Cowboys & CowTales (eBook)

Chapter Two

1863—1910

The American Civil War had to be the worst scourge ever to affect the American people. A war that often placed brothers of the same family against each other. The ramifications of that war exist even today. I love to imagine what our society might have been without that war—justified or not.

Post Civil War there were lots of bits and pieces left regarding industry, business, and agriculture. The one asset for a majority of rural Texans was that of the Longhorn cattle population that roamed over most of the state. These cattle would prove to be a significant dose of the remedy required to put Texas, in particular, back in business. Business was, and still is, the movement of money between residents, usually down-chain. History proves that the few who instigated the dramatic cattle drives from Texas out into the market place were indeed a significant part of the recovery effort regarding actual financial survival. The lowly Longhorns became barter chips in the game of commerce when Texas and most of the South desperately needed to find a ray of hope. Losing the war was one thing, but the inundation of yankee robber barons taking whatever they wanted was almost as bad. Losing a fight is one thing; getting pissed on afterwards, while still down—is entirely different. It was a sad time of desperation for the south—all the southern states.

Each of these southern states developed a little different path to find economic recovery. In Texas there weren’t many options; but for many, it became the merchandising of wild cattle that resulted in real money that was so scarce. This activity became the background drama of some romantic and dangerous years, where success and failure meant life and death, literally and financially. Though cattle had been moving to distant markets for many years before the Civil War, the “glamour years” for these Texas cowboys, became those years immediately following the Civil War— 1866 to about 1886. These twenty years are the years most people think about when addressing the subject of the Great American Cattle Drives to the market places along the railheads in Kansas. They were certainly the years that caused America to believe the cowboys involved to be out of control hoodlums at trails end. You’ll decide for yourself before the end of this read!

{Let us remember that it was the railroad, to a very large degree, that dictated where the cattle should, in most instances, be driven. The Chisholm Trail in particular had two lives (locations). In the early years, 1867 to 1875, the principal delivery location to the railroad was Abilene, Kansas. From 1876 to 1884 the principal delivery locations were Dodge City, Ellsworth, Newton (for a year) and Wichita—all further south and therefore closer.

As a matter of note, the Shawnee Trail became overshadowed by the Missouri, Kansas & Texas Railroad—built right on top of the Shawnee Trail from Houston, through Sedalia, and on to Hannibal, Missouri.}

“Highways for the Herds!”

Cowboys, by W. Forbis; 1972

First, let us begin with an overview that will give insight into the young men, average age of twenty-four, involved with the history that evokes feelings on both sides of the fence. The young cowboys involved were very much a product of their time, living by a code created by their environment. These hard-fisted men pitted themselves against the body-punishing and hazardous jobs of handling wild cattle in an unforgiving world. The harsh reality of their world dictated actions few, outside of themselves, could ever imagine. For in the world of these cowboys, life was often gone in a flash—extinguished! A seemingly simple work related activity could cost their lives and often did. Thus at the end of these epic cattle drives, moving across unforgiving lands, life was lived to the fullest. Wild and crazy, even suicidal activities were often adopted in displaying their unrestrained joy of having survived once again, to have accomplished the seemingly impossible. Life was throughly enjoyed “at the moment”, for more harsh trails, Indian actions, stampedes, and walking on the edge of life, would once again be in front of them.

Some historical footnotes left by a variety of people from the trail bosses to the cooks, display some of the activities along the way that individually seem daunting, and collectively overwhelming. This assorted collections of comments may help us all appreciate life as it existed on the cattle trail north: “many human remains found today…….flies so bad that bandannas had to be worn over our faces…….sick headaches and throwing up leaned over in our saddles…….nothing but bread and coffee left…….thunder and lightening scattered the herd in all directions…….lost a man to a swarm of water moccasins crossing the river today…….lost at least a hundred head and one cowboy to a stampede caused by lightening…….not a bite left to eat—still days to go…….man and horse drowned today…….days on days of wet and cold…….cowboy with broke leg—likely weeks away from a doctor…….bloody diarrhea affecting most of crew—can’t stop without water…….gun fight between two old friends—worst trip I ever made…….Indians killed our wrangler and stole half our horses…….broke a wheel on the wagon, again—repair not an option…….horse and rider killed in stampede last night…….hardly enough cowboys and cows left to go on.”

Yes, surviving these epic times did create roaring good times at trails end. They had earned it.

{The infamous trail drives after the Civil War were in fact the glory days of trail drives. A lot of beef went up the trails to Kansas railheads. From 1867 through 1881 over four million, one hundred and twenty-seven thousand head of Texas cattle arrived at these railhead destinations. If each trail drive averaged fifteen hundred head, one hundred and eighty-three trail drives would be required each year to provide for the two hundred and seventy-five thousand head yearly average.

These raucous boomtowns sprang up following the railroad. As the railroad track moved further and further west—in many instances, this new location proved more convenient to the source of the cattle from Texas. The railroad wanted the cattle; the cattle needed a market; and given the life and death activities involved with the activities of the trail drive, the cowboys needed a place to spend some hard earned money and have a little fun!

The first of these cattle receiving locations was Abilene, Kansas. It started as a cattle receiving center in 1867 and boomed for four years. A new railroad line became available further south, and the cattle drives adjusted. The last and the busiest was Dodge City. Initially a town of half a dozen buildings and a few tents, it enjoyed twelve years as a boomtown receiving Texas cattle. It grew to nineteen saloons, a lush casino and a seasonal population of two thousand people.

Though Dodge City was the most famous there were many other locations that built railroad pens to receive and ship cattle on the railroad. Each of these cattle towns had a different life span, though all boasted a similar boom-and-bust life cycle. Newton, Kansas only lasted one year—a single season of receiving cattle before being replaced by a more favorably located destination. A cowboy who passed through Newton in May 1871 recalled a blacksmith shop, a mercantile store and about a dozen dwellings. Thirty days later, on his way back home, he counted twenty-seven establishments that served liquor. A local told him he didn’t think there were a dozen virtuous women in the whole town. Population? Unknown, but estimated to be twelve hundred people at the time.}

Yet, there existed much distaste by the local people regarding the actions of the cowboys upon arrival. These hard feelings, on both sides, lasted lifetimes. Condemnations abounded. Case in point: Texas cattlemen for generations were often quoted, regarding Kansas: “Sunshine, Sunflowers, and Sons-A-Bitches.” I personally heard it as a kid several times. I’m sure Kansas has had their own remarks concerning Texans—acting as though they owned the world. Thankfully, these hard feelings have subsided with time.

To bring us back on perspective, we should also remember just where America’s population really was in the 1880’s. Most of us may not know offhand just where the 98th Meridian is actually located. It roughly follows a vertical line along the eastern border of the Dakotas continuing down through the states of Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas. Roughly one/fourth of the eastern portions of these states would be on the east side of this meridian. Anything west of that line, at the time, was considered to be virtually unpopulated except for the locations of Denver, Leadville, Santa Fe, Albuquerque, Salt Lake City, Reno, Portland and the behemoth, San Francisco—almost exceeding the total population of all the others, collectively.

“98th Meridian”

East of the 98th Meridian lived more than forty-two million people. West of this line lived less than two million. Responses from notable men at the time may help the reader more fully understand what the area appeared to be at the time.

“It is to be feared that a great part of the American West will form a lawless interval between the abodes of civilized men….” Washington Irving, 1836

“I will never vote one cent from the...