Per Sylvas - "By Way of the Woods"

April 21, 1836 - The Battle of San Jacinto

2009-04-21T07:32:00.000-07:00

The battle of San Jacinto was the concluding military event of the Texas Revolution. On March 13, 1836, the revolutionary army at Gonzales began to retreat eastward. It crossed the Colorado River on March 17 and camped near present Columbia on March 20, recruiting and reinforcements having increased its size to 1,200 men. Sam Houston's scouts reported Mexican troops west of the Colorado to number 1,325. On March 25 the Texans learned of James W. Fannin's defeat at Goliad, and many of the men left the army to join their families on the Runaway Scrape. Sam Houston led his troops to San Felipe de Austin by March 28 and by March 30 to the Jared E. Groce plantation on the Brazos River, where they camped and drilled for a fortnight. Ad interim President David G. Burnet ordered Houston to stop his retreat; Secretary of War Thomas J. Rusk urged him to take a more decisive course. Antonio López de Santa Anna decided to take possession of the Texas coast and seaports. With that object in view he crossed the Brazos River at present Richmond on April 11 and on April 15, with some 700 men, arrived at Harrisburg. He burned Harrisburg and started in pursuit of the Texas government at New Washington or Morgan's Point, where he arrived on April 19 to find that the government had fled to Galveston. The Mexican general then set out for Anahuac by way of Lynchburg. Meanwhile, the Texans, on April 11, received the Twin Sisters and with the cannon as extra fortification crossed the Brazos River on the Yellow Stone and on April 16 reached Spring Creek in present Harris County. On April 17, to the gratification of his men, Houston took the road to Harrisburg instead of the road to Louisiana and on April 18 reached White Oak Bayou at a site within the present city limits of Houston. There he learned that Santa Anna had gone down the west side of the bayou and the San Jacinto River, crossing by a bridge over Vince's Bayou. The Mexicans would have to cross the same bridge to return.

Viewing this strategic situation on the morning of April 19, Houston told his troops that it looked as if they would soon get action and admonished them to remember the massacres at San Antonio and at Goliad. On the evening of April 19 his forces crossed Buffalo Bayou to the west side 2½ miles below Harrisburg. Some 248 men, mostly sick and ineffective, were left with the baggage at the camp opposite Harrisburg. The march was continued until midnight. At dawn on April 20 the Texans resumed their trek down the bayou and at Lynch's Ferry captured a boat laden with supplies for Santa Anna. They then drew back about a mile on the Harrisburg road and encamped in a skirt of timber protected by a rising ground. That afternoon Sidney Sherman with a small detachment of cavalry engaged the enemy infantry, almost bringing on a general action. In the clash Olwyns J. Trask was mortally wounded, one other Texan was wounded, and several horses were killed. Mirabeau B. Lamar, a private, so distinguished himself that on the next day he was placed in command of the cavalry. Santa Anna made camp under the high ground overlooking a marsh about three-fourths of a mile from the Texas camp and threw up breastworks of trunks, baggage, packsaddles, and other equipment. Both sides prepared for the conflict. On Thursday morning, April 21, the Texans were eager to attack. About nine o'clock they learned that Martín Perfecto de Cos had crossed Vince's bridge with about 540 troops and had swelled the enemy forces to about 1,200. Houston ordered Erastus (Deaf) Smith to destroy the bridge and prevent further enemy reinforcements. The move would prevent the retreat of either the Texans or the Mexicans towards Harrisburg.

Shortly before noon, Houston held a council of war with Edward Burleson, Sidney Sherman Henry W. Millard, Alexander Somervell, Joseph L. Bennett, and Lysander Wells. Two of the officers suggested attacking the enemy in his position; the others favored waiting Santa Anna's attack. Houston withheld his own views at the council but later, after having formed his plan of battle had it approved by Rusk. Houston disposed his forces in battle order about 3:30 in the afternoon while all was quiet on the Mexican side during the afternoon siesta. The Texans' movements were screened by trees and the rising ground, and evidently Santa Anna had no lookouts posted. The battle line was formed with Edward Burleson's regiment in the center, Sherman's on the left wing, the artillery under George W. Hockley on Burleson's right, the infantry under Henry Millard on the right of the artillery, and the cavalry under Lamar on the extreme right. The Twin Sisters were wheeled into position, and the whole line, led by Sherman's men, sprang forward on the run with the cry, "Remember the Alamo!" "Remember Goliad!" The battle lasted but eighteen minutes. According to Houston's official report, the casualties were 630 Mexicans killed and 730 taken prisoner. Against this, only nine of the 910 Texans were killed or mortally wounded and thirty were wounded less seriously. Houston's ankle was shattered by a rifle ball. The Texans captured a large supply of muskets, pistols, sabers, mules, horses, provisions, clothing, tents, and $12,000 in silver. Santa Anna disappeared during the battle and search parties were sent out on the morning of the 22. The party consisted of James A. Sylvester, Washington H. Secrest, Sion R. Bostick, and a Mr. Cole discovered Santa Anna hiding in the grass. He was dirty and wet and was dressed as a common soldier. The search party did not recognize him until he was addressed as "el presidente" by other Mexican prisoners. One of the eight inscriptions on the exterior base of the San Jacinto Monument reads: "Measured by its results, San Jacinto was one of the decisive battles of the world. The freedom of Texas from Mexico won here led to annexation and to the Mexican War, resulting in the acquisition by the United States of the states of Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada, California, Utah, and parts of Colorado, Wyoming, Kansas, and Oklahoma. Almost one-third of the present area of the American nation, nearly a million square miles of territory, changed sovereignty."

From The Handbook of Texas Online

Texas Independence Day - March 2, 1836

2009-03-02T08:09:00.000-08:00

One of the most important documents in Texas history is the Declaration of Independence, adopted in general convention at Washington-on-the-Brazos, March 2, 1836.

Declaration of Independence of the Republic of Texas

UNANIMOUS
DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE,
BY THE
DELEGATES OF THE PEOPLE OF TEXAS,
IN GENERAL CONVENTION,
AT THE TOWN OF WASHINGTON,
ON THE SECOND DAY OF MARCH, 1836

When a government has ceased to protect the lives, liberty and property of the people from whom its legitimate powers are derived, and for the advancement of whose happiness it was instituted; and so far from being a guarantee for the enjoyment of those inestimable and inalienable rights, becomes an instrument in the hands of evil rulers for their oppression; when the Federal Republican Constitution of their country, which they have sworn to support, no longer has a substantial existence, and the whole nature of their government has been forcibly changed without their consent, from a restricted federative republic, composed of sovereign states, to a consolidated central military despotism, in which every interest is disregarded but that of the army and the priesthood – both the eternal enemies of civil liberty, and the ever-ready minions of power, and the usual instruments of tyrants; When long after the spirit of the Constitution has departed, moderation is at length, so far lost, by those in power that even the semblance of freedom is removed, and the forms, themselves, of the constitution discontinued; and so far from their petitions and remonstrances being regarded, the agents who bear them are thrown into dungeons; and mercenary armies sent forth to force a new government upon them at the point of the bayonet. When in consequence of such acts of malfeasance and abdication, on the part of the government, anarchy prevails, and civil society is dissolved into its original elements: In such a crisis, the first law of nature, the right of self-preservation – the inherent and inalienable right of the people to appeal to first principles and take their political affairs into their own hands in extreme cases – enjoins it as a right towards themselves and a sacred obligation to their posterity, to abolish such government and create another in its stead, calculated to rescue them from impending dangers, and to secure their future welfare and happiness. Nations, as well as individuals, are amenable for their acts to the public opinion of mankind. A statement of a part of our grievances is, therefore, submitted to an impartial world, in justification of the hazardous but unavoidable step now taken of severing our political connection with the Mexican people, and assuming an independent attitude among the nations of the earth.

Full text.

TEXAS DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE . . . . The Texas edict, like the United States Declaration of Independence, contains a statement on the nature of government, a list of grievances, and a final declaration of independence. The separation from Mexico was justified by a brief philosophical argument and by a list of grievances submitted to an impartial world. The declaration charged that the government of Mexico had ceased to protect the lives, liberty, and property of the people; that it had been changed from a restricted federal republic to a consolidated, central, military despotism; that the people of Texas had remonstrated against the misdeeds of the government only to have their agents thrown into dungeons and armies sent forth to enforce the decrees of the new government at the point of the bayonet; that the welfare of Texas had been sacrificed to that of Coahuila; that the government had failed to provide a system of public education, trial by jury, freedom of religion, and other essentials of good government; and that the Indians had been incited to massacre the settlers. According to the declaration, the Mexican government had invaded Texas to lay waste territory and had a large mercenary army advancing to carry on a war of extermination. The final grievance listed in justification of revolution charged that the Mexican government had been "the contemptible sport and victim of successive military revolutions and hath continually exhibited every characteristic of a weak, corrupt, and tyrannical government." After the signing of the original declaration by fifty-nine delegates, five copies of the document were dispatched to the designated Texas towns of Bexar, Goliad, Nacogdoches, Brazoria, and San Felipe. The printer at San Felipe was also instructed to make 1,000 copies in handbill form.

More.

White Smoke Brigade - Match 56

2009-02-10T07:48:00.000-08:00

The White Smoke Brigade’s Match 56 is scheduled for February 14th at 10am

1 single shot pistol match
Minimum of 3 rifle matches

Let’s try again for a revolver match

at our range site on the west side of FM 306 just south of Purgatory Rd

Look for the WSB sign by the gate

Bring your single shot pistols & revolvers

Is anyone interested in a campout Friday night at the site?

- Grey Wolf

White Smoke Brigade - Match 55 - 1/17/2009

2009-01-09T19:13:00.000-08:00

The White Smoke Brigade’s Match 55

January 17th at 10 am

1 single shot pistol match
Minimum of 3 rifle matches

Let’s try again for a revolver match

At our range site on the west side of FM 306, just south of Purgatory Rd

Look for the WSB sign by the gate

Bring your single shot pistols & revolvers

Saturday Film Shoot

2009-01-09T18:59:00.000-08:00

Sorry for the late notice, but I just got this today . . .

If you have the clothing, weapons and desire to participate in this event you can Google up the site location at this address
23800 Hamilton Pool Rd Dripping Springs, TX 78620

Hello everyone, I hope you had a restful and joyful holiday season.I am writing everybody to request our assistance for an upcoming project I am working on. On January 10th a film shoot recreating the Battle of Bejar will be taking place at Reimer’s Ranch in Dripping springs Texas on the film set of the 2004 Alamo Movie. This may very will be the last opportunity to see the set as it is rapidly deteriorating and will most likely not be up much longer. The shoot will be sponsored by Phillip DeLaPena,in an effort to create an interactive instructional prototype to be used in Texas History classrooms. Although reenactors will not be paid, in accordance with an agreement with the San Antonio living history association, the footage collected will also be accumulated into a recruiting video for S.A.L.H.A. and copies of high quality digital shots of reenactors on the period location will be given free of charge, lunch will also be provided. Details of the shoot are as follows:

TIME: Reenactors are expected at the site at 8:30, filming will begin promptly and last until at most dusk.

LOCATION: Reimer’s Ranch, Dripping Springs Texas on the Set of the 2004 Alamo film.

IMPRESSIONS: Participants are encouraged to bring as much clothing as possible since due to editing abilities all wIll be playing multiple roles, with emphasis on the following parts:
• Texan Volunteers
• Bejar Townspeople
• Mexican Soldados
• New Orleans Greys
• Mexican Officers

I hope all can attend, we are also looking for anyone interested in filling principal characters (Frank Johnson, Ben Milam, Deaf Smith, Gen. Cos etc.) Also, this filming is not exclusive, if you know of anyone else who may be interested please feel free to email me at phillipdelapena@yahoo.com so I can pass along more details to interested parties.

From - Phillip DeLaPena

You Might Be a Buckskinner if...

2008-12-13T19:56:00.000-08:00

Received this via email and thought it was too good not to pass on . . .

You Might Be a Buckskinner if . . .

You set up a hawk block in your yard.

You have a closet designated just for period clothing

You determine which new vehicle to buy based on the amount of camping gear can fit into it

You spent more money on beeswax candles than on light bulbs last year.

You display more canvas then the local art gallery.

The smell of wood smoke lowers your blood pressure and makes you smile.

You will pay $80.00 for a linen hunting shirt, but refuse to squeeze out $12.99 for a half-decent oxford at Wally World.

You proudly display historical weapons in your house, but your modern firearms are all in put away in a storage closet.

You go modern camping with friends and show up with candles, lanterns and no flashlights.

The power goes out and you grab candle lanterns instead of using the readily available flashlights.

Your house looks like an armory, museum and/or taxidermist shop.

You have various parts of animals laying around your house.

You have a separate room in your house designated for camping equipment.

Your wedding gift to your spouse has the word "baker", "wedge" or "wall" in it.

You look into the trunk of a friends new vehicle and think about how much gear you can pack into it.

You and your friends have a totally different meaning of the term "roughing it".

You think the participants on Survivor are wimps.

You see someone you've known for years and don't recognize them in modern clothing.

You have seen bed sheets, bed spreads or even drapes that you thought would make good clothing.

You've driven past some open land and thought, "What a great place for a rendezvous!"

You've worn wool even when the temperature tops 100 degrees.

Your kids can correct their history teacher.

You have been asked in a gas station if you are Amish.

In a conversation with a co-worker about camping, they all think you are insane when you tell them what type of gear you use.

You see a beautiful girl in a bikini and wonder what she looks like in a bodice.

Your $36,000.00 vehicle sits in the rain so your $200.00 tent can stay in the garage.

You plan the pregnancy of your child so it has the least impact on your re-enactment schedule.

You will eat items that have fallen onto the well trampled ground around a campfire, but not if it falls on your kitchen floor.

You have two levels of hygiene, "at events" and "at home".

You own your own artillery.

You annually dispose of your Halloween pumpkins by cutting them up with various tomahawks to test which one works best.

And Finally:

If you've contemplated relocating your family to another region that has more rendezvous.

White Smoke Bridage - Match 54

2008-12-08T08:30:00.000-08:00

White Smoke Brigade - Match 54

I have already heard that two of our faithful shooters won't be able to attend Match 54.

I'd like to know how many shooters to expect at the match.

The Grinch heard a rumor about it and has purchased a Kevlar vest. We'll have to aim high.

Remember, it takes balls to shoot the December match!

December 13th at 10am

1 single shot pistol match; Minimum of 3 rifle matches

Let’s try again for a revolver match

At our range site on the west side of FM 306, just south of Purgatory Rd

Look for the WSB sign by the gate

Bring your single shot pistols & revolvers

- Grey Wolf

Anyone want to be famous? Potential TV project . . .

2008-11-23T19:11:00.000-08:00

I was contacted via email by a casting producer for the ABC show "Wife Swap." Apparently they are looking for a "frontier family" to take part in an upcoming show. I am not sure about compensation, but if you ever wanted to be on TV without being on a daytime talk show or being caught in your front yard in your skivvies on an episode of COPS, this may be just the opportunity for you.

Here are the details:

ABC's Wife Swap Casting Frontier Era Enthusiasts for Primetime!
To Whom It May Concern:

My name is Danielle Gervais. I'm a Casting Producer for ABC's Primetime show, "Wife Swap." We're currently casting our fifth season and we're searching for dynamic families with plenty of personality to take part in the show. Specifically, we're looking for families who are passionate about re-living the days of the past through Frontier Era reenactments, battles or lifestyles. Whether your family embraces the Native American way of life or the lifestyles of the Frontiersmen and women, if yours is a family that loves reliving history, we want to hear from you! Families who participate in this documentary-style program are given a unique opportunity to share their beliefs, lifestyles with another family. I've included some further information about the show…if after reading it, you have questions or would like to speak with me directly, please don't hesitate to contact me. In addition, please don't hesitate to pass this email on to whomever you think may be interested in this unique opportunity.

In case you are unfamiliar with the show, the premise of Wife Swap is to take two different families and have the moms switch places in order to experience how another family lives. Half of the week, mom lives the life of the family she is staying with. After making her observations, she introduces several "rule changes," where she implements rules and activities that are important to her family. It's a positive experience for people to not only learn but teach about other families and other ways of life. Wife Swap airs on Disney-owned ABC television on Fridays at 8 pm- the family hour!

Requirements: Each family must reside in the continental U.S. and must consist of two parents and at least one child between the ages of 6 and 17. (There may be other children living in the home who are older or younger than the required age…as long as one child is in the required age range.)

Participating in the show is a very unique experience that can be life-changing for everyone. Families that appear on the show will receive a financial honorarium for lost wages, time and commitment. Anyone who refers a family that appears on our program receives $1000 as a 'thank you' from us.

I appreciate you taking the time to read this email and I hope to hear from you soon. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me! If you're interested in learning more, please include your contact information.

Ms. Gervaise can be reached at casting.daniellegervais@gmail.com

For more details, here's the flier.

- Many Rifles

Fire Ban for TFT Rendezvous IX

2008-11-10T19:06:00.000-08:00

Buckskinners!

There is a fire ban in effect in Wilson County (and others).

Big John is trying to get dispensation for the hog roasting fire.

Bring stoves for cooking and candle lanterns for Council "Fire", and maybe fuel lanterns with dimming control.

It's supposed to rain lightly for a couple of days then turn beautiful again.

I went to the site yesterday to drop off 12 hawk blocks. We will try hard to get a Knife & Hawk Walk set up on Thursday.

Stay below the horizon.......shinin' times are a comin'

- Grey Wolf and the Brigade

Muzzleloader Hunting Article Posted in the New York Times!

2008-11-07T18:41:00.000-08:00

My friend Erin just sent me over this article she saw in the NY Times online. It is all about a group of folks hunting with muzzleloaders in Minnesota - and also provides a limited overview of what blackpowder/muzzleloader hunting is all about.

The images in the slide show will probably offend some purists in our camp, but all-in-all, I have to say its a fairly positive article coming from a news source that isn't generally positive about hunting or gun rights.

Here are some highlights -

Past Is Back: Deer Hunting Frontier Style

IT was near sunset, a gray Saturday in the Chengwatana State Forest of east-central Minnesota, and a pair of whitetailed deer crunched through the forest. Frank Badowicz — clothed in leather and wool, moccasins on his feet — raised his gun and aimed, sighting down a doe.

Mr. Badowicz pulled the trigger. A spark and ignition, a roar from the barrel, and a musket ball flew — a sphere of lead exploding outward through smooth-bore metal in a chain reaction that’s centuries old but in revival today.

In the past decade, muzzleloading guns — a broad class of firearms loaded from the front, open end of the barrel — have been bought by tens of thousands of American hunters. A nostalgia for old ways, as well as new laws in states like Minnesota, where a special extended deer season bans modern rifles but is open to muzzleloaders, has prompted a rise in the popularity of guns long seen as obsolete.

More than three million hunters and shooting enthusiasts in the United States now put black powder and bullets down their barrels, mash the ingredients in with a ramrod, and hold up the gun to fire. That’s according to the National Muzzle Loading Rifle Association, an organization based in Friendship, Ind., that has 20,000 members.

Bill Young, a friend hunting with Mr. Badowicz and me during a special early season in October, said: “I appreciate the challenge of muzzleloading. You get one shot, and you’ve got to make that one shot count.”

Reloading the traditional guns that Mr. Young and Mr. Badowicz use takes up to 30 seconds, a multistep process that employs a powder horn, oiled cotton patches, lead balls, a gunpowder vial to measure and pour, and a pick to free soot accumulation in the flashpan. A ramrod then packs the ordnance down with a few taps, by which time the deer you were hunting — like the sunset doe Mr. Badowicz took a shot at — has long since bounded away.

The crew — friends and members of a local gun club — drove up from the Twin Cities to hunt for two days in mid-October. They wore blaze-orange vests with wool and leather clothing and carried traditional accouterments like glass flasks for water. Mr. Badowicz shouldered elk-hide satchels instead of a backpack. Like many muzzleloaders, they often run a vein of historical re-enactment through their outings, their hunting style little different from that practiced a century and more ago by settlers in the same woods.

Full article.

I think it's great to get positive national exposure for a our hobby. I don't know about ya'll - but I am looking forward to getting into some "buckskins hunting" this season!

Lead from bullets could pose risk

2008-11-07T18:33:00.000-08:00

Saw this article yesterday about the risk of lead bullets in wild game. This is something near and dear to my heart, as I have moved away from using all but black powder rifles for my hunts.

Lead from bullets could pose risk for game eaters

BISMARCK, North Dakota (AP) -- North Dakota health officials are recommending that pregnant women and young children avoid eating meat from wild game killed with lead bullets.

The recommendation is based on a study released Wednesday that examined the lead levels in the blood of more than 700 state residents. Those who ate wild game killed with lead bullets appeared to have higher lead levels than those who ate little or no wild game.

The elevated lead levels were not considered dangerous, but North Dakota says pregnant women and children younger than 6 should avoid eating venison harvested using lead bullets.

A separate study by Minnesota's Department of Natural Resources previously found that fragments from lead bullets spread as far as 18 inches away from the wound.

"Nobody was in trouble from the lead levels," Pickard said. However, "the effect was small but large enough to be a concern," he said.

Pickard said the study found "the more recent the consumption of wild game harvested with lead bullets, the higher the level of lead in the blood."

Officials in North Dakota and other states have warned about eating venison killed with lead ammunition since the spring, when a physician conducting tests using a CT scanner found lead in samples of donated deer meat.

The findings led North Dakota's health department to order food pantries to throw out donated venison. Some groups that organize venison donations have called such actions premature and unsupported by science.

Full article.

I think that most of us who hunt with blackpowder rifles have assumed this risk exists, but I am not sure that this would keep anyone from hunting the way they feel is right for them.

However, this is probably good news for Otter Woman, who isn't the biggest fan of deer meat. :)

Rendezvous IX promo

2008-11-03T11:57:00.000-08:00

Folks are invited to join Joe Wolf and the Texas Free Trappers at Rendezvous IX on November 14-16. 2008.

It is a reenactment of the fur trade rendezvous 1825-1840 where beaver trappers met the wagon train of supplies that came out of St. Louis in the summer to sell their pelts and buy their supplies. It was a time to meet old friends that had survived since the last rendezvous, drink bad whisky, gamble, have shooting, knife throwing, tomahawk throwing and archery competition, have horse and foot races, etc.

We don't do all of that, but we live a weekend in the 19th century as much as is practical and possible. Civilian clothing is the usual, though when the woolen and cotton clothing and leather boots they wore to the mountains were worn out they went to buckskins and mocassins. Weapons were the same as in Texas in the same period. Nothing modern is supposed to be in sight in camp.

The site is a 400 acre on historic Cibolo Creek near La Vernia. Indian dancer friends are invited. There will be a potluck supper Saturday evening with roast pig provided, and a Round Robin trading circle, so bring something to trade. Last year a piece of the Santa Maria's sail was traded for something equally valuable (tongue in cheek).

A Lipan Apache drum group that includes Jimmy Gonzales did a music program at Council Fire at Rendezvous VIII. They enjoyed themselves so much they say they are coming to Rendezvous IX and bringing some dancers.

Download the flier
Download the map

- Grey Wolf - wolfbear@gvtc.com

Shoot yeah - It's Match 53 time!

2008-11-03T11:53:00.000-08:00

The White Smoke Brigade’s Match 53

November 8th at 10:00 am

1 single shot pistol match
Minimum of 3 rifle matches

Let’s try again for a revolver match

At our range site on the west side of FM 306, just south of Purgatory Rd

Let’s camp Friday night at the site……

Look for the WSB sign by the gate

Bring your single shot pistols & revolvers!

Grey Wolf - wolfbear@gvtc.com

TAB Fall Rendezvous Pictures

2008-10-26T10:06:00.000-07:00

I just posted some pictures that Otter Woman and I took yesterday at the TAB Fall Rendezvous in Lampasas, TX. We just went up for the day - we're not quite ready to overnight with Little Otter - but we wanted her to get to see her first rendezvous.

Pictures are here.

It was a great event in an amazing location - canopied by pecan trees and on the banks of a live creek. The weather was nice and warm during the day and cold at night. Quite a different experience from our first rendezvous there (anyone else remember May 2001?).

If you have any other pictures you'd like to post from the event, please send them over!

- Many Rifles

Burn Ban Update on TAB Rendezvous this weekend

2008-10-23T18:40:00.000-07:00

Smoke-In-Face called me today and wanted to let everyone know that fires will be allowed at the TAB Rendezvous this weekend in Lampasas.

Everyone be safe and we'll see you out there.

WSB Match 51 - Postponed

2008-09-12T19:19:00.000-07:00

Hey all -

Gray Wolf gave the notice tonight that the White Smoke Brigade Match 51 has been postponed until next Saturday, September 20th at 10am.

Contact Gray Wolf for more details.

Everyone stay safe and out of the weather this weekend.

- Many Rifles

Notice from Grey Wolf about Texas Free Trappers' Rendezvous IX

2008-08-24T19:46:00.000-07:00

Skinners and pilgrims ................take heed.

The dates of Texas Free Trappers' Rendezvous IX have been changed to a week earlier.

A Civil War battle reenactment is scheduled on our original date and we find it best to change our dates.

The new flier is attached, as well as a map to avoid having to send it later to those who were unable to join us at our previous Rendezvous at the La Vernia site.

There were 30 registrants at Rendezvous VIII plus two youngsters whose registration is not required and our new Native American friends, The Running Waters Drum. They presented a drum and song program for us after council fire and enjoyed themselves enough to say that they will be at Rendezvous IX and bring along some dancers.

I hope to get some of our Native American friends that we will see at the "Celebrate Bandera" powwow over Labor Day weekend to be a part of Rendezvous IX.

The TFT brigade has been invited to set up a mountain man camp at "Celebrate Bandera" for the second time. We will be doing demonstrations and talking to visitors about the days of the fur trade. Period camps and campers are invited to join us there. Contact me for more information and/or to let me know if you will be there. We need to reserve plenty of space for lodges, knife and hawk, and possibly archery demonstrations.

At Rendezvous IX we can expect to meet some new reenactors who have found us. I was told that they do well researched "personas" of Cherokee and Seminole individuals and are ready to portray the 1810-1840 period with us.

We will have "Trader Bucks" ready to award as prizes, in addition to the black powder, so be there, traders!

Grey Wolf can be contacted at wolfbear@gvtc.com for more information.

This event has been posted to the events page - Many Rifles

Don Ogg

2008-07-20T21:06:00.000-07:00

I got the word this weekend from Smoke-In-Face that Don Ogg died late last week of a massive heart attack.

Ogg was one of my first friends at TAB and I'll miss him dearly.

I've posted a remembrance of him here.

The funeral service will be this Tuesday, July 22nd at Austin Street Baptist Church in Yoakum, TX and the interment will be at 2:15 PM at Ft. Sam Houston National Cemetary in San Antonio.

Texas Free Trappers - Rendezvous VIII Report

2008-06-09T13:23:00.000-07:00

Friends of TFT,

We thank you for taking part in our eighth rendezvous, the fourth one at the La Vernia site.

The event is growing, mostly due to your helping us to get the word out about the quality of the event and the beautiful site that a generous landowner allows us to use.

Previous participants will notice that we are constantly improving the facilities and targets. At Rendezvous IX we plan to have installed at least 12 knife and hawk blocks for a separate knife and hawk walk near the present blocks. There will be no pacing off of throwing distances allowed. We will advise that when a competitor walks to the block to retrieve his or her weapon a straight path should not be taken to and from the target block. This is to prevent fellow throwers from counting the steps to the block and gaining an advantage.

We plan to buy 3D archery targets so we can have an archery walk in addition to the matches we now have. However, they are so expensive it will probably not be in the near future. The catalogs I have seen have small game targets starting at around $100. We appreciate “Catfish” Jackson’s loan of his 3D deer.

At Council Fire the informal “vote” to increase registration fees for competitors in order to increase the number of prizes was noted. TFT members will discuss a new approach to awards, keeping the black powder prizes as a basis with options for less valuable prizes. Everyone should appreciate the current retail price of powder, though we buy it in quantity. Current retail price is around $20 per pound. In order to encourage Cuz to continue coming to rendezvous we will consider optional “Trader Bucks” that can be exchanged for his merchandise, probably in $5 and $10 denominations.

Would any ‘skinners be interested in a raffle for a valuable print or book on a fur trade subject?

Until interest and participation increase we will hold Round Robin trading separate from Council Fire activities. Now that you have seen how it works maybe you will come up with an object that you would part with in a trade for an equally priceless historic item.

I’m sure that everyone enjoyed the program that the Living Waters Drum did for us. The members said that they enjoyed being there and would return for Rendezvous IX….and would bring some traditional dancers. This is something I have been trying to do ever since my Taos Free Trappers rendezvous days in New Mexico, 1990-1999. We thank Jacob Nishimura and Jimmy Gonzales, two friends from San Antonio Living History Assn. and fellow reenactors of the battles for Texas Independence, for inviting the Drum and for demonstrating Lipan Apache and Plains Indian dances.

Many thanks are due to Cold Bear and Herb for preparing the meat for potluck supper. They also mow the site a few weeks before each rendezvous and pitch in at our pre-event work days. They do these things for nothing but the love of rendezvous and the many friendships they have formed.

The tentative dates for Rendezvous IX are November 21-23, with early setup day on the 20th. That’s the weekend before Thanksgiving.

One of my hopes is to bring to Council Fire a sharing of knowledge of the era of the fur trade. It is a subject that is almost totally ignored in our schools. The American Revolution gets decent coverage, the War of 1812 a tiny bit, the Lewis & Clark Voyage of Discovery gets some mention because of the passing accent on its 200th anniversary, then history skips to the Civil War. Texas schoolchildren get a small bite of the story of the struggle for creating the Republic of Texas and nothing of the War with Mexico to keep the entire southwestern United States. I have asked TFT members to study the characters of the fur trade and try to bring them to life at Council Fire. I encourage you skinners to do the same. I was inspired by a member of a club in New Mexico who talked for a few minutes about history at its semiannual rendezvous. He would pick a year between 1820 and 1840 and talk about what was happening in the US and the rest of the world that affected our nation. I am an enthusiastic fan of “painless history” that comes through living history reenacting.

Nitty gritty facts:

We don’t do rendezvous for the money, but try to cover expenses.
TFT members (there are 11 of us) do almost all of the work. 7 of us were at R VIII.
Non-member volunteers are welcomed.
Income from R VIII registrations was $230.
Expenses were 14 lbs BP - $168, retrieval rope for flying turkey target - $16, landscape timbers for hawk blocks and future hawk walk - $26, toilet paper for Taj Mahooter - $13, copying of scoresheets, etc. - $17 – total $240

Lost & Found:

Sony camera lens cap
stainless steel cup
stainless steel ladle
linked pair of ¼” x 9” bungee cords

Your thoughts and constructive suggestions are welcome; write, email or call me.

We look forward to seeing many of you at Fritztown Free Trappers Rendezvous in October.

Watch your back trail……………

- From Grey Wolf, 8 June, 2008

The White Smoke Brigade - Match 48

2008-06-08T19:28:00.000-07:00

June 14th at 10:00 am

Minimum of 3 rifle matches and 1 single shot pistol match.

Let’s try again for a revolver match at our range site.

On the west side of FM 306 just south of Purgatory Rd - click here for the map.

Look for the WSB sign by the gate
Bring your single shot pistols & revolvers

For more details contact Grey Wolf at wolfbear@gvtc.com

Stolen BP Guns - Ennis, TX

2008-05-24T14:31:00.001-07:00

I received this from Liz and Ken of Ennis, TX. Keep your eyes open!
Our home was robbed Thursday, May 22 and they took all our guns, including black powder ones. While some of them are common, a couple are pretty rare. Those of you in the North Texas area will notice that Canton trade days is coming up next weekend. Here's the black powder stuff they took, damn their hearts and curse their souls.

Navy Arms 12-gauge double barrel shotgun, black powder

Thompson Center Firearms Co.
.45 cal Cherokee rifle
.45 cal Seneca rifle
.45 cal Patriot pistol
.50 cal Hawkins rifle
.52 cal Renegade with Leopold scope
.58 cal Renegade with Green Mountain barrel

Ken and Liz Moucka Krajca

The White Smoke Brigade's Match 46

2008-04-10T19:03:00.000-07:00

April 12th at 10:00 am

Minimum of 3 rifle matches and 1 single shot pistol match

Let’s try again for a revolver match

At our range site on the west side of FM 306 - just south of Purgatory Rd

The new backstops are in place!

Look for the WSB sign by the gate

Bring your single shot pistols & revolvers

For more details contact Grey Wolf at wolfbear@gvtc.com

Fire Safety Tips

2008-03-23T19:41:00.000-07:00

With the three tents burning up at the SW, I thought it might be time for a little discussion on fire safety, and picking y'all's brains for ideas to keep us all safe. I have been coming to 'voos for nearly 6 years now, and have (knock on wood) never seen a tent fire till now. But I think all of us at the SW were conscious of how much we take for granted after that experience, and how lucky we all may have been before now. At the AMM doin's in January up in Linden, we had a spark jump the logs in our camp while we were all at the meeting and camp feed, but thankfully the neighbors woke up from a nap in their tent to go pee, and saw the grass afire and beat it out. It came within literally two inches of our diamond fly before they got it out

So, here's some fire safety tips for us Rendezvous-ers, gleaned from recent experience at the Southwestern, and other advice - please reply with additions to the list!:

1. Rules of most 'voos say you MUST have a fire extinguisher (A-B-C type is the one you need) and/or a two-gallon bucket of water near the fire at all times. DO IT. Booshways and dog soldiers, please enforce it. This isn't an arbitrary nit-picky rule, it could save your own life and your neighbors'.

2. Good idea to keep a burlap tow-sack or a piece of other strong cloth/blanket near that bucket, to wet the cloth/sack and slap out grass fires and early canvas fires. It is very effective and doesn't use up as much water as throwing it on the fire.

3. A thick wool blanket thrown over a fire will often smother it, they say.

4. Do not throw water on a grease fire in a skillet. A CLUMP of flour (not a thin scattering of flour, it will burn too) will smother it, so will putting a lid on it(safer), or using baking soda (but it takes a LOT of baking soda). Easiest is to find a lid (not glass, it will break. Do not try to carry the grease outside, you will get burned and drop it. Find a lid, tin plate, etc, and put it on it.

5. Better to make a canvas PC cover (labeled fire) for the fire extinguisher and keep it out, than in the tent or under canvas where it is hard to find.

6. If your tent has BLACK POWDER in it and it is on fire, let someone know! That way they don't get killed going in there when it blows up.

7. Ladies, be careful with those long skirts on and long loose sleeves, around the fire. Burning to death was a common cause of death among pioneer women. Stop, drop and roll.

8. Some of us geezers/city-slickers need/want heat in the tent at night. Some bring propane and keep it out of sight. As evidenced at the SW, this can go awry, but so can an open fire. Be careful with any source of heat in the tent or tipi. Leave the flap cracked a little to let in oxygen if you are burning propane, especially if you are sleeping on the ground - propane is heavier than air. Some propane heaters will cut off if the CO2 level gets too high, and we have never had a problem with John's, but a battery operated CO2 detector in the tent on the floor, might not be a bad idea. Propane safety info:
http://www.gasco-propane.com/Files/safety.html

9. "Fire-retardant" does NOT mean "fire-proof". ANY canvas will burn. Fire retardant means that probably a stray spark will not be enough to catch it on fire, but a steady flame source will ignite it every time.

10. wood vs. metal candle lanterns - we all love the ambiance of candle lanterns at a 'voo, but we have all seen the wood-framed ones catch on fire or nearly do so if the candle tips against the wood. Keep those outside the tent, and maybe think about getting a metal/tin-framed one to use inside. Be careful with that one too, if it tips over and the glass shatters, fire gets out of that one too.

11. Do not leave a fire unguarded. If you are leaving camp and have something cooking, ask your neighbor to come over and watch it. Better yet, stay in camp. Bank the fire at night or any time you leave camp, with dirt or thick ashes, so it doesn't flare up again and get out of hand. Of course, dig the usual fire pit and keep some logs around it too to contain sparks. Rake/hoe/dig the dry grass away from the fire area for a couple-three feet.

12. One guy said he taught his kids to sleep with their knives ON THEM, to cut their way out of a tent in an emergency (fire, grizzly attack, etc.). At least put it in the same place every night, within easy reach - like under the pillow, or right by the center pole next to the flashlight and hooter bag. If you had been in that tipi when the grass fire hit the only door, what would you do? I doubt if you could pull up the stakes and wriggle out under a tight canvas in time. A knife makes a handy "back door" anywhere you need it.

13. When there is a fire, yell "FIRE". You may think, "well, DUH!", but in a panic folks often yell other things that are not as effective. The Cajun guy yelled "help me", other folks at Bugs' fire yelled "bring water". Yell "FIRE" as loud as you can and repeatedly in all directions - that word alone tells folks what to do, and will wake them up. Designate someone to keep yelling "fire" to summon more help as you fight the fire. Maybe that is why Cuz and John and I slept through the first two fires, we thought it was just rowdy-camp noise from 40 feet away. I mean I was asleep, they probably did yell "fire", but I didn't hear it.

14. Booshways and future booshways, make sure you tell folks at the 'voo what county you are in so the campers will know what to tell 911 operators if they have to call out on a cell phone in an emergency. Tell or show the local EMS and firefighters and county sheriff how to find your remote campsite, before the 'voo. That will save time and possibly lives in an emergency situation.

15. Cigarette butts should never hit the ground at a 'voo (or anywhere else, for that matter). Do not flick your ashes onto dry grass or the hay-covered floor of a saloon or tent. Put it out safely and put it in the fire pit, or put it in your pocket to carry home to your trash. Spit on that ciggie-butt and make sure it is drowned out before putting it in MY trash, or I'll kick YOUR butt.

I am repeating the part about grass fire speed from the last email, in case you didn't have the patience to get through that long-winded one and read about it:
"Funny thing is, as I was driving home from the SW 'voo there was someone on the radio talking about fire danger and how fast a grass fire can move. He said it can burn along at 4 miles an hour. Now that may not sound too fast, but if you do the math, that is one mile of country in 15 minutes, so...(5280 feet divided by 15 minutes is 352 feet per minute - yikes!) that means a grass fire fueled by a high wind and dry grass CAN BURN AN AREA THE LENGTH OF A FOOTBALL FIELD IN LESS THAN A MINUTE. LESS. THAN. A. MINUTE. That's about SIX FEET PER SECOND. That is why George's tipi burned - only took a SECOND or two for that fire to jump the 8 feet or so to the canvas, even with him carefully watching and only 20 feet away. FIRE IS OUR FRIEND BUT IT IS A DANGEROUS BEDFELLOW..."

Dry leaves and pine needles burn just as fast as grass, and yaupon burns like Kleenex also. Yaupon and other brush and low branches makes a nice "fire ladder" up into the tree canopy in a forest, and it the fire gets up in that pine/cedar canopy, you and all your neighbors are literally toast unless you call 911 and get bulldozers in there to clear a firebreak and let fire trucks in to it, to stop it. I helped save my friend Paul St. Louis's house from a forest fire in the pine woods north of Bastrop one time, and it gave me a serious respect for fire. All I had experienced up to that time, were grass fires, but that big bad boy made a grass fire look like a birthday candle by comparison!

So anyway, I ain't trying to make anybody paranoid, just trying to keep my friends safe! I am by no means an expert on fire safety either, so please reply with any corrections or helpful hints/additions to this list, so we can all be safe and relax and have a good time, knowing we have taken all reasonable precautions. After we get a few more good suggeations, hints, and advice, let's pass this on to other 'voo groups, so we can all be aware and safe. Yeah, I know I used "safe" a lot in this last paragraph, but I mean it!

Contributed by Patsy "Magpie" Harper

Southwestern report - 3 tent fires

2008-03-23T19:33:00.000-07:00

Short story: 3 tents burn in one day, nobody seriously hurt. Two tents belonged to Cajun Johnny, & Bugs and Linda, and the tipi was George Wilburn's.

Long story: (scroll down for fire details)

I have some pics of the SW, including fire-damage, up on my Photobucket website here:
http://s6.photobucket.com/albums/y208/soquili/Southwestern%202008/
click on the box at left on that page for pics of the buffalo skinning demo in another folder, or use this link:
http://s6.photobucket.com/albums/y208/soquili/Southwestern%202008/
Buffalo%20skinning%20demo%20SW%202008/

Um, if you are squeamish or the sight of blood bothers you, or you are a vegetarian, better not go to that second link!LOL It's for carnivores only...

Other than the fire thing, we had a good time at the SW! Cuz and John went up on Thursday and ran into snow around Dennison, last 3 hours were 20 miles an hour in 4-wheel drive in a blizzardy near-white-out, pulling the 'voo trailer. So they grabbed a motel room in Atoka for the night and drove out on Friday morning and set up then. Muddy conditions at the site due to the melted snow, but it had good grass cover so it was ok except for the road in.

I got there late Friday (had 20-mile-an-hour driving too for a while as I hit Dallas at 5:00 on a Friday - LOL) and promptly got stuck but had sense enough to shut the car off and not spin the wheels and wait till the next day to get out. It froze during the night and the road in was easier after that.

Camp was in a beautiful valley with some seeps and springs in the middle. Camp wound up being kind of strung out, as folks camped along the road going in, due to wet conditions the first weekend. Long-term was on the right end going in, traders strung out along the middle and around the camp meeting place, and rowdy camp and short-term on the left side. So ya got yer exercise wandering from one end to the other!

John Billington got hisself a fancy new pony for this one, a red 4-wheeled electric scooter, so he got to go "cruisin' and perusin'" any time he felt like it! Said it was like being let out of jail, he didn't realize how much he missed that freedom since he had to go on oxygen and be tied down. I tried to talk him and Iron Hand into a race with their scooters, but they wouldn't do it! Iron Hand's scooter had 3 wheels, so my money was on John's hoss! John will probably bring his new red pony to the TAB, so git ready for him to come say "hello the camp" and bum a beer off ya!

Sterling and Kelly did a great job as booshways, handling all the fun things that a big 'voo throws at ya. It's always a challenge! For folks who complain about such things, my thought is, "here's yer clipboard, let's see how you would do it". I know I appreciate all the hard work and planning that goes into an event like that, or even a regular weekend 'voo, so my hat's off to all of you who have stepped up and given it your best shot. Thanks!

We camped next to Lil' Griz, and he's always a riot to be around. :-) Jonathan Carlin was on the other side of us and James Bryan camped with him for a few days, good neighbors too - thanks for the wine selection, Jonathan! Slayer and Bobcat weren't too far away, and brought us some grilled trout one day - delicious!! There was an older couple behind us who had a big gooseneck trailer with a winch and offloaded a cool log cabin for the week! Beautiful painted tipi behind us too, belonging to Russ and Marnie from Wisconsin, I think. Russ played a mean guitar, and Marnie plays harmonica, so they added to the ambiance over near Bugs and Willie Glover's tents for music around the fire. Daing I can't remember their names, but the two guys who play bagpipes and bodhrans were there, and Steve Sprinkle too, and Critter, and several other folks. Cyrus showed up later in the week with his Jew's harps and string bass. CRS, can't remember the long-haired bushy-bearded fellow who has the website with pics on it (something-Bear) but he was there too, and played at Miss Andrea and Turtle Woman's "Blushing Ankle" saloon/tavern a couple of nights. John and Cuz and I had a good time there too, and John developed a new fondness for grapes! :-) Serving wenches were very talented, and so were the strapping young serving boys at the ladies' social held there! I hear lots of quarters were won and lost at the nightly card games there too.

I took my Malamute, Shadow, and he had a fun time going "wooo-woooo" and getting folks to pet him and tell him he was purty. Crafty lil' devil made an escape from his crate one night when I didn't quite get the bolt latch all the way closed after a midnight pee trip, and sneaked out of the tent to do a little "tipi-creeping'" of his own at about 3am. One of the folks he surprised was No-Nose's wife Teresa, who had stepped out of the tent to answer the call of nature, and she looked up from a squat to find herself eye-to-eye with what she thought was a wolf at first, till she saw his collar! She found out she could cut it off in mid-stream! His next visit was over to the other traders who had a full-blood female wolf (half timber, half red wolf) named Baby, who had been flirting with Shadow the day before. Turns out she only wanted to play and wasn't in the mood, but the racket they made woke up her owner twice. So the second time he caught Shadow but didn't know exactly where I was camped, so he took him out to the gate where there were some trailers for trash and the water buffalo, figuring that trailer's safety chain would hold his big ass till morning. Naturally I had a heart attack when we woke up a little after sunup and Cuz said "Where's Shadow??" and his crate was empty!! The last time he went on walkabout at my house, he was gone 4 days and I found him 5 miles as the crow flies from the house! Luckily then too, some folks had tied him up - he'll git shot for a wolf if a rancher catches him on their place. So as I dashed out to find Shadow, some neighbors said they had seen him at the gate and saved me time in the search. Found him wet but warm, thanks to his thick waterproof fur, and glad to see me. But he did git a serious lecture about his escapades. So we came home and found out the story about his new almost-girlfriend from her owner on the way, and I thanked him profusely for containing my rascal and saving him from causing any more trouble.

John's dog Dakota went too, and she had a fine time fetching the rubber foot squeaky toy and badgering everyone but us into playing tug-of-war with her! Shadow and Dakota get along and he got to meet lots of dogs, but I think his favorites were Jan's little Jack-Rat terrorist named Mouse and Irish Kat's little 6-month old Lhassa named Princess. They were gutsy little pups who made friends with the big dog pretty fast.

OK, now for the tent fire stories, compiled from eyewitnesses.
1. First one happened not far from our tent just after folks had shut down the music and gone to bed. There was a Cajun guy named Johnny from Lafayette, thick Cajun accent, good cook by all accounts, and had some good homemade hooch that was about 140 proof and would shoot a blue flame 4 feet high when he spit a mouthful into the fire, and he had a great sense of humor too - this was his first Rendezvous and I hope it won't be his last, despite what happened. I heard all this after the fact, so correct me if I'm wrong, but apparently Cajun Johnny had one of those Coleman gas cylinders with a heater on it in his tent, and was changing out the cylinder. They say if you get them cross-threaded, it can break off a little needle thingy in the valve, and apparently that is what happened, and when he turned the heater on again, gas was spewing out and it caught his tent on fire. Cajun Johnny ran out and called for help and folks came running, but his tent was on the ground in less than 60 seconds. So they helped him pack what was left of his gear and got him on his way to a motel for the night.

2. About 30 minutes after the first fire, folks were taking care of Bugs who was a close neighbor there, because he was having a pain in his chest. Then they noticed that Bugs' and Linda's tent was glowing pretty red, and daing if it wasn't on fire too, on the back side!! So folks came a-running again with fire extinguishers and water and put it out. Had some trouble doing it, flames from the gas were shooting way up above the roof. Somehow, Cuz and John and I slept through it all. With the tents being so close together over there, it is a wonder more tents did not catch from the two that burned. So what happened with Bug's is, either when he and Linda jumped up to help Cajun Johnny, or later when their dogs were in the tent, somehow a candle or candle lantern got knocked over onto a pillow on top of the big propane tank they had in there for the heater and Coleman cookstove, and it caught the pillow on fire and burned through the hose on the propane tank. So that fire got a little propane help too, and burned up the back wall of Bugs tent. He rushed into the burning wall tent, with help from others, to rescue his dogs and his 3 guitars, which were fine. In the process he and another guy inhaled a good bit of smoke, and Bug's chest was still hurting, so the medics gave oxygen to the other guy, and sent Bugs to the hospital to get checked out and to treat the minor burns on his hand. He was released the next day and is fine, other than a light minor burn on two fingers and a little singed beard hair. They lost a few things, some hanging clothes, but their buckskin shirt and dress and Whitney blanket survived. Lil Griz even fixed up Bug's hat for him.

3. AS IF that weren't enough, the next day about mid-afternoon, folks hollered "Fire" again and came a-runnin' to the other end of camp where George Wilburn's tipi was on fire. According to George, he was cooking a pot of beans for supper on the fire out in front of the tipi, and had just put some link sausage into the beans. He had set a pan of bread dough to rise near the fire, and was watching it as he went across the road to speak to a neighbor for a minute. Wasn't gone but a minute, and kept looking back at his fire. The wind was blowing pretty hard from his fire toward the tipi, and next time he looked, a spark had jumped out of the pit and across the log ring and had caught the dry grass and was headed for the door of the tipi! Before he could run across the road (20 feet) and grab the pan of dishwater by the fire it had caught the canvas at the base of the door and tipis being the good chimneys that they are, it went right up the canvas and burned it to the ground. George and his wife lost a lot of gear, but no one was hurt. Good thing the wind wasn't blowing from the other direction too, because his daughter was in the tent on the other side of the fire changing the grandbaby's diaper and there is no back door to that tent. George was devastated, he has been Rendezvous-ing for 30 years or so, and knows fire safety and is very careful with it, but it just shows how fast things can go south on ya. He had made that tipi himself, and he and his wife had just harvested the poles and trimmed and sanded them and oiled them. Most of the poles can be re-used, but a few were too charred. The tipi canvas was a total loss.

So camp had an emergency fire safety meeting later that afternoon, bringing certified EMS medics in attendance to the front so folks could see who their medic-neighbors were and know who to call, and having the folks who had a fire extinguisher in camp to raise their hand and keep it up so folks could see who their neighbors were again and know where to turn in case of another fire. They had fire patrols out at night after that, if your fire was not out and banked with dirt, they put it out and you got a lecture. I don't think they had to give many lectures, as folks were pretty paranoid and careful after that. Found out you need an A-B-C fire extinguisher, not a B-C one. B-C is for electrical and chemical fires, The "A" in A-B-C is for wood, paper, canvas, basically anything that will make an Ash. So the A-B-C kind is the one to get. I think I'm going to make a canvas cover for Cuz's and put a flame symbol or the word Fire on it and keep it out by the fire instead of under the canvas by the coolers or in the tent. That way anyone who needs it can come get it, and find it easily. One real nice thing, there was a guy at the 'voo who refills fire extinguishers for a living, and he refilled anyone's fire extinguisher for free in the parking lot, who had used it up on fighting the fires. Great fellow, real nice thing to do.

Funny thing is, as I was driving home from the 'voo there was someone on the radio talking about fire danger and how fast a grass fire can move. He said it can burn along at 4 miles an hour. Now that may not sound too fast, but if you do the math, that is one mile of country in 15 minutes, so...(5280 feet divided by 15 minutes is 352 feet per minute - yikes!) that means a grass fire fueled by a high wind and dry grass CAN BURN AN AREA THE LENGTH OF A FOOTBALL FIELD IN LESS THAN A MINUTE. LESS. THAN. A. MINUTE. That's about SIX FEET PER SECOND. That is why George's tipi burned - only took a SECOND or two for that fire to jump the 8 feet or so to the canvas, even with him carefully watching and only 20 feet away. FIRE IS OUR FRIEND BUT IT IS A DANGEROUS BEDFELLOW...

At any rate, like I said, we had a great time otherwise. Enjoyed visiting with old friends and met a lot of new folks, including a trader named Lisa from Arkansas, the "Gypsy Potter". She has some great white-glazed pottery dishes and cups made from historical examples of the colonial era, some pretty green-glazed ware too, and she made some cool historically accurate pit-fired bowls and pipes from the Moundbuilder culture that were fine too. One Cherokee pipe had a squirrel on it, and another was a beaver (pipestem was his tail), and there was a frog with a rattle in his head too, and a stylized deer. Had some fun playing with clay with her, picked her brains for pit-firing advice, and look forward to seeing her at future events, now that she is doing this full-time. Had fun visiting with other traders that I knew, and seeing what wares they had.

The buffalo skinning demo on Sunday went well, provided meat for the meat-cooking contest which was served at the camp feed on Tuesday or Wednesday. Other parts were sold at auction to pay for the price of the buffalo. I scored some buffalo fat for tallow, and the pericardium (heart sack) to be dried and used for wrapping horsehair danglies under quills, and wrapping the red wool "firecracker"-looking trim at the top of ermine and horsehair danglies. Scored the buff's...er..."manhood" (pizzle) for John to make a walking cane out of, while Paul Jones got two new "ball bags" out of the deal. :-) I got to eat some fresh raw buffalo liver and fresh raw kidney, and it wasn't bad! Trust me, I HATE liver in any form, and if I say it wasn't bad, it wasn't bad!! One fellow was collecting various innards to make haggis (liver, kidneys, lungs, second stomach to cook in, etc.). He served the haggis at the camp feed, cooked with barley I think, and it was GOOD too! I know you don't believe me, but that's ok, your squeamishness means there will be more haggis for me next time!LOL There were a couple of young boys there watching the buffalo skinning, and someone suggested that the boys get a knife and cut off a piece of buffalo meat so they could tell their grandkids about it. So Bill Vannoy helped them pick out a good spot and showed them where to cut, and each boy "made meat" to take home to his mama to cook. Great experience for them.

Oh well, that's enough running on for one day. If you weren't there, you missed a good time! Better make up for it by coming to the SW in 2009, that Jan Kitlinger is booshwaying, located just north of Austin TX - here's the flyer:
http://www.woodenhawk.com/SWRR/
Flyer2009SWRR/tabid/102/Default.aspx

Contributed by Patsy "Magpie" Harper

March 6, 1836

2008-03-06T07:46:00.000-08:00

Ballad of the Alamo

In the southern part of Texas, in the town of San Antone
There's a fortress all in ruins, that the weeds have overgrown
You may look in vain for crosses andÊ you'll never see a one
But sometimes between the setting and the rising of the sun
You can hear a ghostly bugle, as the men go marchin' by
You can hear them as they answer to the roll call in the sky

Colonel Travis, Davy Crocket, and a hundred eighty more
Captain Dickinson, Jim Bowie, present and accounted for

Back in eighteen thirty-six, Houston said to Travis
Get some volunteers and go, fortify the Alamo
Well, the men came from Texas and from ol' Tennessee
And they joined up with Travis, just to fight for the right to be free
Indian scouts with squirrel guns, men with muzzle loaders
Stood together heel and toe, to defend the Alamo

You may ne'er see your loved ones, Travis told them that day
Those who want to can leave now, those who'll fight to the death, let 'em stay

In the sand he drew a line, with his army saber
Out of a hundred and eighty-five, not a soul to cross the line
With his banners a dancin', in the dawn's golden light
Santa Anna came prancin', on a horse that was black as the night
Sent an officer to tell Travis to surrender
Travis answered with a shell, and a rousin' rebel yell

Santa Anna turned scarlet, play Deguello, he roared
I will show them no quarter, everyone will be put to the sword

One hundred and eighty-five holdin' back five thousand
Five days, six days, eight days, ten Travis held and held again
Then he sent for replacements for his wounded and lame
But the troops that were comin', never came, never came, never came

Twice he charged and blew recall, on the fatal third time
Santa Anna breached the wall, and he killed them one and all
Now the bugles are silent, and there's rust on each sword
And the small band of soldiers, lie asleep in the arms of the Lord

In the southern part of Texas, near the town of San Antone
Like a statue on his pinto, rides a cowboy all alone
And he sees the cattle grazin', where a century before
Santa Anna's guns were blazin', and the cannon used to roar
And his eyes turn sorta misty as his heart begins to glow
And he takes his hat off slowly...to the men of Alamo

To the thirteen days of glory...at the siege of Alamo

Now the bugles are silent, and there's rust on each sword
And the small band of soldiers, lie asleep in the arms of the Lord
Lie asleep...in the arms...of the Lord

By Marty Robbins

Around 5:00 A.M. on Sunday, March 6, [Santa Anna] hurled his columns at the battered walls from four directions. Texan gunners stood by their artillery. As about 1,800 assault troops advanced into range, canister ripped through their ranks. Staggered by the concentrated cannon and rifle fire, the Mexican soldiers halted, reformed, and drove forward. Soon they were past the defensive perimeter. Travis, among the first to die, fell on the north bastion. Abandoning the walls, defenders withdrew to the dim rooms of the Long Barracks. There some of the bloodiest hand-to-hand fighting occurred. Bowie, too ravaged by illness to rise from his bed, found no pity. The chapel fell last. By dawn the Centralists had carried the works. The assault had lasted no more than ninety minutes. As many as seven defenders survived the battle, but Santa Anna ordered their summary execution. Many historians count Crockett as a member of that hapless contingent, an assertion that still provokes debate in some circles. By eight o'clock every Alamo fighting man lay dead. Currently, 189 defenders appear on the official list, but ongoing research may increase the final tally to as many as 257.

From - http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/AA/qea2.html