The Junior Historian, Volume 8, Number 4, January 1948 Page: 20
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THE JUNIOR HISTORIAN
Meeting at Victoria, the company
formulated its plan of attack and then
rode by railway to Port Lavaca. There
the company of several hundred riders
transferred to small sailing boats and
sailed in broad daylight to Saluria
Island, where they overwhelmed the
garrison, seizing all firearms, ammuni-
tion, and Union soldiers.
Elisha had the distinction of fight-
ing in the final battle of the Civil War,
a battle fought after the war was over.
It took place near Brownsville on May
30, 1865, nearly two months after
Lee had surrendered at Appomattox.
With the close of the war young
Stevens returned home to resume his
studies at the college in Concrete. He
finished his education at the military
school at Bastrop, returned to Concrete,
and took up his father's work of ranch-
ing and farming.
In 1869, Stevens made his first drive
up the Old Chisholm Trail. The cattle
were driven from Corpus Christi to the
northern markets in Kansas, Nebraska,
and the Indian reservations in Wyo-
ming. He made another drive in 1871
and continued to follow the trail for
nine consecutive years.
The herds varied in size from one
thousand to twenty-five hundred head.
Nine cowboys and nine extra mounts,
the cook who drove the chuck wagon,
and the boss rode with the herd. The
chuck wagon always led the dust-
flanked procession of cattle and cow-
boys. When the sun began to sink below
the horizon, the march was stopped and
the night meal was prepared for the
tired and hungry cowboys who never
failed to do justice to the beans, corn
bread, bacon, and coffee. After supper
the cowboys unsaddled and staked their
horses. Everyone sat around the camp-
fire telling tall tales and singing favor-
ite cowboy songs. Saddles and blankets
served as pillows for the night. Two
cowboys alternated keeping watch dur-
ing the night. If the herd began to
stampede, all of the cowboys wereneedd to rout the frenzied tumult of
the cattle.
Three months or more were usually
required to make the trips to the mar-
kets. The return depended on the time
requ red to dispose of the cattle. Some-
time:; the horses, too, were sold and the
men came home by train to New Or-
leans and then to Houston, since the
only railroads in Texas at that time
led to Houston. Later railroads were
built to other nearer points. Stevens
camn by train to Flatonia, thirty miles
front Concrete, where he was met by
members of his family.
Thlc homecoming of the men return-
ing from the long drive up the Old
Chisholm "Trail was looked forward to
with great excitement. It was a reunion
after three or more months of separa-
tion, and the cattlemen always came
back from the city with rich gifts.
T''hcse gifts included wearing apparel
of the finest fabrics and latest styles,
rings, brooches, earrings, and bracelets.
'I'oday many of these objects are treas-
ured heirlooms.
In 1872 Elisha Stevens and Alla
Blanche King were married in Concrete.
IIe built a stone cottage on his part of
the plantation, and here he and his wife
livcc for some years.
In 1891 the family moved to Cuero.
The Stevens's home was built on
Prairie Street, and in this city the chil-
dren received their early education.
E isha Stevens died in 1943 at the
age of ninety-four years. Few men have
crowded more adventure into a lifetime
than did this picturesque pioneer of
Texas.
THIS MONTH'S EDITORIAL
Miss Llerena B. Friend, writer of
this month's editorial, has been an out-
standing Junior Historian sponsor at
Wichita Falls and is now research as-
sistant in Texas history and editorial
assistant for the Texas State Historical
Association.20
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Texas State Historical Association. The Junior Historian, Volume 8, Number 4, January 1948, periodical, January 1948; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth391365/m1/22/: accessed July 17, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Texas State Historical Association.