Please help identify the "John Pitman" who was in Bourland's Regt, then about September he shot and killed "Henry Rour" about 6 miles southwest of Meunster, Cooke County, in a place that is today called "Rour Springs."
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I cannot find this John Pitman in the census but did find him in Bourland's Regt. His name may also be William since Gunnar Brune found a record that showed "William Pittman" killed Henry Rour. See my Editor's note between the between the two rows of five asterisks.
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Henry Rour is listed as "Henry F. Bous, 24 TN" on 1860 Cooke Co TX, p224.
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Below is part of an October 15, 1864 bill of particulars filled with accusations hurled at Bourland and Bourland's Regiment by an unnamed person who wrote eight pages including the names of 28 men of Bourland's Regiment. Since this document was found in THE QUAYLE PAPERS, and Major Quayle was replaced by Throckmorton in early October 1864. TX Governor Murrah had appointed TST Brig-Gen. J.W. Throckmorton to expand his command to include Major Quayle's command headquartered in Decatur, Wise County TX.
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Specification 5th. In this that he the said Jas. Bourland, Col. Comdg. the Border Regt., (P.A.C.S.) did on or about
the 20th of June last start some prisoners from Gainesville to Bonham under Guard, among whom was a Mr. [J.]
Pittman.
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Editor’s note: “COOKE COUNTY: Twelve kilometers southwest of Meunster are Rour Springs. In the 1860s both
the William Pitman and Henry F. Rour families used these springs. A disagreement arose between them.
Pitman shot and killed Rour, and was hanged for the crime.” Brune’s SPRINGS OF TEXAS, p135.

John Pittmann was in Bourland’s Regt., “July 1864 return ‘to lay in supplies for his family’"; “October
1864 return ‘to away with leave’.” It makes sense that in October 1864, the record keeper knew where
Pittmann was located.

Brune’s records that his name was “William Pitman” and yes, his name could have been John William
or William John Pitman.
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Said Pittman was by order of said Col. Jas. Bourland taken from the camp guard and placed under a special guard
selected by Col. Jas. Bourland with the instruction with the Special Guard that if the said prisoner Pittman should get
away, or be killed between Gainesville and Whitesboro [Grayson County], to send his (Pittman’s) horse back to
Gainesville and turn it over to the AQM. On arriving at Whitesboro, the said Special Guard was instructed by said
Col. Jas. Bourland that said Pittman was a bad man and would attempt to make his escape by snatching their arms, or
otherwise, and upon the slightest attempt on the part of said Pittman to escape, to shoot him. With the above
instructions the two Guards proceeded though separately to within some 6 miles of Bonham, where both guards
camped the 2nd night after leaving Gainesville, And where the said Pittman was, by order of the said Col. Jas.
Bourland, turned over by the Special Guard to a 2nd Special Guard which the said Col. Jas. Bourland had selected,
and by then murdered during the night while laying upon his blanket, and the said Jas. Bourland, Col. Comdg. Border
Regt., T.C. [Texas Cavalry] (P.A.C.S.) did fail or neglect to arrest the murders [sic, murderers], and, investigate the
matter above alluded to according to Civil or Military Law (also he knew that the murder had been committed).
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Gunnar Brune, SPRINGS OF TEXAS, College Station TX, TX A&M Press (2002) 566pp.
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Again, who was Henry F. Rour?
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Who was "John Pittman" or "William Pittman"?
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Patti, prochette@Juno.com
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