The Texas–Indian Wars were a series of 19th-century conflicts originally between settlers in Spanish Texas and the Southern Plains Indians, primarily the Comanche Nation. The Texas Declaration of Independence from Mexico was enacted in 1836. Texas later joined the Union in 1845. The Union government in Washington was keen to absorb Texas, but unhappy with this state having its own private army, the Texas Rangers.
Washington subsequently demanded that Texas dismantle the Rangers, to be replaced by the U.S. Cavalry. Things became complicated, when Washington later withdrew the 2nd Cavalry, needed to defend settlers against the Comanche, due to the impending American Civil War, (1861-1865). This was a frustrating time, for Rangers, who never knew when they were disbanded and when they weren't.
The Comanche could also not be blamed for their continuing hostility. Despite being granted treaty land by Washington, “Comancheria”, in what is now called Oklahoma, they were still pressured by an endless parade of: Texas Rangers, Militia, other Indian tribes fighting for their own territory and endless foreign settlers, motivated by the myth of “Manifest Destiny”.
This myth of the virtuous battle by European colonists against savage Native American tribes was driven by political, economic and religious ambition. First contrived in 1845, “Manifest Destiny” perpetuated the hypocritical notion that the rightful and exceptional destiny of the United States justified their greed and ruthlessly imperialistic expansion throughout North America and later the world. Many Americans are still stuck in this mid-19th century mindset. Accounts of this period by most Texas historians, though unified in their biased against the Comanche, still can't agree amongst themselves about the details. Inspired by a lucid dream of the “Battle of Little Robe Creek”, I decided to develop my own account in the style of "magic realism", that incorporates fantastic or mythical elements into otherwise realistic fiction.
Brief Synopsis
Two Texas Ranger officers and old friends, Sr. Capt. Robert “Leroy” Cord and Capt. Henry “Harry” Hartman, after helping each other fight the Comanche in the “Texas – Indian Wars”, are both outraged when the Rangers are disbanded, despite their “success” with the so-called, “Battle of Little Robe Creek”, May 12th, 1858.
Now bitter and cynical, they join two unsavoury characters, ex-Militiamen, Mickey “the Weazl” Gallagher and John Baptiste “J.B.” Mercer in their plans to rob the “Ellis County Savings & Loan”, in the northern Texas back-water of “Belknap”. The bank robbery does not go well.
Mickey “the Weazl” is killed in a shootout and J.B. is mortally wounded, but escapes out the back with two bags of gold coins. When Leroy and Harry charge out the front door, Harry is shot by a neighbourhood kid, Jesse, with his brother, Frank, as they begin to ride away. Assuming Harry is dead, Leroy leaves him and goes after the wounded J.B. and the money. Meanwhile, Harry, very much alive, crawls away and eventually rides out into the desert, where he passes out from loss of blood and falls off his horse.
After tracking down J.B., who died while trying to bury the loot; Leroy ends up returning to the scene of the crime with a young Spanish couple. Meanwhile, Harry has been discovered by a small group of Indian refugees, who begrudgingly give medical aid and save Harry’s life. Leroy becomes drawn into Belknap’s small town soap opera, but can’t decide to what extent he should embrace the temptations.
Grateful, Harry stays on with the Comanche family, where the line between cowboys and Indians becomes blurred. Warned by the ghost of J.B., Leroy avoids a bizarre shootout in town at the “Stapleton Hotel”, but is in a quandary about whether or not to take the buried loot and move on. Harry also is confronted with a bizarre culmination to his new life. Both Harry and Leroy, in their way, have found themselves alienated from their own culture. Will they find their way home?
Genre: PERFORMING ARTS / Screenplays
Don't know the details about my paperback and ebook sales through Amazon and Barnes & Noble. As this is my first published book and there is no promotional budget in my publishing deal, I assume my sales have been minimal. My main focus has been to get the screenplay produced as a feature film. Since recently spending time in Mexico, I've found interest in having this story illustrated and published as a Mexican comic book, if I can come up with a polished Spanish text. My publisher recommended "Babelcube" and I've been delighted to connect with an excellent translator who identified with my vision. Consider Jorge Amado and Isabel Allende sharing ayahuasca. am open to future translations in other languages, especially Portuguese, French Italian and German.
sales tag:
"Set shortly before the American Civil War, dancing between magic and realism, this historical western follows the trail of two buddies who once shared the joys of childhood in an Irish orphanage. After escaping to America and settling into a satisfying life as Texas Rangers, their world is unexpectedly disrupted. The acceptance of Texas into the Union requires the disbanding of the Rangers and their great reward is to be stripped of rank and titles. Through events comically absurd to mysterious and darkly horrific, they wander in search of higher purpose and inclusion in a chaotic world of cultural collision."
INT. SAVINGS & LOAN, HALL - DAY
There’s minimum staff, one spinster teller, Miss JOSEPHINE STEWART, helped out by the bank manager, FERGUS CAMPBELL, and half-a-dozen elderly BANK PATRONS lined up waiting for service. Harry and The Weazl dramatically draw their guns, as Leroy and J.B. jump the gate and hustle the manager towards the safe.
THE WEAZL
Hit the deck. No-one needs to get hurt!!
To The Weazl’s delight, the town Doctor, CLEMENT CODY, unexpectedly passes out, erupting into a full-on seizure, convulsing and thrashing about the floor. One of the patrons, BLIND ANNIE BLAKE, struggles with her two canes, one elbow gently supported by her friend and tenant, DEKE GUSTAFSON.
BLIND ANNIE
Deke, what’s going on?
Deke tries to help her to the floor.
DEKE
For God’s sake, Annie. Bank’s being robbed! Get down on the floor.
THE WEAZL
Shut the Hell up! Someone get a grip on this freak, or I’ll settle his hash myself!
Old friends, GLADYS MACKENZIE, MIRABELLE GAUDIN and LOUISA DAVIS plunge into hysteria.
GLADYS
Oh my God!
MIRABELLE
What will we do?
LOUISA
We’re all going to die!
GLADYS
Woke up today with that premonition.
MIRABELLE
Call every notion floats through your pea-brain, a premonition?
LOUISA
Only a premonition, if you mention it before the fact.
GLADYS
Think what you will, shouldn’t have let you old gossips badger me into comin’.
MIRABELLE
Well, I never!
LOUISA
Was your idea! Let’s go check accrued interest, you said. Flirt with Manager Fergus Campbell. Nice young man. Not many in this bloody ghost town with respectable jobs. That’s what you said.
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German
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Translation in progress.
Translated by Reimund Kube
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Spanish
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Already translated.
Translated by yubisnay sanchez
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Author review: truth is, I had been waiting to get feedback from my Mexican friends. I have a limited grasp of Spanish and am not capable of making a proper assessment of the translation work by "Yubisnay Sanchez" on my screenplay, "El Sendero Del Forajido". however, I can respond to this fine Venezuelan lady, mother and school teacher's strong work ethic, motivation, attention to detail and general appreciation of my sense of humour and spiritual agenda. so, as an act of faith, I have complete confidence that she has done a brilliant job translating my vision into Spanish. |
