Wise About Texas

The Flash was a schooner built in Connecticut for a new enterprise in Texas.  She came to Texas in possession of James Morgan to support his new endeavor, a town and community called New Washington.  But as war clouds gathered, Morgan mounted an 18 pounder on her foredeck and commissioned her Captain into the Texas Navy.  From commerce to combat, rescuing refugees to carrying cannon, the Flash did it all during the Texas revolution.  Her noble service ended quickly after her Captain was replaced with someone who apparently couldn't find the largest harbor in Texas.  The Flash carried some of the most important cargo in Texas history, presidents, cannon, even important groceries.  Hear the story of the schooner Flash in this latest episode of Wise About Texas.

Texas Ranger.  Two words that strike fear in the heart of the lawbreaker and hope in the heart of the law abiding. Since before there was a Texas, there were Rangers.  How this elite force officially began is the subject of some controversy.  There is no doubt that Stephen F. Austin realized the need to take the fight to the hostile Indians he encountered in his new colony.  In this episode, you hear Austin's own words describe his ideas to defend his new colony and his personal funding of a group of rangers.  I also discuss the various rangers that are often considered the first and why such men were even necessary.  I also cover the first battle between Texas Rangers and comanches, beginning a war that would last decades.  Hear about the origins of the most famous law enforcement organization in history--the legendary Texas Rangers.

In early 1853, Jane Wilson and her new husband James set out with 62 others to strike it rich in California.  They never made it.  After two months of traveling they reached El Paso where successful thieves ruined their dreams of fortune.  They decided to return to East Texas but what seemed like the end of a dream was just the beginning of a new nightmare.  Hear tales of murder, torture at the hands of Indian captors, rescues by comancheros and friendly Indian tribes, starvation, thirst, and ultimately survival.  Join Jane Wilson on her incredible journey and learn what tough really means in the latest episode of 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

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.

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.

One of the greatest example of resilience in Texas, indeed United States, history was the building of the Galveston seawall and the raising of the city.  After the Great Hurricane of 1900, the easiest thing to do would have been to abandon Galveston Island.  But that wouldn't be the Texan thing to do.  Instead, the people of Galveston appointed three engineers to figure out how to defeat the next big hurricane.  The 3-member board suggested the construction of a 3-mile seawall to protect the city against a storm surge.  But they went even further.  They proposed raising the city as much as 17 feet in some places, houses, buildings an all.  So the citizens of Galveston went to work and created the Galveston we know today.  Buildings as large as 3000 tons were raised one-half inch at a time!  It worked.  For over 100 years, the Galveston seawall has been a center of tourism in Texas as well as a barrier against destruction.  It passed its first test in 1909 and its first big test in 1915--with flying colors.  T

In 1777 Bernardo de Galvez became governor of Louisiana.  As a Spaniard, he was cheering for a colonial victory in the revolution.  He made sure supplies made it up the Mississippi to George Washington's Continental Army.  When the Spanish crown authorized Galvez to fight the British, he called on Texas!  Galvez turned to Texas to feed his army and in doing so, invented the cattle drive!  He was very successful against the British and was a tremendous asset to the liberation of the colonies and the birth of the United States.  Hear about the important role of Texas in the American Revolution in the latest episode of Wise About Texas.

181 years ago this week, the Texian Army surprised the Mexican army and won the Battle of San Jacinto.  The battle lasted a mere 18 minutes, but its effects changed the world.  After the initial 18 minute rout, many of the Texans pursued the fleeing enemy into the bayous and swamps around San Jacinto while others took stock of what could be found in the Mexican camp. From champagne, to silver, to fancy camp equipment, the Texians found a creative way to dispose of the spoils as well as improve the fiscal affairs of the hours-old Republic of Texas.  But it wasn't all celebration.  A reckless youth set the prairie on fire and a lone guard almost changed world history with his bayonet! Learn more about the immediate aftermath of the Battle of San Jacinto and hear about how the victors handled the spoils of war.

Built in 1831 for John Jacob Astor's American Fur Company, the steamboat Yellowstone was the first steamboat to travel past the Council Bluffs.  She reached parts of the upper Missouri River previously unreachable by other boats.  After conquering the fur trade, she was sold to Thomas Toby & Brother of New Orleans and registered under an American flag.  But she was secretly at work in Texas.  Sam Houston happened upon her on the Brazos river and commandeered her for his army!  After saving the Texas Army, the Yellowstone raced full speed past the Mexican Army (avoiding bullets, cannon and over-eager ropers) and onward to Galveston.  She later carried Sam Houston and Santa Anna--at the same time!  Her last errand for Texas brought the Father of Texas to his final resting place.  Author Donald Jackson called Yellowstone "the engine of manifest destiny."  Hear more about the exciting service of the Steamboat Yellowstone in the latest episode of Wise About Texas.

We all remember the Alamo, Goliad and San Jacinto but there were many more battles in the Texas revolution than are commonly discussed.  A big issue at the time of the Texas revolution was whether to attack Matamoros, Mexico in hopes that federalist sympathizers would join forces with the Texians and achieve glorious victory over the centralists.  The issue split the provisional government and almost dissolved into total chaos.  Multiple individuals each thought they were in charge of the army.  In the meantime, fighting began in various places between the center of the Texas colonies and Matamoros, usually with poor results.  Two of those battles, San Patricio and Refugio are covered in this latest episode of Wise About Texas.

When discussing the Texas revolution, the battle of the Alamo, the Goliad massacre and the great victory at San Jacinto get most of the airtime.  But there were several other military events in the time period leading up to Texas independence.  One of these events was General Jose Mexia's attack on the Mexican port city of Tampico.  General Mexia thought he had organized federalist resistance to Santa Anna and that he would be welcomed to Tampico as a revolutionary leader.  He ran into some bad luck and it didn't quite work out as planned.  Learn more about this incident in this episode of Wise About Texas.

In the late 1820's, the Mexican government assessed the conditions in Texas and decided to clamp down on anglo immigration and try to prevent too much revolutionary fervor.  The American immigrants "traveled with their constitution in their pockets, always demanding their rights."  Mexican President Bustamante issued a decree in 1830 that prevented any further immigration from the United States.  That did it.  The citizens began meeting in consultations, councils and conventions but not everyone agreed on the goal.  All they knew was they had to do something.  No less than 6 different organizational meetings were held and the goals of each progressed toward revolution.   Finally, in a convention at Washington on the Brazos in 1836, Texas declared independence.  The rest is history--Texas history.  Learn more about the various attempts to organize the revolution in the latest episode of Wise About Texas.