grave sites for protruding bones and discussed where modern man has dug into the graves looking for artifacts. “Sometimes when it rains bones will be revealed where people have dug into the graves looking for potter}’ and other grave offerings.” said Endsley. “We rebury any of these bones that we find.”

“These people are just grave robbers.” he said, obviously disgusted. “It’s no different than going to Pine Crest Cemetery and digging up somebody’s grandma.”

Endsley led the group to a large, sunken area in the ground. “This is believed to be the pit where some of Hernando DeSoto’s men are buried.” he said, pointing to the ground.

DeSoto. an early Spanish explorer in America, is credited for discovering the Mississippi River in 1541. History has it that he left some of his party behind with a tribe of Caddo Indians while he continued with his exploring. Upon returning to the Caddo campsite, he discovered the men, and all their belongings were missing and was told by the Indians that the Spaniards had left under their own power. The men were never seen again.

“There have been some local men who have dug in this pit and discovered Spanish objects such as some old coins,” said Endsley. “But we have been unable to examine these objects because the men are afraid of getting in trouble for removing the objects from state property. If we are ever able to prove that the remains of DeSoto’s men are in that pit then it will prove that he explored this area and will be a great discovery,” he said. “However, it is pretty strange that they would put the Spaniards in a pit in the middle of their own sacred burial ground.”

As the group headed back to their cars, Endsley discovered a Swamp Myrtle plant and crushed the leaves, rubbing the released oil on his skin. The oil is citronella, a natural mosquito repellent, explained Endsley, as he robbed the substance on his face and aims to protect against the army of mosquitoes, eerily doing their tiny part to protect the sacred grounds from invaders.