THE CATTLE DRIVE Q & A
Where did "cowboy" come from?
Historical references to the term being used to describe mounted herders go back as far as Ireland
1000 AD. The expression cowboy as even used in the Revolutionary War as a derogatory term to describe Torries who stole milk cows, then hid in the brush and jingled cow bells to lure the farmer patriots, who lost them, into the woods, where the Torries killed them.
Later, a cow-boy was the name given to Texas bandits who stole Mexican cattle from across the Rio Grande. It was after the Civil War before the term came to mean someone herding cattle. Many such riders were young; they were boys, hence cow-boys. But the typical trail driver ranged in age from his teens to truly old age, yet he remained a cow-boy. Most preferred to be called drovers.
Where did "cowpuncher" come from?
Cowpuncher was never a term used to describe a cowboy, except in some Western movies and novels. A cow-puncher was the expression for a man who worked the stockyards and moved cattle into rail cars. Using long sticks, they punched and prodded the animals into chutes that were connected to the car doors.
Where did "drover" come from?
Drover was the way most cowboys of the cattle drive days would describe themselves. They drove cattle from Texas to Kansas. The other expressions used would have simply been "rider" or and "cow-hand."
What was a trail drive really like?
Difficult to imagine today. Three or four months of living out in the open, trying to keep thousands of wild beasts headed in the right direction -- and considering eight miles gained a good day. Hoping the weather didn't get too bad, or the rivers too high, or the drought too long; hoping Indians didn't discover you; hoping your food would hold out and your water; hoping your horse didn't step in a prairie dog hole and throw you; hoping the stampedes would be few; hoping you didn't get sick or lose the way.
How many cattle trails were there?
There were three main ones -- Shawnee Trail, Chisholm Trail and the Western Trail. The Shawnee Trail was, by far, the oldest with its beginnings traced to Shawnee Indians, and used as a cattle trail in the 1840?. The trail led to Missouri towns, like Kansas City, Sedalia and even St. Louis. It was usually simply called The Trail and began officially outside of Waco, Texas. The Chisholm Trail was the most popular, carrying over half of the cattle moved from Texas. It went to Kansas towns like Caldwell, Ellsworth, Abilene, Newton, Wichita and Dodge City. The Western Trail was the last and went directly to Dodge, then on to ranges in Wyoming and Montana.
Why did the cattle drives happen?
Pure capitalism at work to fill a market need. After the Civil War, the East had become beef-crazy and most of the beef was in Texas, running wild. Prior to the War, the favored meats were wild game and pork. Starved for hard cash, Texans saw the opportunity and moved the cattle to the closest railhead where they could be sold for real money. The ever-expanding railroad was excited about having something profitable to haul back east. They even built cattle yards in these new Kansas towns. The townsmen in the newly created settlements (due to being the end of the railroad? progress) promoted their towns as the place to come to sell steers. Maps and brochures were distributed throughout Texas. The risk was great -- and so were the rewards -- to all three groups: cattlemen, townsmen, railroaders.
During the 1860? through the 1880?, most historians state that more than ten million head of cattle walked the Texas trails to the trailheads in Kansas and
Missouri.
Why did a cowboy wear a big neckerchief?
Everything a cowboy wore was for function, not for fancy. From wide-brimmed hats, to leather cuffs and chaps, to spurs, vests -- and kerchiefs. A big neckerchief was a multi-tasked tool worn around his neck to keep it handy. Tied over his mouth, his neckerchief kept dust from choking him on the drive; worn over his head, it became ear muffs against the cold; it covered his neck from sun; and was an ever-ready hot pad for handling hot skillets or branding irons. Sometimes, he covered his whole face during wind storms or sheltered his eyes from snowblindness; and it was there to be a sling or to stop bleeding, if need be. Of course, a fellow could also wipe his nose and get rid of sweat with it, too.
Did cowboys really sing to cattle?
Yes, every night. The sound of the man? voice kept the cattle calm at night and helped pass the time while riding nighthawk. Usually the riders rode in a wide circle -- in opposite directions -- around the outside of the bedded herd. One of the trail drive favorites, "Bury Me Not on the Lone Prairie," was originally a sea chanty -- "bury me not in the deep, deep sea, where the dark blue waves will roll over me." Many songs had verses not suited for public consumption.
Did it take a long time to bed the cattle at night?
Depending on the size of the herd, it might take a couple of hours. The bed ground was carefully selected each night, preferably with good grass and close-by water. The herd was moved slowly in circles until they were comfortable enough to lay down. A standing herd was usually a preamble to trouble because they were uneasy about something.
Who was a "Little Mary" on a cattle drive?
The driver of the calf wagon, if there was one, was often called Little Mary. Some trail bosses would take along a wagon to carry calves all day and release them to their mothers at night. Otherwise, they would lag behind and probably keep their mothers similarly occupied. Some trail bosses cut them from the trail herd at the start and left them behind. Usually they were sold to farmers and ranchers near the Kansas trailhead.
Did cowboys really ride armed on cattle drives?
Certainly most did, but not all. Pistols were carried in case they were thrown but got hung up in the stirrup and the horse bolted. Shooting a horse was a lot better than being dragged to death. Rifles were usually carried in the chuck wagon unless they were moving through Indian country or known areas where rustlers operated. In particularly wild land, the point riders would carry their rifles across their saddles for quick access.
What were the worst trail drive dangers?
There were lots of them with a thousand miles of moving half-wild longhorns along unfenced, untamed land. Weather was usually the most common enemy. Storms, thunder and lightning, caused most stampedes. Drought could make cattle crazed, temporarily blind and dangerous. River crossings were always treacherous to animals and men. Indians. Rustlers. Everyday injuries to men and horses. Prairie fires could catch a man on a running horse. Alkaline in some water holes could make a man sick; cattle, too. Food carried in the chuck wagon had to last the whole drive, unless they came across an occasional farmer willing to trade. It definitely wasn't a family vacation.
Was John Chisholm one of the great cattlemen in the early West?
Nope, the man whose name adorned the greatest cattle trail was actually a trader, not a cowman. He built trading posts for Indians and trappers and carved out a rough road for his wagons from Texas to Kansas. Later, it became the pathway for thousands of cattle drives.
What time of year were the cattle drives?
Early June would find the first Texas herds arriving in Kansas, and the cattle would continue flowing into the railheads throughout the summer and end in mid-September. Weather would be the primary factor and how it effected the grass. Each trail boss had his favorite timing, of course. According to records, the first Kansas railhead cattle market was Abilene in 1867, two years after the Civil War ended.
Did anyone keep track of the number of cattle once a drive began?
You bet. The cattle were counted daily. Sometimes, more often. This was money on the hoof. The trail boss would ask a top drover to assist and count separately as a control. Keeping track was done with knots in a rope for each hundred, or shifting a bean from one vest pocket to another. The counting point was set up to allow the cattle to pass between them in
a long line.
How many cowboys were on a typical drive?
Typically a ten-man crew would handle 2,500 cattle, plus a cook, trail boss, and a wrangler to take care of the string of horses. About one rider for every 250 head of cattle but some used only one rider for each 400 head. Each man was assigned eight to ten horses for his personal use during the drive; they weren't his animals, they belonged to the ranch. One of the quality measuring sticks for a trail drive was the number of horses each man was assigned. Pay was about $30 a month and found (food) for three or four
months. Some riders were, of course, permanent ranch employees; most were hired just for the drive.
What was the special use of the wagon tongue in camp?
Besides its main hitching purpose, the chuck wagon tongue was the official compass. Each night, it was pointed north to provide quick reference in the morning. That's why "follow the tongue" was a common expression on trail drives.
What kind of food did they carry?
Salt pork, dried apples, beans, onions, potatoes, flour, salt, coffee beans, lard, baking soda, vinegar, whiskey and molasses were the most common foods. Occasionally, wild game was added to the menu. Or, if they came across a farmer, they might trade for eggs or even a pie. Beef was rarely eaten, only if a steer went down, or to celebrate the crossing of a river.
What was a "judas steer?"
A steer that could be counted on to lead the entire herd on the drive was called a "judas steer" because it was leading the others to eventual slaughter. If the animal was good at the job, it was kept for the next
drive.
Were the cowtowns really as wild as depicted in the movies and novels?
More so. Anything the cowboy wanted -- and anything to get him to part with his new money -- was available and highly touted to get the herds there. It was a competitive business between railheads. Abilene, for example, had 64 gambling houses and saloons at its trail-driving peak. A cowboy could enjoy everything there from roller-skating rinks to theaters to whorehouses to dance halls. The cowboys' section of town in Abilene was called Devil's Half Acre. There were also some very elegant saloons, attracting cattle owners, trail bosses and cattle buyers. Many places catered to the Texans by calling their places names like Lone Star and the Alamo.
Did the chuck wagon really hold all the food and gear for the drive?
Yes, a sturdily built, wide-beamed wagon, with its bentwood bows holding protective canvas, would eventually hold everything for the long drive. All the food supplies were carefully packed -- sacks of green coffee beans, flour, sugar, salt, dried apples, pinto beans and cornmeal, as well as boxes of soda, canned goods and wraps of salt pork and bacon. Boxes of tobacco were placed there; sacks of cigarette tobacco and papers, and chewing squares. A heavy tool box hung on the outside of the wagon, opposite the water barrel. It would contain a shovel, ax, branding irons, horseshoeing equipment, hobbles, rods for the pot rack and extra skillets. Rope, guns, tobacco, ammunition, a lantern and kerosene, axle grease, even two extra wheels, were packed in the wagon. The boot and the chuck box, at the back end, was also fully stocked. It contained a hinged worktable and a honeycomb of drawers and cubbyholes. That? where salt, lard, baking soda, coffee beans, vinegar, matches, calomel, castor oil, bandages, needles, and molasses were kept. Don? forget the sourdough keg, coffee pot, regular skillets, pot hooks, plates, cups, utensils, cooking knives, and coffee grinder. Coiled stake ropes for making a corral to hold the horses at night were packed for easy access and so was a Dutch oven or two. Oh, and don? forget buckets of grain for the wagon teams. During the day, the men would toss in their bedrolls, and their war bags carrying personal items and extra clothes. Whew!
What was a remuda?
Remuda is the Spanish word for a group of horses. It was the common term for describing the horses taken on the drive.
What to learn more? There are many excellent references for studying the trail-driving days and the life of the cowboy in the early West. Three of the best are Cowboy Culture by David Dary, Cowboys and Kansas by Jim Hoy and The Cattle Towns by Robert R. Dykstra.
If you like to learn more about trail drives while reading fiction, there is, of course, Dark Trail To Dodge and Behold a Red Horse.