Letter dated May 9, 1840, to Mrs. Frances A. Thompson in Boston, from her brother Benjamin, regarding what would come to be known as the Council House Fight (also the Council House Massacre,) "I must inform you that Henry is no more, he was shot by an Indian at St. Antonio Texas." It goes on, " He was outside of the Court House while a council was held inside with 65 Warriors and when the commander of the station told them they were prisoners, they commenced an attack on the Texians and Henry was shot down, poor Edward is severely wounded..." Benjamin quotes a private letter to himself from a Col Bee, who says the incident was "unquestionably produced by the injuries inflicted on Miss Lockhart (the captive) and the Indians failing to bring in the other prisoners they promised." The historic fight occured during an attempt at peace talks involving the soldiers of the Republic of Texas and a party of Comanche chiefs. Matilda Lockhart had been captured two years earlier at the age of thirteen.Matilda's hideous wounds from constant torture and her utterly broken spirit enraged the Texans. This rage combined with misunderstandings and language barriers helped transform what was meant to be the beginning of peace treaty negotiations into a massacre in which seven Texas Rangers / militia and thirty-five Comanche were killed. Letter is in very good condition, clear and legible.