Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1898-01-07
THE STORY OF
= A STAMPEDE.
BY J. B. cRANFILL..

CoWB0Y life 20 years ago in Texas
~ was very different from what it is
'o-oay' Then the big ranches were
unknown and the cattle were raised in
.ne open prairies, and the maverick"
nad not become extinct. 1t was In
.ne years just preceding the incident
mere related that saw service as cow
boy and was thoroughly familiar with
nie on the trails. OF the incident itself
+. was not an eyewitness, but it was
tod to me by my friend, Mr.. NJ. B.
Davis, an old Texas ranger and cow
ooy' who is to the early life of Texas
what Joaquin Miller is to California.
4 give the story as nearly as l can re-
member it just as it came from his
lips. 1t chronicles one of the most
desperate stampedes ever witnessed by
q Texas cowboy.
In 1876 the Wilson brothers, of Kan
sas City, having purchased over $4,000
mead OF cattle in Hamilton, Comanche,
Coryell and Bell counties, and having
arranged to centralize the herd near
Comanche Springs, in McLennan coun-
ty, drove to the Bennett hills and went
into camp to await the carrying out of
their orders. These cattle were driven
across the Leon at various suitable
fords and converged on that beautiful
prairie, in the center of which now
stands the town Of McGregor. On the
Fourth OF July of that year the en-
tire herd was under way, headed for
Towash on the Brazos river. 1t was
a magnificent army of steers, In su-
perb condition, kept together by
corps of 25 cowboys, mounted on bron-
chos-men experienced in the business.
The herd was not pressed, the object
being to let them Craze on the rich
herbage. with view to keeping them
In good condition and reaching the
market in time to catch the best prices
In the fall of the year. AT four o'clock
In the afternoon there were signs of
an electric storm. A black cloud
showed above the foothills, and the
sun shining against it painted a rain
bow which appeared to touch the earth
at both ends. The entire herd became
nervous and showed their fear by those
low bellowings, ominous to the expert
enced cattleman as the muttering thun-
der. The cowboys were experienced
men, and they kept the moving mass
well in hand, so that when the sun set
all was well, and the cattle were bedded
on the plains near the South Bosque,
and night settled in with the promise
of safe crossing at the Brazos the
next day. A detail of four cowboys
was made for the first watch, and these
mounted sentinels took their places
and rode silently around the sleeping
squadron of long-horns. The first
watch ended at nine o'clock, and the
second watch went on duty. 1t was
during the second watch that the
memorable Wilson stampede occurred.
At ten o'clock the cattle appeared to
be sleeping profoundly. The cowboys
sov that cattle dream and see ghosts;
q Is certain that this drove of $4,000
vas nervous, made so, perhaps, by the
thunderstorm Of the previous afternoon
and the rainbow which they had eyed
With suspicion. 1t is likely that great
many cattle in that vast accumulation
mad never seen such rainbow. 1t was
distinct throughout the arch and very
broad; the lightning, too, was very
vivid. and the thunoerclaps that fol-
lowed were like sharp artillery. The
cowboys insisted long afterward that
4, was the thunderstorm and the rain
how Of the afternoon that caused the
stampede that night. BE that as 1t
NAV it was a stampede that the cattle
non who witnessed it have never for
rotten. and are still telling of to pos
terity.
The stars were all shining, and there
,yas no cause at all for the arousing OF
.hs herd. They appeared TO get up all
.. once. with a single purpose, and the
roar that was heard seemed to come
from single throat. The Wilson
hro,bers and their cowboys who were
sleen;ng in their camp rushed to their
nonies who were grazing with the SAD
5,as and brides on, and as fast as the
h;ts could be replaced in their mouths
nav mounted and galloped to the
aanksSof the now disappearing mass
hasded in rae direction of the Brazos
river. s.o,, tho usu,,
.ourse in such cases; they kept out OF
the way of the charging mass ana gal,
,nned on the fianks, moving toward
.Ss p head Of the column, hoping TO
"no;rt them off," as they call IT, ana
.tart them moving in circle. Inc
soxs s who formed the guard in gal
,oD;nr uUs along the front OF the STAN,
"ads .uf' saw the eyes of the terrlhed
e.ve, pesv, emI.ting fire and their tongues
DDso.rudInr. Dse They uttered those low
poses pota Of terror 50 familiar on sns