Page 28 - June July MFM 2024

A TALE OF TWO

TEXAS MASONS

Chuck Clampitt, MT Etna No. 333, Indiana

With the outbreak of the Civil War (War Between the cattle from central and eastern Texas were moved via
States) in April 1861, the Union devised a strategy named the Shawnee and Chisholm Trails to connecting points of
the Anaconda Plan. The plan would entail the blockading Sedalia, Missouri and Abilene, Kansas, to service eastern
of southern ports and gaining control of the Mississippi markets. Of the four major trails, the best known was the
River, thus cutting off the three western Confederate states Chisholm. Another famous trail was established further
of Louisiana, Arkansas, and Texas. This would subdivide west and was named the Goodnight-Loving Trail. Named
the Confederacy and for the partnership
prevent the shipment of Charles Goodnight
of vital foodstuffs east, and Oliver Loving, this
especially beef. Texas route moved cattle
had become a major from San Angelo, Texas,
producer of cattle, and westward into New
when the state was Mexico Territory and
isolated, consumption of then northward along
Texas beef plummeted. the Pecos River with
By war’s end, the Texas Denver and Cheyenne
cattle population had as destinations. With all
increased to an estimated such cattle drives, finding
5 million head. While on cattle in Texas wasn’t a
the surface this might problem. Finding good
appear to be a great cowboys was. Just like
asset, the problem was on television and in the
there were no railroads movies, cattle herds were
tying cattle producing large and conditions
areas to markets. for the cowboys were
brutal. On the first
Immediately following cattle drive Goodnight
the war, demand for and Loving, along with
beef skyrocketed. Large 18 cowboys, herded
numbers of migrants 2,000 cattle 800 miles
were headed to mine to Denver at the rate of
and homestead west 15 to 20 miles per day.
of the Mississippi River. (Note: The Goodnight-
Native Americans were Loving partnership was
placed on reservations the historical basis for
and promised a steady Larry McMurtry’s 1985
supply of beef. Most novel and made for TV
importantly, the cities of movie Lonesome Dove).
the east were growing rapidly in size, and the population
was consuming larger amounts of meat. With all these On the very first cattle drives, cowboys were expected
factors in play, a few enterprising Texans came up with to take their own food and were limited to whatever
the answer of moving cattle to market. Cattle could be they could carry. With the long days plus night watches
purchased in Texas at $5 a head and sold for $40 a head it left little time for the cowboys to prepare meals. It
at market. Suddenly, the cattle drive of western lore was then that Charles Goodnight came up with a way to
developed. attract the best cowboys to work for him by hiring a cook.
Together, he and the cook repurposed an Army surplus
In 1866, the first cattle drives were organized, and Studebaker Wagon (built in South Bend) converting it into
large herds were moved (herded) northward. The the first “Chuck Wagon”, which was named after Charlie
intercontinental railroad was partially completed, so Goodnight. As can be seen in the photos, built-in storage

Montana Freemason Page 28 June/July 2024 Volume 100 No.3