Dac Crossley's Western Blog

Books in Bogart!

The Southern Scribes most recent adventure – we had a booth in the Bogart Fall Festival, where we each signed a handful of books. The Festival featured a parade, live country music, and a promising variety of booths with food and entertainment. I realized it was going to be a tough sell when I found that the first booth, on the corner, was vending a large selection of used books.

Nevertheless, Jim Murdoch, Paige Cummins and I hawked our novels. It was a tough crowd. Many of the passers-by refused to make eye contact. Others recognized Paige from her picture in a local paper, and Jim greeted anyone who even slowed down. I think Paige was the winner on this day, and appropriately so, since she took the lead in getting us there. We met a few prospective writers, who wondered at our success, given their experience with the intransigence of agents and editors. We exchanged some cards, and hope to see our pictures in the Oconee Enterprise.

Next stop – Franklin, North Carolina!

In Cartersville, Georgia, there’s the Booth Western Art Museum. There, I admired the old movie posters, many of them Republic Pictures epics starring John Wayne. And some boasted – Wayne’s famous horse, “Duke.” Now, John Wayne was later called “Big Duke” by associates. Any connection between Duke the big horse and Big Duke. Quien sabe?, as they say.

Westerns Survive! -- Time magazine

Time has figured out that westerns remain popular -- on the big and little screens. I gotta get somebody to consider Guns Across the Rio for a TV epic.

What's your favorite western?
Lonesome Dove? Best TV spectacular of all time. McMurty is in a class all by himself.

Shane? Alan Ladd with lifts in his boots. Hero comes to town, a quiet man but when pushed, he takes care of the bad guys and leaves. Classic western story. Well presented.

Red River? Youth vs age, Montomery Cliff vs John Wayne. One of the best.

Winchester 73? One of my dad's favories. Jimmy Steward made a bunch of them, and wore the same hat in each.

Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid? Never could decide if it was history, a romance or a comedy.

How 'bout John Wayne? Which western finally earned him an Oscar, do you know? And how about this -- Old John made a whole bunch of oaters before he became an icon. And he used the same horse in each one.

What was the horse's name?

The Old West in Knoxville, Tennessee

I took a weekend trip to Knoxville, where I have a bunch of family. Son Steve & wife Tanya run a large construction company, very successful; I enjoyed spending time with those two and their daughter, Stefani. My favorite tavern is Calhoun's, a microbrew, with an excellent lager -- "Thunder Road." (It's on Kingston Pike, called 'thunder road' because it was the route used by bootleggers. Remember the movie? Keely Smith in a non-singing role?).

And we ate at a Mexican restaurant next to La Quinta. Friendly waiter with little english -- and he said he was from Jalisco. So, I broke into song -- "Jalisco, Jalisco, etc." Later, we sat together and I discovered that I can still speak some Spanish -- after I've had enough beer.

Sunday afternoon in downtown Knoxville -- a vibrant community, as they say. The old open-air mall is still there, and surrounded by shops on both sides, open, doing business. Parking garage was free and lots of people took advantage of it. I visited a nice new department store, saw some nice little eateries, one with -- yes! -- live Jazz. Knoxvilel has made something of their downtown, the phoenix has risen. So different from downtown Athens, with its overabundance of bars.

I drove back to Athens, leaving at five, across the Great Smoky Mountains, in time to catch sunrise at Newfound Gap.

A Line in the Sand

Outside the Alamo chapel, there’s a gold-colored line, placed there to represent the line that William B. Travis drew in the sand with his sword. “All those who will stay and fight for Texas, cross over the line!”

Did he really do that? The only reference is dubious. Louis Rose, a Frenchman who left the Alamo, remembered it – years later. Drawing a line was not uncommon. Ben Milam rallied Texas troops the year before, by drawing a line in the sand. For Travis and the Alamo, the legend lives on.

Then, there’s this book: A Line in the Sand. The Alamo in Blood and Memory. Randy Roberts and James Olson, 2001. ISBN 0-684-83544-4. Historians Roberts (Purdue) and Olson (Sam Houston State) pulled together recent opinions, including the De La Pena diary and some new political correctness (Chapter 11. The Third Battle of the Alamo). Required reading for Texas history buffs (Roberts and Olson also co-wrote John Wayne: American.)

A Line in the Sand is the title of a presentation written by Catholic Relief Service workers, who interviewed migrants, ranchers, Mexican and US government officials. It deals specifically with human trafficking, immigration issues, and the deadly 1100 square miles of Sonoran desert between the border and Tucson. A very moving presentation.

Which brings me to my question. Why all this agitation over Hispanic migrants? I get e-mails (bet you do, too) with greatly exaggerated numbers about the harm they do to the rest of us. Are people actually upset about dollars sent back to Mexico (and unconcerned about balance of payments with China)? Or, is this just more nativism? Aren’t immigrants, especially illegals, contributing to our economy?

I’m not offering an easy solution to a complex problem. But can’t we approach this calmly?

A Kindeno Remembers

It's a pleasure to recommend Lauro Cavazos's autobiography, A Kineno Remembers. From the King Ranch to the White House (TAMU Press, 2006. ISBN-13:978-1-58544-526-4). Larry is a dear friend, as you doubtless know, and in reading his story, I lived again those dimly-remembered days, growing up in Kingsville. Larry's recounting of those early years brought forth happy memories -- the Ranch, Larry's mother and father who often treated me as one of their own, the adventures we shared in school and afterwards.

Larry's jourrney was a long one, with many twists and unexpected turns, but as he says, a delightful one. It's a classic American journey, from humble beggings to ultimate achievement in public service, as college president, secretary of Education, and Dean of a distinguished medical school. Like his brother Richard, who attained the rank of General officer in the army, Larry was possessed of a drive to succeed, a characteristic he rightly credits to his parents. His autobiography glistens with the details of a life lived in all gusto, the reward of a diligent work ethic. In these pages, the character of my old friend comes through, strong and faithful to his ideals. Read this book; return to a simpler time in South Texas; for us Texans, enjoy the memories.

The White Car Gang

Today, we celebrated the sixth anniversary of the White Car Gang, our small group of dedicated writers. Inspired by the late, lovely Gleam Powell, we've met monthly to criticize and inspire each other's efforts. The White Car Gang includes:

-- Pat Bell-Scott, Professor at the University of Georgia, editor of Flat-footed Truths: Telling Black Women's Lives and Life Notes: Personal Writings by Contemporary Women. Pat is completing a scholarly book exploring the relationship between activist Pauli Morphy and Eleanor Roosevelt.

--- Genie Bernstein, writer of a number of Southern stories, who received last year's Carrie McCray Literary Award for her story Southern Hospitality, to be published in the October issue of Southern Distinction.

--- Jim Murdock, who's recent book, The Blankenshipf Curse, is now available on Amazon.

--- and me, Dac Crossley, shamelessly promoting Guns Across the Rio.

The way the group has come together, is a true example of serendipity. We've supported each other through fact and fiction. Thanks, writers.

The Yellow Rose of Texas

I looked ahead in the book, Eighteen Minutes, to see how the author handled the Yellow Rose business. And, I'm happy to see, he downplayed it. James Michener popularized the idea that the Yellow Rose of Texas was the woman of color, Emily West, who was in Santa Anna's tent when the Texas army attacked.

The author just thought it was a footnote, an afterthought. I'm sure you remember Mitch Miller's version of the Yellow Rose from the 1950's.

I've always thought that the Yellow Rose of Texas was the cactus flower. The cactus rose. Doesn't that make more sense. Anyway, it seems to be a non-issue now.

Tonight, I didn't get any writing done. My buddy Mark Dalusky phoned -- good music tonnight at The Foundry. That place is an actual civil war foundry, no longer used for that, but housing a good motel, restaurant and bar named the Melting Point. i went and sat outside in the patio, under the stars, and listened to Johnny Driftwood and the Sidemen. Drank a couple of local beers (Terrapin). Turns out, I knew the little girl singer from last Christmas at Dalusky's house. Music was excellent -- what wasn't good was loud. I got home in good shape, before ten.

Retreat From The Alamo

I'm reading Eighteen Minutes. The Battle of San Jacinto and the Texas Independece Campaign. Stephen L. Moore. Republic of Texas Press. 2004.

The Texas Revolution is fascinating for us Texans. Evidently, it is equally fascinating to historians -- Every year brings new interpretations and novels. I can't leave it alone, either, I've got a novel under construction -- Escape from the Alamo, no less. I've got an old copy of The Day of San Jacinto, by Frank Tolbert (1959, McGraw Hill), with lots of details. When I finish Eighteen Minutes , I'll see how much history has been rewritten.

So far, I'm halfway through, and the army is just now retreating from the Colorado. This book has lots, loads of detail about the army and the Texans who fought in it. I've got my Delorme Atlas of Texas and am following all the events -- hope to trace these trails out in person, maybe next summer.

It appears that Stephen Moore could have used my editor, Lizz Bernstein. I keep finding little tiny mistakes. This evening, I ran across an actual "irregardless.' I think Mrs. Williams (KHS) pointed out that that's not a real word (or, maybe it was Miss Hayes).

More when I get closer to San Jacinto.

The Mexican army retreats

After the battle of San Jacinto, the Mexican armies of Filosola and Urrea began a disasterous retreat. Gregg Dimmick, a pediatritian practicing in Wharton, Texas, used a metal detector to locate the route of the Mexican army. His book, Sea of Mud (Texas State Historical Association, Austin, 2004) is a fascinating read. In the flood plain of the San Bernard river, the Mexican army literally bogged down.

Dimmick describes in detail the controversey between the two generals (were Santa Anna's instructions to retreat invalid, since he was a prisoner of war when they were issued?). Hundreds of artifacts -- munitions, arms, personal items were recoved by Dimmick and his cohorts.

Sea of Mud is a well-written, scholarly account, of importance to historians of Texas.

--- Dac Crossley.