Texas Trivia (Dallas, Graham, Canton: apartment, lofts, wages)

[CptnRn]

Originally Posted by CptnRn

Fun background, it is so much more meaningful when you have seen some of it for yourself.

OK Next Question:

Taking a step back to The sack of Linnville

Following the sack of Linnville... the Comanches headed back to West Texas. The normal Comanche tactic was to ride as fast as possible away from the scene of a victory, but on this occasion they made a slow retreat. The sack of Linnville gave the Rangers time to gather other volunteers and take after the Commanches. Volunteers from Gonzales, Texas under Mathew Caldwell and from Bastrop under Ed Burleson, with all the ranger companies of east and central Texas, moved to intercept the Indians. The militia and rangers caught the raiders, which normally they found impossible, near Lockart, Texas where they engaged them in battle and reported killing about 80 Comanches. The remaining Comanches made their escape.

What was the battle called near Lockhart, Texas? What was the reason the indians made a slow retreat, and in the end allowed so many to escape at the battle?

This is easy to find if you look at the sack of Linnville, so I assume everyone must be busy.

[CptnRn]

Originally Posted by CptnRn

OK Next Question:

Taking a step back to The sack of Linnville

Following the sack of Linnville... the Comanches headed back to West Texas. The normal Comanche tactic was to ride as fast as possible away from the scene of a victory, but on this occasion they made a slow retreat. The sack of Linnville gave the Rangers time to gather other volunteers and take after the Commanches. Volunteers from Gonzales, Texas under Mathew Caldwell and from Bastrop under Ed Burleson, with all the ranger companies of east and central Texas, moved to intercept the Indians. The militia and rangers caught the raiders, which normally they found impossible, near Lockart, Texas where they engaged them in battle and reported killing about 80 Comanches. The remaining Comanches made their escape.

What was the battle called near Lockhart, Texas? What was the reason the indians made a slow retreat, and in the end allowed so many to escape at the battle?

I have no indication anyone is even trying to find this answer so I will give it up.

Greed was the reason for the slow retreat and the reason the remaining Comanches eventually made their escape at the Battle of Plum Creek.

Great Raid of 1840 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

At the time of the Great Raid, many trade goods were en route from overseas to New Orleans, Louisiana to San Antonio, Texas and Austin, Texas; a total inventory valued at over $300,000 was reported to be at Linnville at that moment, including an undisclosed amount of silver bullion. Linn noted that in addition to the cloth and other trade goods usually present in his warehouse at that time were several cases of hats and umbrellas belonging to James Robinson, a San Antonio merchant. "These the Indians made free with, and went dashing about the blazing village, amid their screeching squaws and `little Injuns,' like demons in a drunken saturnalia, with Robinson's hats on their heads and Robinson's umbrellas bobbing about on every side like tipsy young balloons." After loading loot onto pack mules, the raiders, grandly attired in their booty, finally began their retreat on the afternoon on August 8, 1840. ... on this occasion they slowed to a gentler pace acceptable to the heavily laden pack mules.

The Comanches took over 3,000 horses and mules, and hundreds of thousands of dollars of other plunder, ranging from silver to cloth and mirrors. Unfortunately for the war party, the sheer volume of loot slowed them down, and made them vulnerable to attack from a militia that otherwise would never have caught them. Equally, the militia missed an opportunity to destroy the bulk of the raiding party when they concentrated on recovering and dividing the recovered bullion and other plunder.

Although only a dozen bodies were recovered, the Texans reported killing 80 Comanches, and the war party losses were probably higher than normal. But greed saved the Comanches in turn; when the militia discovered the stolen bullion, they abandoned the fight, divided their loot, and went home.

If anyone has another question they would like to ask, have at it.

[jtur88]

OK, I passed last week and I'm back now, so here's one:

Texas shootouts usually involved at least one outlaw, but there was one between two law officers who had a feud going: A Texas Ranger and a county sheriff. It was witnessed by a third lawman, who was ducking for cover from the crossfire. One was killed in the shootout, and the other seriously wounded, but the bullet was partially blocked from his heart by a plug tobacco in his pocket. Who were the two gunmen, and where did the shootout take place?

[TexasReb]

Originally Posted by jtur88

OK, I passed last week and I'm back now, so here's one:

Texas shootouts usually involved at least one outlaw, but there was one between two law officers who had a feud going: A Texas Ranger and a county sheriff. It was witnessed by a third lawman, who was ducking for cover from the crossfire. One was killed in the shootout, and the other seriously wounded, but the bullet was partially blocked from his heart by a plug tobacco in his pocket. Who were the two gunmen, and where did the shootout take place?

Hmmmmm. Is this perhaps associated with the Taylor-Sutton feud in East Texas after the War Between the States...? (Polk County, I think...)

[jtur88]

No, it was strictly a personal feud between them, not related to any general war.

[joqua]

This sounds like one of several shoot-outs that occurred on the streets, in the bar rooms and brothels in old El Paso. Since law officers were often involved, this tale comes close, since the "bad man" was also an ex-Texas Ranger. The year was 1894, and the main players in the gun play were: Bass Outlaw was the bad guy who killed Texas Ranger Joe McKidrict, wounded policeman John Selman, witnessed by Collinson and Bridges. Lawman John Selman would survive his wounds and later kill the infamous gunman John Wesley Hardin (in El Paso).

http://www.gtt-gonetotexas.com/bassoutlaw.html

[jtur88]

That's a fascinating story, but Bass Outlaw was a bit too close to living up to his name. In my scenario, both law officers were respected men of good standing and good reputations as law officers.

I'll give you credit for the Bass Outlaw answer, if nobody comes up with the one I have in mind.

As an added hint, this took place in 1893, and the Ranger was acquitted of murder charges, claiming self-defense.

[joqua]

Originally Posted by jtur88

As an added hint, this took place in 1893, and the Ranger was acquitted of murder charges, claiming self-defense.

Well, I have to give credit to a rather obscure source for my answer - footnotes in the more recently published book on the Rangers, to wit:

Wearing the Cinco Peso, 1821-1900
By Mike Cox

The attachment provided with this post is my source as copied from the book's footnotes, known as the Matthews/McDonald feud. According to this account, the Ranger did later die from his wounds - blood poisoning. And this source claims it was TWO bullets that struck TWO plugs of tobacco and a notebook.



Since this must be the correct answer, I'll pose the next question:

What is the highest monument in Texas, and what does it commemorate?

As a bonus - when was it dedicated?

[jtur88]

Yes, you're right. It was Matthews/McDonald. I had breakfast in a cafe in Quanah the other day, and found that gem when I googled the town when I got home.

Clarification of your question, do you mean the highest above surrounding terrain, or highest above sea level?

[jtur88]

Are you looking for San Jacinto monument, 567 feet high, dedicated 4/21/1939? It's taller than the Washington Monument. It commemorates the Battle of San Jacinto, the decisive battle of the Texas Revolution