Border rancher story?

[Malamute]

Years ago I read a story of a border rancher that was attacked at his ranch house by Mexican bandits. He held them off with a pair of Winchester 1894's, killing several, with his housekeeper loading for him.

Anyone know his name, or the details of this story? I believe the story was printed in one of the gun magazines in an artical about the Winchester 94, tho it may have been more historically oriented.

[Hobie]

The story may have been told by Skeeter Skelton. At least I remember a similar story written by or mentioned by him. IIRC, this occured on the Texas-Mexico border. I'll look for it, too.

[rangerider7]

I believe you are thinking about this battle.

NORIAS RANCH RAID. The Norias Ranch Raid occurred during the "bandit wars" that took place from 1912 through 1915 along the Texas-Mexico border. At dusk on August 8, 1915, a band of Mexicans rode into the southern end of the sprawling King Ranchqv and attacked the Norias division headquarters, located on the railroad about seventy miles north of Brownsville. Earlier that afternoon, in response to a call from Caesar Klebergqv at Kingsville concerning Mexican horsemen in the Sauz division, Texas adjutant general Henry Hutchings,qv Texas Rangerqv captains Henry Ransom, J. M. Fox, and George J. Head, as well as ten rangers, and a corporal and seven cavalrymen stationed at Harlingen, arrived at Norias on a special train from Brownsville. They left the soldiers, then hurried by horseback to the Sauz pasture. The regular train reached Norias near sundown with three customs inspectors-D. P. Gay, Joe Taylor, and Marcus Hinds-and Cameron County deputy sheriff Gordon Hill. There were now sixteen men at the headquarters. At dusk Hinds saw horsemen approaching and thought they were Texas Rangers returning from patrol. When they were about 250 yards away, the horsemen, carrying a red flag, began firing at the ranchhouse. The besieged took cover behind the railroad embankment near the section house and returned fire. Albert, the cook, telephoned Kingsville for help.

The number of raiders was variously reported as anywhere from fifty to seventy men. Ranchhands Pedro Longorio, Luis Solis, and Macario Longorio said later that around two A.M. at the King Ranch Cerritos headquarters, fifty-two outlaws forced them to water and feed their horses. They reported that Antonio Roche and Dario Morada led the group. Another report said that Luis de la Rosaqv commanded a force of about fifteen men and had joined with a band of twenty-five. The raiders forced Manuel Rincones, a King Ranch employee, to guide them. At nightfall, after two hours of fighting, the raiders suddenly stopped firing and vanished into the darkness. They had broken into the section house and killed Manuela Flores. George Forbes, Frank Martin, and two soldiers were wounded. Some five or more raiders were killed and perhaps a dozen wounded. A wounded bandit said later that they expected to find only three or four cowboys at the headquarters. They planned to rob the ranch store, derail and loot the night train, and burn the ranchhouse. The Norias raid provoked outrage in the lower Rio Grande Valley.qv Mexican banditry escalated, and the United States Army promptly increased its presence in the area to curb the violence.

[Nath]

Thanks RR7

Nath.

[Malamute]

That was an interesting story, but not the one I was thinking of. Thanks for sharing it.


The one in mind was a lone man, with his (lady) mexican housekeeper/cook, in an adobe ranch house. The fight occured in his front yard. The first volley was a double shotgun blast that killed a bandit and horse, the rest of the fight was primarily with the Winchesters, as I recall it.

[Ben_Rumson]

Malamute.. That story was told on PBS last year but not in much detail.. IIRC the fight was over the housekeeper.. Seems the boys that showed up thought she was too young for him and wanted to take her back home ..and then the fight was on & she helped the rancher keep the guns goin..

[Malamute]

Hmm, sounds similar, but the details sound different. Could be the same event. The story I read years ago (20-25 years ago?) had pretty good details, his name, location, date, who the bad guys were, etc. As I recall it, they were bandits or revolutionaries. Could be I mis-remembered some of it, but the story stuck in my mind for a long time.

[Hobie]

This reminds me of the story/movie I'd seen regarding Earl Durand of Cody and Powell, Wyoming. We went round and round on the board about it for a couple of years and then I finally figured it out. We'll get this one, too.

[SJPrice]

I do not know the story, but I now hope someone finds it and posts it here. I am hooked and now need to know!