Thomas F. (hardtack) -
Ralph Compton is one of my favorite Western writers, even though he didn't start writing Westerns until late in life, and even then it was just a handful. His first was published in 1992 and he died in 1998. The majority of the books with his name on them were published after his death with "A Ralph Compton Western by....." on it. Some of those authors are good and some aren't.
This book was published the year he died and he may not have been the writer he was earlier. In fact, I would say this book was not his best work, although it was still an interesting story.
And he made a couple historical mistakes which stuck out. The first chapter of the book takes place in February 1862. Compton has his characters stating Texas was considering leaving the Union at the start of the Civil War. While true, that event took place a year earlier in February 1861. And he has two Mexican sheepherders armed with Henry rifles, one of the first repeating rifles using metal cartridges. Later he has all the cowboys in the book also armed with them. Henry rifles were first produced in 1860 and then only 150-200 a month. The Union Army grabbed up most of them. Most civilians couldn't afford them. Even Union soldiers who wanted to buy them had to save up several months pay to do so. So I don't think Mexican sheepherders and dirt-poor cowboys in Texas could afford to buy them, even if they were available in far-off Texas.
This book was published the year he died and he may not have been the writer he was earlier. In fact, I would say this book was not his best work, although it was still an interesting story.
And he made a couple historical mistakes which stuck out. The first chapter of the book takes place in February 1862. Compton has his characters stating Texas was considering leaving the Union at the start of the Civil War. While true, that event took place a year earlier in February 1861. And he has two Mexican sheepherders armed with Henry rifles, one of the first repeating rifles using metal cartridges. Later he has all the cowboys in the book also armed with them. Henry rifles were first produced in 1860 and then only 150-200 a month. The Union Army grabbed up most of them. Most civilians couldn't afford them. Even Union soldiers who wanted to buy them had to save up several months pay to do so. So I don't think Mexican sheepherders and dirt-poor cowboys in Texas could afford to buy them, even if they were available in far-off Texas.
