Shawnee Trail
The earliest cattle trail north dates back to the 1840’s. Herds were driven north on the Shawnee Trail from as far south as San Antonio, through Fort Worth to Indian Territory, crossing into southern Missouri and on to Kansas City, Sedalia, St Louis and as far north as Quincy Illinois. It was a long trail, fraught with all the usual perils associated with storms, stampedes, hostile Indians and river crossings. The real trouble on the Shawnee Trail however took root as early as the 1850’s when southern Missouri became hostile to Texas Longhorns, carrying a disease deadly to local livestock. The Civil War staunched the flow of cattle north during the war years quieting the controversy.
With the end of the war, cattle drives resumed in response to market pressures created by the glut of cattle in Texas. Cattle worth $5 a head on the hoof in Texas might fetch $50 a head at the railheads in Missouri. By the spring of 1866, Texas cattlemen were prepared to drive as many as 250,000 head north.
Missouri once again turned against the Texas herds.
The problem arose due to Texas fever. The fever is a tick born disease carried by Texas Longhorns. Longhorns are infected as calves and develop an immunity to the disease they carry. When driven north, Texas cattle left infected ticks in bed grounds that in turn infected cattle lacking immunity in the area. Infected cattle died or became unfit for market.
Missouri stockmen wanted no part of Texas Longhorns crossing grazing lands their cattle depended on.
Missouri stockmen banded together to form armed vigilance committees to deny Texas drovers passage across their lands. Cattle drives were confronted and turned back or diverted. Despite the best efforts of the vigilance committees, some herds got through, spreading disease and increasing tensions. The problem spread into eastern Kansas when diverted Texans sought to skirt Missouri opposition by driving their herd north through eastern Kansas.
Frustrated by the number of trail herds and their inability to stop the spread of the deadly disease, stockmen turned to their various legislatures to prohibit diseased cattle from being driven into their states. The laws were only marginally effective, since the Texas Longhorns themselves were healthy. Still by 1867 six states had enacted or were considering anti-trailing legislation. Something had to be done. That year a young Illinois cattle broker by the name of Joseph G. McCoy devised a plan that would forever leave its imprint on western history.
Next Week: Joseph G. McCoy
Need more Billy? A Question of Bounty: The Shadow of Doubt
https://www.amazon.com/author/paulcolt
Ride easy,
Paul
With the end of the war, cattle drives resumed in response to market pressures created by the glut of cattle in Texas. Cattle worth $5 a head on the hoof in Texas might fetch $50 a head at the railheads in Missouri. By the spring of 1866, Texas cattlemen were prepared to drive as many as 250,000 head north.
Missouri once again turned against the Texas herds.
The problem arose due to Texas fever. The fever is a tick born disease carried by Texas Longhorns. Longhorns are infected as calves and develop an immunity to the disease they carry. When driven north, Texas cattle left infected ticks in bed grounds that in turn infected cattle lacking immunity in the area. Infected cattle died or became unfit for market.
Missouri stockmen wanted no part of Texas Longhorns crossing grazing lands their cattle depended on.
Missouri stockmen banded together to form armed vigilance committees to deny Texas drovers passage across their lands. Cattle drives were confronted and turned back or diverted. Despite the best efforts of the vigilance committees, some herds got through, spreading disease and increasing tensions. The problem spread into eastern Kansas when diverted Texans sought to skirt Missouri opposition by driving their herd north through eastern Kansas.
Frustrated by the number of trail herds and their inability to stop the spread of the deadly disease, stockmen turned to their various legislatures to prohibit diseased cattle from being driven into their states. The laws were only marginally effective, since the Texas Longhorns themselves were healthy. Still by 1867 six states had enacted or were considering anti-trailing legislation. Something had to be done. That year a young Illinois cattle broker by the name of Joseph G. McCoy devised a plan that would forever leave its imprint on western history.
Next Week: Joseph G. McCoy
Need more Billy? A Question of Bounty: The Shadow of Doubt
https://www.amazon.com/author/paulcolt
Ride easy,
Paul
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