Need Some Historical Assistance

[Capt Hamp Cox]

Have been researching early Texas Rangers and have encountered a character named AGATON (see excerpt below about Captain Jack Hays) or AGATON QUINONES (in another source).  Would like to find out more about this AGATON, but have been drawing a blank.  Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Hamp

"In the next expedition, made in April 1841, Hays took more vigorous measures. A considerable trade had sprung up on the Mexican border between the Texans and Mexicans. The traders brought into San Antonio beans, sugar, flour, leather, shoes, and saddles, to exchange for calico, bleached and unbleached, tobacco, and American hardware. Early in 1841 two of these traders left San Antonio with a heavy cargo and were attacked by a band of freebooters under Agaton.
Hays set out immediately with twelve Americans, including himself, and thirteen Mexicans under Captain Antonio Perez, a daring Indian fighter and citizen of San Antonio. On their way down, they stopped at Antonio Navarro’s ranch to bury two Mexicans killed by the Comanches a day or two before. On the third day out, an express rider passed post-haste in the night carrying the news from San Antonio that the Texans were coming. The result was that the Rangers were met ten miles from Laredo on April 7 by Captain Garcia with a party of about thirty-five men who had come out to capture the gringos. They rode up to the Texans sounding a bugle, made an attack, crying out to Hays and his men to surrender or they would be overwhelmed by superior forces. Some shots were exchanged, and the Mexicans withdrew, leaving one dead on the field. The six-shooter, which enabled men to fight on horseback, was not yet in use, and in the fight that followed, the Texans would dismount, charge the Mexicans, then mount and follow. Finally, the Mexicans dismounted and made a stand, the Texans charged, drove them from their position, and captured their horses. The Mexicans grounded their arms and called for quarter, with the exception of the captain and three wise men who remained on horseback. The Rangers found three dead and three wounded on the field, took twenty-five prisoners and twenty-eight horses with saddles and bridles. Captain Garcia carried the news of his defeat to Laredo with the result that consternation prevailed and many of the residents jumped the river.’ The alcalde came with a white flag to beg that the Texans spare the town and to accede to any demand that might be made. Hays told him that all he wanted was Agaton and protection for the traders to San Antonio. The Rangers, who had received no injuries, then set out for San Antonio with their prisoners."

[Tres Equis]

Tried the Texas Ranger Museum in Waco?

[williamlayton]

UT has a good library and has pretty much cross refrrenced it. Why doan ya mosey down there, if'n ya can find sumbody to drive ya, an spend a day. I'm thinkin ya will find what your lookin for.
Blessings
Ps--let us know what ya find. I'm lookin thru some stuff I got. I don't remember tha name, but then thas why I carry a DL, I'll see what I can dig up.
Blessings II

[Big Hext Finnigan]

Found this reference online.
http://www.theoutlaws.com/heroes3.htm

By now, the young Captain’s reputation proceeded him just about anywhere he scouted. In early 1841, he took a small scouting party to check out the rumors that Mexican troops were assembling in the Laredo area for an invasion of San Antonio. Although his Rangers saw a few enemy soldiers and were not challenged when they boldly rode through town, he decided to make his point about Mexican banditry and cattle stealing known to the Mexicans anyway. He ordered his men to drive a large herd of Mexican horses back to their camp. When he returned them the next day, he sent a note along stating that Texans would be willing to fight enemy troops, but would not rob peaceful citizens. He explained that the horses had been swiped "merely to let the Mexicans know that if we chose to retaliate the robbing which had been committed on the Americans, we were fully able to do it."

The warning was ignored. One month later, in mid-March, bandit Agaton Quinones attacked and robbed two traders near Laredo. Hays and his Rangers were promptly in pursuit. He had twenty-five men, which included twelve Rangers and thirteen volunteers. They were intercepted by Captain Ignacio Garcia and his thirty-five seasoned Mexican cavalry. With Captain Garcia’s ultimatum of surrender or die ringing in their ears, the Texans dismounted and charged. Stealing through the thick underbrush before opening fire was a favorite tactic Hays had learned from watching the Comanche, and it worked splendidly against the Mexican cavalry. With nine dead Mexicans, twenty-five taken captive, along with twenty-eight horses, Captain Garcia retreated to Laredo, where the alcalde timidly emerged with a white flag of truce. Hays had only two demands: turn over the marauders, and give assurance that traders would be protected going to and from San Antonio. When these conditions were promised, the Ranger released his prisoners.

[Capt Hamp Cox]

Appreciate your help, Guys.  Hext, what you found and what I posted are the only significant references I have been able to find (other than brief mention in a period Houston newspaper article about Agaton's men making a raid on the outskirts of San Antonio).  3X, I hadn't really thought about the Ranger Museum.  I had gone there while researching my Ranger ancestors, and found I had more info than they did.  Ended up leaving them more than I took away.  However, I was not interested in Agaton at that time, and they may very well have something on him.  Thanks for the suggestion.  A couple of weeks ago I made my first visit to the State Archives in Austin, and if you've never been there, it is definitely a "must see" if you are researching or simply interested in Texas history.  It's quite an experience to be able to actually handle and read faded handwritten reports prepared and signed by Texas Rangers  like Capt. Cicero Rufus Perry and Lieutenant Daniel Webster Roberts, the first and second commanders of Company "D", Frontier Battalion in 1874-5.  One day was definitely not enough there, so guess I'll have to bite the bullet and drag myself back (kinda like Bre'r Rabbit and the briar patch).  Will also give me an opportunity to check out old williamlayton's UT recommendation.

[williamlayton]

I'm inclinded to determine that your fella has had his 15 minutes of fame and is lost to history. The only refrence I have been able to locate, in the material available to me, was in this exact context.
Walter Prescott Webb
The Texas Rangers
copywrite 1935
University of Texa Press
p69-70

following excerpts from the biblography:
President M.B.Lamar-collected material in preperation to writing a history of Texas. notes collected which are sketches by various characters including Hays.
The exact account you refer to is based on two accounts found in R.I.P.'s memoirs. His report to Branch T. Archer, Secty. of War dated 1841 and also published in the Austin Sentinel 4/22/41. Another account was also said to have been published in the Floresville Chronicle.

Lets us leave the man as only a footnote in history, a speck in a larger pile of sand, the contineous struggle for Mexico to reaquire the much debated Neueces Strip.
My only findings and thoughts on the man, Agaton.
Blessings

[Big Hext Finnigan]

It is interesting that the leader was specified by name, but then no other information or appearance.. You wonder if he got executed for bringing trouble to the Mexes in the area?

The study of history is always thought provoking, eh?
Adios,

[Capt Hamp Cox]

I kind of got the impression Agaton was operating with the blessings of the Mexican government, seeing as how that government at that time still disputed our claim to ownership of the Nueces Strip.

Following is the newspaper article I referred to previously, from Houston Morning Star Death Notices, 1842

Death of Col. PATTON--We have been furnished by a citizen of Bexar,
with the following particulars of the murder of this officer.  The
party of Mexicans who committed this outrage, are supposed to belong
to the band of Agaton, who is again on the Nueces:

"Col. W. H. PATTON was killed on the 12th inst., at his residence upon
the San Antonio river, about 35 miles below the city of San Antonio.
On the morning of his death, about sun rise, he went to the river as
he was accustomed to do, to wash, when he was fired upon by a party of
Mexicans, and instantly killed.  A man by the name of EATON, who had
gone to Col. PATTON's the day previous on some business for Mr. H.
ARNOLD, went with Col. PATTON to the river and was killed at the same
time.  The Mexicans, ten in number, then proceeded to Col. PATTON's
house, and rifled it of everything.  A woman at the house recognized
three of the robbers, namely Guadelupo VIDURRI, by whom the party
appeared to be headed; Ronaldo MARTINEZ, who had been a servant of
Col. PATTON, and left his employ last spring; and Leonicio CASTILLO.
The party were painted as Indians.  A German carpenter named A. QUIND,
who resided at Col. PATTON's, was taken at the house and it was
proposed to kill him also, but all the robbers not agreeing to it,
they desisted; they however took off his arms and tools."  6/30/42:2

[williamlayton]

I agree with your thought concerning him operating with blessings. We find this to be a continuous way of doing business along the Rio Grande. Some area wannabe finds power and following enough to declare himself a colonel or general and then send troops to rustle, rob or commit other acts.
Would be interesting if ya turned up something though. Good luck and good hunting.
Blessings