WISE ABOUT TEXAS

Crazy Ben Dolliver was said to be touched.  Sporting a 6 inch scar from an old sword fight, Crazy Ben circulated around Galveston in the 19th century barefoot, shirtless, and mostly drunk.  He camped on the beach and fished for his sustenance.  But Crazy Ben always paid for his drinks with Spanish Doubloons.  Every now and then he’d sail away from the island and return with more Spanish gold.  Where did the gold come from?  Everyone knew Crazy Ben had served as one of Jean Lafitte’s crew as a pirate.  Did he know the location of some treasure?  Nobody figured it out, though they tried and tried.   Then one day a ship arrived from New Orleans and Ben left….with some cargo.  Hear a true pirate tale in this latest episode of Wise About Texas

I received some great feedback on the San Antonio Chili Queens episode so I thought I’d share a couple of stories that didn’t make it into the main episode and answer some questions.  I also try a diplomatic (and historically correct) solution to the bean controversy!  So bring your bowl and spoon up a second helping of chili in this bonus episode of Wise About Texas!

In late 1800’s San Antonio, the plazas were busy marketplaces during the day. But at night, the Chili Queens took over. These ladies brought the exotic flavors of Mexico to the population of San Antonio. Music, laughter and the pungent aroma of chili con carne filled the air. From the greatest to the least, every citizen and tourist had to make a pilgrimage to see the Chili Queens and sample the food that would later become known as Tex-Mex. Learn more about this scene in the latest episode of Wise About Texas.

Every fall, the most feared cavalry the world has ever known, the Comanche Indians, would leave their home on the great plains and raid deep into Mexico taking horses, and humans, back with them.  They followed an ancient trail that came to be known as the Great Comanche war trail.  The Comanche were not prosperous until the Spanish introduced the horse which turned around the fortunes of an entire people.  The Comanche Indians managed to convince the Spanish to help them defeat the Apache, which then opened up unfettered access to Mexico via the war trail.  From the panhandle to the Rio Grande, the raiders followed a well-defined trail almost a mile wide at points.  Famous springs and river crossings were used for centuries.  Even today, you can drive the same trail used by traders, Indians, stagecoaches and travelers.  The Great Comanche War Trail.

Your host standing on a remnant of the great Comanche war trail near Persimmon Gap.

The low spot is a remnant of the great Comanche war trail near Persimmon Gap.

Spot along the great Comanche war trail

View along the great Comanche war trail.

William Ranney was one of the first American artists to capture the legendary characters, events and spirit of the American west.  One critic pointed out that he was the only artist who had the first hadn’t experience to paint scenes of the west.  Where did he get that experience?  Texas of course!  Ranney had served in the Texas Army from May through November of 1836.  After this time in Texas, Ranney returned east and became a prolific painter of the things he had seen.  he also produced a large body of genre paintings that began to shape the collective identity of America.  He painted the American revolution as its history was just being formed in the minds of his audience.  He painted the early trappers and mountain men that blazed the trails for western expansion.  He captured many scenes of the pioneer families that truly settled the west and fulfilled the manifest destiny of America.  Learn a little about William Ranney and the shaping of the American identity in the latest episode of Wise About Texas.

Tory Escort

Veterans Returning from War 1776.

The Wounded Trapper

The Pioneers. Note the spotlight on the Wife/Mother on the white horse.

The Fowler’s Return.

Recruiting for the Continental Army

Prairie Burial. One of my favorites despite its sadness. The survivors persevere.

The Pipe of Friendship

Marion Crossing the Peedee. One of the early heroes of the American Revolution.

Trapper’s Last Shot.

First News of Lexington.

Crossing the Ferry

Boone’s First View of Kentucky

Josiah Wilbarger was one of the earliest Anglo settlers of Texas.  He also settled way outside the safe boundaries of the frontier.  He chose a league of land in the hostile territory of the Comancheria, near present-day Bastrop.  He eventually gained a neighbor in Reuben Hornsby but things were still very, very dangerous.  One day he and others were attacked by Comanches.  Josiah took a musket ball to the neck and was paralyzed.  Unable to move or speak, but still conscious, he felt himself being scalped by an Indian.  Still alive, he dragged himself to a tree where he had a vision that saved his life.  But was it a vision, or a visit from the spirit world?  Learn more of this ghostly tale in the latest episode of Wise About Texas.

Hurricane Harvey made landfall near Rockport, as a category 4 storm.  It was only the second Cat 4 to hit that area of Texas in recorded history.  The track of Hurricane Harvey also resulted in a rain event in the Houston area, the likes of which has never been seen in American history!  up to 50 inches of rain fell right on top of Wise About Texas world headquarters.  Listen to this bonus episode to hear a bit about what it was like as well as the positive side of this historic disaster.

Asa Borger was a town builder with an eye for opportunity and a nose for the Texas oil fields. He came to the panhandle in 1926 and made millions establishing the boomtown of Borger. But the thousands of residents weren’t all of the best sort. Drinking, gambling, prostitution and violence were rampant. “Booger Town,” as it came to be known needed law enforcement. Unfortunately, the towns chief law enforcement officer as well as the mayor encouraged the crime and profited handsomely. Even the famous Texas Rangers Frank Hamer and Tom Hickman couldn’t control it. After the District Attorney was murdered because he wasn’t corrupt, the law and order Governor Dan Moody brought in the National Guard and declared martial law. Even after the dust settled there was one more shooting…find out the rest in the latest episode of Wise About Texas.

The Mexican invasion of San Antonio gave rise to two expeditions against the Mexican army that had disastrous results. Nicholas Dawson led a group of men from La Grange to San Antonio into battle on Salado Creek only to be massacred when they tried to surrender. A group of men under William Fisher attacked Mier only to be imprisoned and every tenth man executed after drawing a black bean from a jar. The bones of the Texas fighters languished on the banks of Salado Creek and in Mexico until they were returned to Fayette County in 1848 and buried on a bluff overlooking LaGrange, Texas. The tomb’s builder bought the land on the bluff and turned it into a thriving community center. How did he do it? Well, he did the most German thing possible–he built a brewery. The brewery brought folks that honored the heroes and the folks honoring the heroes bought beer. Life on Kreische’s bluff was good. Learn more about this beautiful and sacred site in the latest episode of Wise About Texas.

After the battle of San Jacinto, it wasn’t certain just how victorious the Texians were.  Several Mexican generals commanded several thousand Mexican troops west of the battleground.  Santa Anna indeed ordered them to leave Texas but if they could get resupplied, who knows what could happen?  Enter Issac Burton and his horse marines!  After failing out of West Point, Issac Burton commanded a company of Texas Rangers charged with patrolling the Texas coast near Refugio, looking for Mexican warships.  It didn’t take long before he found one.  Through a series of clever maneuvers, a few Texas Rangers managed to capture a total of three ships bound to supply the Mexican Army.  Issac Burton’s Texas Rangers may very well have saved the Texas republic as they coined a new term that would be used by the U.S. military for over a century…the Horse Marines.