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- Herausgeber: Charles River Editors
- Kategorie: Sachliteratur, Reportagen, Biografien
- Sprache: Englisch
- Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2018
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“BIG FOOT” WALLACE: NOTED RANGER ON THE TEXAN FRONTIER
Charles H.L. Johnston
LACONIA PUBLISHERS
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Copyright © 2016 by Charles H.L. Johnston
Interior design by Pronoun
Distribution by Pronoun
TABLE OF CONTENTS
“BIG FOOT” WALLACE:
“BIG FOOT” WALLACE: NOTED RANGER ON THE TEXAN FRONTIER
“BIG FOOT” WALLACE:
NOTED RANGER ON THE TEXAN FRONTIER
By
CHARLES H. L. JOHNSTON
Author of “Famous Cavalry Leaders,” “Famous Indian Chiefs,” “Famous Scouts,” etc.
“BIG FOOT” WALLACE: NOTED RANGER ON THE TEXAN FRONTIER
ABOUT THE YEAR 1839, A Waco Indian chieftain lived in the State of Texas, whose feet were of such giant proportions that he was called “Big Foot.” He was a bold and daring fellow. Often, when darkness hid his movement, he would sneak into the frontier town of Austin, would kill whom he could, and would carry off horses and other property. In vain the settlers tried to dispatch him, for he was a veritable scourge to the settlements.
The fellow was a physical giant, being six feet seven inches in height, of muscular build, and weighing about three hundred pounds. His tracks measured fourteen inches, from heel to toe, so you can readily see that the name that was applied to him was not ill chosen. Often these footprints would be seen in the sandy soil, after he had committed one of his thieving expeditions, and the settlers used to cry out:
“Good-by to our horses! Old ‘Big Foot’ is around again. Good-by!”
One evening the big Indian came into Austin, and, after prowling around for a time, committed some theft upon the property of a settler named Gravis. He then went to the cabin occupied by a huge, lanky ranger called Wallace. Next morning Gravis trailed the Indian to the doorstep of the pioneer, and, without trying to trace it any further, aroused the owner of the cabin.
“See here, Wallace,” said he, “you’ve been stealing from my place and I intend to get even with you. No one has as big feet as you have around here, and I have found your tracks leading from my hut to your very door.”
The accused man grew angry and prepared to whip the other.
“Look here,” said Gravis, at this juncture, “if you prove to me that these are not your foot-prints you can go clear and I will apologize.”
He stepped aside, as he spoke, and Wallace immediately went to the Indian’s track. He placed his foot in it, exclaiming:
“By Gravy, Gravis, this is old ‘Big Foot,’ the Injin’s, track. Can’t you see that it’s mor’n two inches longer than my own!”
The first speaker bent over the marks with an exclamation of astonishment.
“You’re right,” said he. “Wallace, old man, I beg your pardon.” And, shaking him warmly by the hand, he walked away.
While this was going on, a man named Fox came to the doorway of Wallace’s hut. He had been spending the night there, for he was a business partner of the frontiersman. As his friend turned towards the cabin, he cried out gleefully:
“Well, well, old scout. When ‘Big Foot’—the Indian—is not around we will all call you ‘Big Foot.’ Ha! Ha! That’s a good one, I swan. ‘Big Foot ‘you’ll be from henceforth.”
And that is the way that William Alexander Anderson Wallace came to be called “Big Foot” Wallace.
Born in Lexington, Virginia, in 1817, this intrepid frontiersman came of good, old Scottish stock, and stock that was of fighting spirit, for two of his uncles were killed in the battle of Guilford Court House. The Wallaces were all of powerful build, and the hero of our sketch was six feet two inches in height (in his moccasins) and weighed two hundred and forty pounds. He had long arms, large hands, and thick, curly, black hair. One of his uncles was nearly seven feet tall and his brother was six feet five inches in height.
As a young fellow, “Big Foot” Wallace had little of the excitement which was to come to him in later years. When about twenty years of age war commenced between the American colonists and Mexicans for the possession of Texas. Many young men went from Virginia to assist the Texans in driving out the soldiers under Santa Anna, among them Samuel Wallace, the older brother of William with the big feet. Samuel was killed in the massacre of Colonel Fannin’s men at Goliad, which has been described in “Famous Scouts,” and with him were also dispatched three cousins of our hero. When the news of this affair reached Lexington, Virginia, great was the grief among the relatives of these brave and valiant frontiersmen, and William was much upset by it.
