Post by Paws on Sept 12, 2004 5:41:00 GMT 12.75
So Jim where the heck is the picture? That looks like a great personna. With respect to your uniform not being hand made that may well be a misnomer. Littlle known is the fact that a great number of sewing machine sweat shops existed during this period. Granted, most were in the Northern tier but there also such plants in the South. The only fairly reliable constraint appears to be the button holes and usually trouser and sleeve cuffs. Virtually one hundred percent of button holes were hand sewn and cuffs were for the most part left unseamed and simply cut to length. After the start of the war and the South transition of manufacturing capacity to firearms, edged weaponry, etc. The machine sewn garments were quickly exhausted. Most of the uniform replacement items came from the soldiers family as home made gifts for their soldier.
My personna is totally fiction; however, tries to incorporate "it coulda happened" events that are documented together in what I hope is an interesting and entertaining way. I have added a couple Hollywood depicted events that might make someone say; "Oh yeah, I heard of that!"
Corporal Kass Irons Confederate States of America (CSA) Persona
In 1821, Stephen F. Austin, known as the "Father of Texas," made a contract to bring 300 families to the Spanish province, which now is Texas. By 1823, probably more than 600 to 700 people were in Texas, hardy colonists from the various portions of the United States at that time, who settled not far from the Gulf of Mexico. There was no regular army to protect us, so Austin called all the citizens together and organized a group to provide the needed protection. Austin first referred to this group as the Rangers in 1823, for their duties compelled them to range over the entire country, thus giving rise to the service known as the Texas Rangers. Me and my Ma were part of these families; we came from Louisiana looking for land to settle after Pa had passed away three years earlier and a new start. Ma took on borders until getting a Mexican cook, started a small hotel, and was doing real well in just a short time. Ma really did not need me any more and could be along fine on her own so I struck out. Sixteen and plumb full of piss and vinegar I went looking for my fortune.
It was in 1823 when I joined the Rangers, Seventeen years old; but with already a cattle drive under my belt lasting several months the year before. That time spent with Mr. Culpepper trail herding from Texas to Colorado with more than 1,000 head of Mexican beef was my change from boy to man and I was ready for the Rangers. Don't get me wrong now, that drive was nothing like what the drives are today. I recall I got five dollars a month and found. I hear that the drovers are getting twice that now and the cooks get sixty! That drive even though it wasn't the most important thing to happen in the world had brought death at my hand, my first experience with a woman, my first drink, and the first look of respect from another man's eye. I had signed on with The Culpepper Cattle Company as Cook's helper, what everyone called "Mary" and from all I learned I suspect I might have learned to cook too if Cook had known anything. I never said a word though. I had learned a whole lot more about fixin' grub from Ma than Cook ever showed he knew. That time spent with Mr. Culpepper was my ticket into the Rangers. Once they found out I could cook a little bit; seemed like, that's all I ever did. I stayed with them. Mostly on the range rounding up whatever criminals need be, stray renegades, or even an occasional Mexican soldier. Cooked too!
In 1844, the Texas rangers leader, Jack Hays, set up headquarters in San Antonio. He wanted the men to learn how to fight better on horseback and in an area near the San Pedro springs we got to test our abilities. We had a riding and shooting contest against the Comanche Indians and local Mexican caballeros. Needless to say, I did all right at that. Still cooked! Cap'n Jack thought maybe there just wasn't anything I couldn't do! I always did right by the men and they did by me too. In 45, the Army put a camp in there so we had neighbors to visit when there was time to do so. I conversed with the Quartermaster there and learned a few more things about cooking and such from him. One fella there I met, Charles Goodnight, and I got to be good friends. He had worked on some of the earliest cattle drives too, and even joined the Rangers for a while. He was drawing up pictures of what he was calling a "chuck wagon"; a real interesting contraption too!
It was like a covered wagon with a big trunk in the back with a lid on the front that drops down. He puts legs under the lid and makes a table. Well, inside that trunk, there are shelves and bins and in there, he says he plans on storing his flour, bacon, sugar, coffee, beans, and other stuff. He is trying to get the Army to build one to use on patrols for a field kitchen. He says it will work better on cattle drives than mules or pack horses so the cook can haul all his stuff and maybe the drovers' burdens too. "Charles"; says I, " you know now the Army ain't going to do anything that makes good sense!" He agreed and laughed at that. Around 48, just about the time Texas broke away from Mexico, I lost track of him. A few years later, I heard he was a full Colonel; imagine that! I stayed on there in the Springs through the start of the war doing more Rangering and cooking learning a little more this and that and getting older as time moved on. In 54, Jefferson Davis brought in those danged camels. Funniest looking critters I ever saw! Comanche were down right scared of them; thought they were some kind of evil spirit or something. Davis got this crazed idea that he could replace the army mule with these things for moving men and bundles over the desert. I guess that's normal, for the Army though. Only the Army could ignore Charles' chuck wagon idea but import these disasters over the sea! They didn't need as much water as the mules did and could pack bigger loads too; but there were some real problems with them. Guess they come from some big desert somewhere. Anyway, I bet he would like to get his hands on the carpetbagger that talked him into that idea! Those things were nasty; actually would spit on you or stand on your foot just to be mean. Danged things did cook up pretty tasty though! That hump on their back was a whole lot like ox tails without the bones and you could roast it up and put most any kind of vegetables with it. The rest of them was something like beef only a little tougher. The army turned them loose and there were still some of them running wild when the war broke out. Just shortly afterward, the Union put up a Confederate prison camp there at the springs and all hell broke loose. The ranchers and proud citizens thought that was bringing just too many men and animals for that little area to support so that idea didn't work at all. Didn't take the Union long to shut it down and move out entirely. Texas was kind of pro Confederate anyway; and I think the blue bellies could take the hint. Times were just getting real good for Texas. The cattle business was just starting to do well. Several trails had opened up into New Mexico, Colorado, and of course California. My Ranger outfit was made an army regiment (Tyler's Texas Rangers) which volunteered to support the Confederacy. So it looks like Texas gave up independence to join the Union; but, is now joining the revolution with the Confederacy! Some things it just don't pay to try and figure out! Well there, I was and here I am. 1860, already 55 years old, my last chance to make my mark; so I joined in for a little excitement and look at this; still cookin'!
Corporal Kass Irons, CSA
Tyler's Texas Rangers (Attached to Mosby's Raiders)
Quartermaster and Garrison Cook
My personna is totally fiction; however, tries to incorporate "it coulda happened" events that are documented together in what I hope is an interesting and entertaining way. I have added a couple Hollywood depicted events that might make someone say; "Oh yeah, I heard of that!"
Corporal Kass Irons Confederate States of America (CSA) Persona
In 1821, Stephen F. Austin, known as the "Father of Texas," made a contract to bring 300 families to the Spanish province, which now is Texas. By 1823, probably more than 600 to 700 people were in Texas, hardy colonists from the various portions of the United States at that time, who settled not far from the Gulf of Mexico. There was no regular army to protect us, so Austin called all the citizens together and organized a group to provide the needed protection. Austin first referred to this group as the Rangers in 1823, for their duties compelled them to range over the entire country, thus giving rise to the service known as the Texas Rangers. Me and my Ma were part of these families; we came from Louisiana looking for land to settle after Pa had passed away three years earlier and a new start. Ma took on borders until getting a Mexican cook, started a small hotel, and was doing real well in just a short time. Ma really did not need me any more and could be along fine on her own so I struck out. Sixteen and plumb full of piss and vinegar I went looking for my fortune.
It was in 1823 when I joined the Rangers, Seventeen years old; but with already a cattle drive under my belt lasting several months the year before. That time spent with Mr. Culpepper trail herding from Texas to Colorado with more than 1,000 head of Mexican beef was my change from boy to man and I was ready for the Rangers. Don't get me wrong now, that drive was nothing like what the drives are today. I recall I got five dollars a month and found. I hear that the drovers are getting twice that now and the cooks get sixty! That drive even though it wasn't the most important thing to happen in the world had brought death at my hand, my first experience with a woman, my first drink, and the first look of respect from another man's eye. I had signed on with The Culpepper Cattle Company as Cook's helper, what everyone called "Mary" and from all I learned I suspect I might have learned to cook too if Cook had known anything. I never said a word though. I had learned a whole lot more about fixin' grub from Ma than Cook ever showed he knew. That time spent with Mr. Culpepper was my ticket into the Rangers. Once they found out I could cook a little bit; seemed like, that's all I ever did. I stayed with them. Mostly on the range rounding up whatever criminals need be, stray renegades, or even an occasional Mexican soldier. Cooked too!
In 1844, the Texas rangers leader, Jack Hays, set up headquarters in San Antonio. He wanted the men to learn how to fight better on horseback and in an area near the San Pedro springs we got to test our abilities. We had a riding and shooting contest against the Comanche Indians and local Mexican caballeros. Needless to say, I did all right at that. Still cooked! Cap'n Jack thought maybe there just wasn't anything I couldn't do! I always did right by the men and they did by me too. In 45, the Army put a camp in there so we had neighbors to visit when there was time to do so. I conversed with the Quartermaster there and learned a few more things about cooking and such from him. One fella there I met, Charles Goodnight, and I got to be good friends. He had worked on some of the earliest cattle drives too, and even joined the Rangers for a while. He was drawing up pictures of what he was calling a "chuck wagon"; a real interesting contraption too!
It was like a covered wagon with a big trunk in the back with a lid on the front that drops down. He puts legs under the lid and makes a table. Well, inside that trunk, there are shelves and bins and in there, he says he plans on storing his flour, bacon, sugar, coffee, beans, and other stuff. He is trying to get the Army to build one to use on patrols for a field kitchen. He says it will work better on cattle drives than mules or pack horses so the cook can haul all his stuff and maybe the drovers' burdens too. "Charles"; says I, " you know now the Army ain't going to do anything that makes good sense!" He agreed and laughed at that. Around 48, just about the time Texas broke away from Mexico, I lost track of him. A few years later, I heard he was a full Colonel; imagine that! I stayed on there in the Springs through the start of the war doing more Rangering and cooking learning a little more this and that and getting older as time moved on. In 54, Jefferson Davis brought in those danged camels. Funniest looking critters I ever saw! Comanche were down right scared of them; thought they were some kind of evil spirit or something. Davis got this crazed idea that he could replace the army mule with these things for moving men and bundles over the desert. I guess that's normal, for the Army though. Only the Army could ignore Charles' chuck wagon idea but import these disasters over the sea! They didn't need as much water as the mules did and could pack bigger loads too; but there were some real problems with them. Guess they come from some big desert somewhere. Anyway, I bet he would like to get his hands on the carpetbagger that talked him into that idea! Those things were nasty; actually would spit on you or stand on your foot just to be mean. Danged things did cook up pretty tasty though! That hump on their back was a whole lot like ox tails without the bones and you could roast it up and put most any kind of vegetables with it. The rest of them was something like beef only a little tougher. The army turned them loose and there were still some of them running wild when the war broke out. Just shortly afterward, the Union put up a Confederate prison camp there at the springs and all hell broke loose. The ranchers and proud citizens thought that was bringing just too many men and animals for that little area to support so that idea didn't work at all. Didn't take the Union long to shut it down and move out entirely. Texas was kind of pro Confederate anyway; and I think the blue bellies could take the hint. Times were just getting real good for Texas. The cattle business was just starting to do well. Several trails had opened up into New Mexico, Colorado, and of course California. My Ranger outfit was made an army regiment (Tyler's Texas Rangers) which volunteered to support the Confederacy. So it looks like Texas gave up independence to join the Union; but, is now joining the revolution with the Confederacy! Some things it just don't pay to try and figure out! Well there, I was and here I am. 1860, already 55 years old, my last chance to make my mark; so I joined in for a little excitement and look at this; still cookin'!
Corporal Kass Irons, CSA
Tyler's Texas Rangers (Attached to Mosby's Raiders)
Quartermaster and Garrison Cook