Comanche raids were frequent in the San Antonio area, and Maverick joined the militia. When an attack was noticed, the church bell would ring, and Maverick and his fellow militia members would have to be ready to leave within 15 minutes. They would chase the raiders with the hopes of recovering captives and any stolen goods. Maverick participated in the Council House Fight on March 19, 1840, as the citizens of San Antonio attempted to capture or kill a band of Indians who had reneged on previous agreements to return captives. Two days after the fight, Maverick left for New Orleans, leaving his family under the protection of his wife's two brothers. During his trip, he collected money from rents on various properties and sold more of his lands in Alabama and South Carolina. He used the money to buy two years of provisions, which he shipped to Linnville. Before he could escort the goods to San Antonio, a band of Indians led by Buffalo Hump raided Linnville and destroyed all of the supplies.