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Historical Tidbit Thursdays - The Comanches - War - #TidbitThursday

Howdy!

Welcome back to our recurring column, Historical Tidbit Thursdays!

Today we'll delve into the Comanche's world of war and fighting.

Comanche tribes required approval through their council (often of elder members) to go to war with enemy tribes or non-Indian groups (like the U.S. Army). A war chief would be elected by the council to serve temporarily. He was usually the most experienced warrior and/or one who'd had powerful visions (such as of an eagle seizing its prey).

Before each raid, a war dance would take place to get the warrior excited and through vigorous activity (such as stomping, chanting, and howling around a blazing bonfire) would receive special "medicine" that would guide and protect them. Women would encourage the men through their own screeching and frenzied leaping.

Women didn't go to war with the men, but if they were attacked, they would fight to the death. Women and children were not spared in warfare. If they were, they'd be taken as slaves. Usually young children would be taken as slaves and infants would be killed.

Members of the war party would paint their faces black (the color of death) before departing into the darkness. Scouts would be sent ahead to locate the enemy's sleeping camp. Typical warfare consisted of sneaking in for a surprise attack and then massacring the enemy without mercy.

After a successful battle, all honors and spoils fell to the leader/war chief but, in practice, he would bestow them upon his fellow warriors.

Hand-to-hand combat was the epitome of courage. To touch a living enemy was the ultimate show of bravery. The 17th century French called this practice "counting coup".

Source:
Comanches: The Destruction of a People by T.R.Fehrenbach; ISBN#0-306-80586-3

Western Word of the Week - Whistle Berries - #WesternWordoftheWeek

Howdy!

Welcome to our Weekly Western Word of the Day...

Whistle Berries - beans

Source:
The Cowboy Encyclopedia by Richard W Slatta; ISBN#0-87436-738-7

Western Travel - Log Cabin Village (Part Eight) - Fort Worth, Texas - #TravelTuesday

Welcome to my weekly column #TravelTuesday featuring places I've discovered during my research trips or just wandering around in historical areas. I hope you enjoy my discoveries.

This week we continue our visit to the Log Cabin Village, in Fort Worth, Texas. Last week we looked at the Howard Cabin and a few artifacts. Today we come to our last stop - the Parker Cabin. This dogtrot was built around 1848 by Lucy C. and Isaac Parker (who was the nephew of Cynthia Ann Parker). More information about the cabin and Parker family can be found on the village's site (www.logcabinvillage.org/tour-parker.html)

 
 
 
 
 

Learn more about the village by checking out the official site - www.logcabinvillage.org

Log Cabin Village Address: 2100 Log Cabin Village Ln, Fort Worth, Texas 76109

Historical Tidbit Thursdays - The Comanches - Death - #TidbitThursday

Howdy!

Welcome back to our newest addition to the blog - Historical Tidbit Thursdays!

I'm really excited to be able to share my research, my favorite reference books, shows or movies I've seen that inspire, as well as my passion for history with you in a quicker and more regular way. My focus will be on my current WIP (Work in Progress) - a western romance fiction novel. So I hope you enjoy!!

This week I wanted to re-explore the Comanche's beliefs around death, burial and the afterlife. We delved into this topic back in January (https://wendyquest.blogspot.com/2018/01/historical-tidbit-thursdays-comanches_72.html) but this book has offered additional tidbits I'd love to share with you. Also, keep in mind, a lot of my research is heavily focused on the late 19th century so some of the beliefs might be different in this time period than in the early (Nermernuh) periods.

The death of a family's hunter greatly affected their food supply (meat) and therefore their own survival.

Corpses were ritually painted and dressed and buried with their possessions, which would be used by the dead in the afterlife.

Mourning practices included howling, shrieking, withdrawing, and long-drawn out grief. (If you've seen the "Dances with Wolves" movie, the female character, Stands with a Fist, has just gone through a long grieving period after losing her husband.)

Unnatural behavior was punishable by death (such as women engaging in incestual relationships).

The life of the nomads was a harsh one. Anyone considered weak (such as a deformed infant) was left to die. Many children died young. Elderly men or women who could no longer make the march would walk off to die in privacy. Likewise, suicide was common.

Source:
Comanches: The Destruction of a People by T.R.Fehrenbach; ISBN#0-306-80586-3

Western Word of the Week - Wet stock - #WesternWordoftheWeek

Howdy!

Welcome to our Weekly Western Word of the Day...

Wet stock - livestock/cattle brought illegally from Mexico across the Rio Grande

Source:
The Cowboy Encyclopedia by Richard W Slatta; ISBN#0-87436-738-7

Western Travel - Log Cabin Village (Part Seven) - Fort Worth, Texas - #TravelTuesday

Welcome to my weekly column #TravelTuesday featuring places I've discovered during my research trips or just wandering around in historical areas. I hope you enjoy my discoveries.

This week we continue our visit to the Log Cabin Village, in Fort Worth, Texas. Last week we looked at the Seela Hands-on Cabin. Today we're going to explore Howard Cabin, built around 1860 by Hartsford and Susan Caroline Howard. More information about the cabin is available on the village's site (www.logcabinvillage.org/tour-howard.html) along with information on the restoration of this two-story building.


Interesting building...notice the large stone holding up the bottom corner

 
 
Another interesting door lock...


A few interesting odds 'n ends and bits of antiques that I found wandering the properties:
Plow Part

Wagon wheel

Plow Part

Not really an antique but it sure looked interesting...

Pots and Pans. Interesting factoid: families bathed infrequently and when they did the bathing was allocated by the person's age. So oldest to youngest. Babies and young children went last. So this is where the idiom "Don't throw the baby out with the bathwater" came from, or so they say...


Learn more about the village by checking out the official site - www.logcabinvillage.org

Log Cabin Village Address: 2100 Log Cabin Village Ln, Fort Worth, Texas 76109

Western Word of the Week - Twisthorn - #WesternWordoftheWeek

Howdy!

Welcome to our Weekly Western Word of the Day...

Twisthorn - longhorn cattle

Source:
The Cowboy Encyclopedia by Richard W Slatta; ISBN#0-87436-738-7

Western Travel - Log Cabin Village (Part Six) - Fort Worth, Texas - #TravelTuesday

Welcome to my weekly column #TravelTuesday featuring places I've discovered during my research trips or just wandering around in historical areas. I hope you enjoy my discoveries.

This week we continue our visit to the Log Cabin Village, in Fort Worth, Texas. Last week we looked at the Marine Schoolhouse. Today we'll stop at the Seela Cabin, which is a hands-on cabin here in the village. Children and adults can try the various tools and toys on display. The cabin was built in the 1860s by Isaac and Rebecca W. Seela. More about the cabin and family can be found on the village's website: www.logcabinvillage.org/tour-seela.html



 
 

 
 
Hand-crank Coffee Grinder

Old-fashioned butter turn

Corn Pestles/Grinders

Covered Wagon photo prop in the yard

Interesting door lock...

Chicken Coop


Learn more about the village by checking out the official site - www.logcabinvillage.org

Log Cabin Village Address: 2100 Log Cabin Village Ln, Fort Worth, Texas 76109

Western Word of the Week - Top Waddy - #WesternWordoftheWeek

Howdy!

Welcome to our Weekly Western Word of the Day...

Top Waddy - a highly skilled cowboy; also spelled Waddie

Also known as the Top Hand.

Source:
The Cowboy Encyclopedia by Richard W Slatta; ISBN#0-87436-738-7