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Various Meditations on the Old West, 19th Century America and the Emigrant trails to California and Oregon.

The Haunting of Mason County

Published on: Author: Sgt. Mom

The so-called Mason County Hoo-Doo War was one of those particularly impenetrable frontier feuds which mixed up all the classic western feud elements into one bloody and protracted mess; legal possession of land provided one element, there was also a clash between cattle ranchers with local farmers and townsmen, wrangling over the ownership of cattle… More »

A Brief Memoir of Guns

Published on: Author: Sgt. Mom

Oddly enough – guns were not a terribly real presence in the household – or even the neighborhood where I grew up. Dad, and our near friends and neighbors didn’t hunt, and as near as I can recall, none of them were obsessed collectors. I never even saw a firearm, in use on on display… More »

Becoming at One With Texas

Published on: Author: Sgt. Mom

It was a gradual process … the place grows on you, even back before it became clear that it was one of the states – out of these occasionally United States – which has a good chance of emerging comparatively unscathed from impending economic disaster. I don’t know why Texas should be so fortunate among… More »

True to the Union – Conclusion

Published on: Author: Sgt. Mom

Late in the fall of 1862, under the mistaken assumption that they had been offered a thirty-day amnesty by the Governor of Texas and allowed to depart Texas unmolested rather than take the loyalty oath, a party of Unionists gathered together at Turtle Creek in Kerr County. They elected a settler from Comfort named Fritz… More »

The Nueces Fight and ‘True to the Union’

Published on: Author: Sgt. Mom

As I am going up to Comfort on the 11th, to take part in the 150th anniversary observences of the Nueces Fight, and since it has been a while since I wrote about this — herewith some background.) Who would have thought that deep in the heart of a staunchly Confederate state, there would have… More »

Nat Love – Cowboy Rock Star

Published on: Author: Sgt. Mom

Nat Love, who was born into slavery in Tennessee in 1854, went west to Dodge City after the Civil War and cadged work as a wrangler and cowboy. He was already a pretty good rider and bronco-buster, and in a very short time had picked up the other requisite skills – with a six-shooter and… More »

Such a Disagreeable Man

Published on: Author: Sgt. Mom

I’m sure I’m no ascetic; I’m as pleasant as can be; You’ll always find me ready with a crushing repartee, I’ve an irritating chuckle, I’ve a celebrated sneer, I’ve an entertaining snigger, I’ve a fascinating leer. To ev’rybody’s prejudice I know a thing or two; I can tell a woman’s age in half a minute… More »

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Slade

Published on: Author: Sgt. Mom

“In due time we rattled up to a stage-station, and sat down to breakfast with a half-savage, half-civilized company of armed and bearded mountaineers, ranchmen and station employees. The most gentlemanly- appearing, quiet and affable officer we had yet found along the road in the Overland Company’s service was the person who sat at the… More »

Committee of Vigilance – 1856 – Finale

Published on: Author: Sgt. Mom

Three carriages entered the square, and as they halted before the jail door, the ranks of waiting men presented arms. Half a dozen men descended from the carriages – William Tell Coleman and the other leaders of the Committee. They talked for a few moments through the wicket-gate … and then they were admitted into… More »

In Translation

Published on: Author: Sgt. Mom

Ever since I finished the Adelsverein Trilogy, I’ve wanted to have a German language version out there. I’ve had emails from fans asking about it, and talked with native German speakers who assured me that Karl May (the German equivalent of Zane Grey) has an enormous and devoted Old West fan-base. This in spite of… More »

A Taste of the Next Book

Published on: Author: Sgt. Mom

(For your enjoyment – a selected chapter from Deep in the Heart – the soon-to-be-released sequel to Daughter of Texas. Advance orders for autographed copies are being taken now, through my website catalog page, here. and for the print second edition of To Truckee’s Trail. Purchased copies will be mailed out by November 15th. My… More »

Evening With the Authors in Lockhart

Published on: Author: Sgt. Mom

Yea these many months ago, I was invited by the organizers to be one of those authors in a fund-raising event to benefit the Clark Library. This is the oldest functioning public library existing in Texas; and since Texas was not generally conducive to the contemplative life and public institutions such as libraries until after… More »