A couple months ago, I visited a used bookstore. Now, when I visit used bookstores, I go in with no list and an open mind. (On this occasion, that led to buying a dozen books!) One of the books I bought was Andrew Roberts’ Napoleon and Wellington. It examines their rise and their mutual interaction.Continue reading “Napoleon and Wellington: and the War of 1812″
Author Archives: Andrew J. Pankratz
The Wonder Of the Century
In 1861, a stranger in tattered robes arrived in Cuba, and found instant acclaim as “The Wonder of the Century.” His picture was taken and someone made a pile of money off of selling his likeness. He was a Italian hermit who had taken vows of traveling the earth. He is also a real historicalContinue reading “The Wonder Of the Century”
The Only Two Who Could
Council Grove, Kansas, was a bustling last stop on the Santa Fe Trail. Hordes of settlers, cowboys, and soldiers passed through on a daily basis. And from a distance watched a man named George Copley. He had wrung a fortune from the crowds of travelers- some of it legitimate, and some of it not! CopleyContinue reading “The Only Two Who Could”
The Laughing Cavalier is on the market!
Haarlem was overshadowed with darkness by the events of the outside world. A popular political figure was on the scaffold, and war with Spain was immanent. The son of the departed politician allowed his anger to fester into a deep bitterness, which led him to construct an astonishing scheme to deprive the Prince of OrangeContinue reading “The Laughing Cavalier is on the market!”
Bass Reeves: Real-Life Legend
One of the greatest western legends that actually lived was the black lawman Bass Reeves. He served as a US Deputy Marshal under “Hanging Judge” Isaac Parker in Oklahoma, arresting over three thousand law breakers in his thirty-two year career. Reeves was born in July 1838 in Crawford County, Arkansas. He was the slave ofContinue reading “Bass Reeves: Real-Life Legend”
But Weren’t Cowboys Good?
Everyone knows that the cowboys were the greatest heroes of the Wild West. The overwhelming evidence of the silver screen cannot be contradicted. Or can it? The modern conception of cowboys is along the lines of a John Wayne character- tough, a little rough around the edges, and perhaps overly bellicose, but still the goodContinue reading “But Weren’t Cowboys Good?”
The Cowboy and His Honor
“You’re a liar!” “No, I ain’t!” “Just lied again in denying it!” “Insult me once more, and I’ll plant you in boot hill!” We all know how this ends. On the surface, it seems to be a couple of cantankerous cowboys who are just spoiling for a fight. They seize on any little thing andContinue reading “The Cowboy and His Honor”
Gunfighters in the Wild West
The typical Western movie or novel ends with a glamorous gunfight on a dusty street. What could be more romantic, than a chance to publicly vindicate yourself, and have a few dozen witnesses to your proficiency with a gun? But did it ever actually happen? Wild Bill Hickok had public fight on the Springfield, MissouriContinue reading “Gunfighters in the Wild West”
Cowboy Food
What exactly did the cowboys eat on a cattle drive? They were driving cattle nearly every hour of daylight, and riding horses over rough ground, and fighting rougher longhorns. The rigorous work left the cowboys dog-tired and ready to eat a “whole mule and a hamper of greens.” According to Theodore Roosevelt, that literally couldContinue reading “Cowboy Food”
Big Medicine in the Wild West
In the early days of the Wild West, a band of Indians approached a priest and requested that he baptize them. The padre was delighted. However, to fulfill church policy, he inquired into the braves’ desire for baptism. The bronzed warriors replied that they wanted the Spanish medicine. (Medicine, to the Indians, was anything thatContinue reading “Big Medicine in the Wild West”
New Release!
The Ghost of Shanaghy Jones Hi Ya’ll, On the 28 of October, a brand new story will hit the market! I am releasing The Ghost of Shanaghy Jones. It is a free eBook that will be available on Barnes&Nobles and Amazon. The Ghost of Shanaghy Jones is another western story about “Sherlock Holmes in cowboyContinue reading “New Release!”
Heroes
Since the advent of the dime novel and the motion picture, we have had no shortage of superhuman characters. The protagonist is always tougher than the toughest, braver than the bravest, or prettier than prettiest. None can match them in skill or in cunning. However, these have nearly all been idols- people we worship forContinue reading “Heroes”
Dusty Trails 