Noah Smithwick

The Evolution of a State or Recollections of Old Texas Days (eBook, ePUB)

• Format: ePub

Produktbeschreibung

This colorful memoir brings the Texas frontier to life, from smuggling adventures to fighting in the Texas Revolution and serving as a Texas Ranger.

Having left Kentucky at nineteen, Noah Smithwick arrived in Texas in 1827 to seek his fortune in a "lazy man's paradise." He left in 1861, when his opposition to secession took him to California.Looking back at that time, blind and nearing ninety, Smithwick recounted the story to his daughter-and so came to be this invaluable memoir of "old Texas days."

A blacksmith and a tobacco smuggler, Smithwick made weapons for-and fought in-the Battle of Concepción. With Hensley's company, he chased the Mexican army south of the Rio Grande after the Battle of San Jacinto. Twice he served with the Texas Rangers. In quieter times, he was a postmaster and justice of the peace in little Webber's Prairie.

Eyewitness to so much Texas history, Smithwick recounts his life and adventures in a simple, straightforward style, with a wry sense of humor. His keen memory for detail-what people wore and ate; how they worked and played- vividly evokes life on the frontier.

Produktdetails

• Verlag: University of Texas Press
• Seitenzahl: 280
• Erscheinungstermin: 24. Februar 2022
• Englisch
• ISBN-13: 9780292787520
• Artikelnr.: 63556073

Autorenporträt

After his Texas years, Noah Smithwick (1808–1899) spent the rest of his life in California. He was one of the first members of the Texas State Historical Association.

Inhaltsangabe

* Foreword * Preface * Biographical Sketch of the Author * Chapter 1: Journey to the Land of Promise-first impressions
Dewitt's Colony * Chapter 2: Trip to interior—Victoria, Gonzales, LaGrange, Columbus
Karankawa Indians
Creasing a Mustang
Encounter with malarial fever
Night adventure in Brazos bottom
Ft. Bend
Bexar
Mistake of a life time
Murder of Early
An avenging Nemesis
Eventful career of the murderer * Chapter 3: Bell's Landing (Columbia)
Josiah Bell
Other old residents
Slavery
Social events
Weddings, etc. * Chapter 4: A smuggling trip to old Mexico
First introduction to horsemeat
San Fernando
Ancient customs and prejudices
Practicing medicine
Ampirico Indians
Trip to silver mines
Smuggling adventures
An "old Moke" * Chapter 5: San Felipe de Austin
Pen pictures
Prominent men, Anecdotes of
Professional men
Social happenings
Early Colonists
Duels
Colonial Poet
Character of early Colonists
How it feels to be a homicide
Banished
Left a malediction on the place * Chapter 6: The Redlands—general character of
San of the land
Notorious counterfeiter
Mob law
Precious metal
Brown's mine
A noted horsethief * Chapter 7: Return to Texas
The gathering of the clans
First flag
March to San Antonio
Battle of Concepcion Mission * Chapter 8: Joined the ranging service
First Indian fight
Rescue of Mrs. Hibbon's child
The old Tumlinson block-house * Chapter 9: The Mexican invasion
Fall of the Alamo
"The runaway scrape
" Massacre of Goliad
Battle of San Jacinto
Division of spoils
Jim Bowie
Noted duel
Sam Houston * Chapter 10: Army falls back to Victoria
Peter Carr
Incidents of army life
Gen. Rusk
Disbanding of army * Chapter 11: Rangers return to frontier
Coleman's fort
Social event in Bastrop Co.
"The Color line
" Frontier clothing
Col. Coleman
Surprising a Comanche camp * Chapter 12: A return surprise
Stampeding a Caballado
Anecdotes of field and chase
Cure for fistula
Old frontiersmen
Commissioner to Indians * Chapter 13: Camping with Comanches
Comanche language
Social and domestic customs
Indian song
Political affairs
Amusements * Chapter 14: A tight place
Conclusion of treaty
Michael Andrews
Organization of Bastrop Co.
Old seals of office * Chapter 15: Stone-house fight
Second attempt to treat with Comanches
Narrow escapes
Tumlinson's Rangers
Eastland's Co.
Nat Turner's insurrection * Chapter 16: The San Saba Indian fight
A bad horse trade
Battle of Brushy Creek
"Flacco Colonel" * Chapter 17: Webber's Prairie
Old settlers
Humble heroes
First postoffice
First justice
Official record
Social features
Financial affairs
Exchange * Chapter 18: Webberville founded
Mormon Mills
Frontier hospitality
Trials and tribulations
Tonkawa scalp dance
Funeral * Chapter 19: Council house fight
Victoria and Linnville sacked
Plum Creek fight
Dark days
Woll's invasion
Dawson Massacre
A ride for life
Reuben Hornsby and family * Chapter 20: Founding of Austin City
Early arrivals
Land grabbers
John Caldwell * Chapter 21: Santa Fe, Mier, and Bexar prisoners in Mexico
Stories of their suffering and illtreatment
Murder of Mark B. Lewis
The Archive war
Cherokee war * Chapter 22: Annexation
R. E. B. Baylor
Mexican war
Texans in the war
Occupation by the United States Army
Army officers
Public debt
Removal to Brushy Creek
Wolves
Neighbors
Early emigrants to California * Chapter 23: Old Ft. Croggin
Officers in command
Early settlers
Burnet Co. organized
The town of Burnet
Mormon Mills and settlement
Character of Mormons
Schools * Chapter 24: Bear hunting
Advent of Galveston News
The agents' adventure
Old acquaintances
Social gatherings
Christening of Marble Falls
Camp meetings * Chapter 25: Double Horn
Hickory Creek
Smithwick's Mill
High Water
Fight with runaway slaves
Grasshoppers
Indian trial * Chapter 26: Troublous times
Fleeing from the wrath to come
Preparation for departure
The last farewell to Texas
Off for California
Incidents enroute
Scenes along the Rio Grande
Arizona
Apache Indians
A. Sidney Johnston
First encounter with Indians
Tucson
Mysterious murder
Down the home stretch
Ft. Yuma
Last forced march
The great Colorado desert