It’s release day for The Deerslayer by Aspen Ridge (Hawken Horse). You know what to do…
Art from The Deerslayer by NC Wyeth.
I’ll be listening to this all day at work and — unless I am smoked out — this will be the soundtrack for Wednesday’s Frontier Partisans Biathlon.
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Jim Corbett is a name to conjure with in these parts. One of the finest men to ever pick up a rifle — and a pen — Corbett was a slayer of man-eaters, leopards and tigers that terrorized the villagers of rural India. This is the hero’s role in its purest form: Slaying monsters on behalf of the helpless.
Corbett wrote of his adventures in India, and his works have become classics.
The hunter wielded a Rigby .275 rifle — another name to conjure with. The storied British firearms company has an inextricable link with Corbett, and through their Campfire Stories podcast we’re getting a very special moment with his memory…
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Yellowstone: Scotland? Sure, why not?
Paramount+ has picked up a show set in modern-day Scotland titled Laird — and starring heavy hitter Kenneth Branagh. It’s got Yellowstone vibes, or at least that’s the pitch. Per Deadline:
Set in the modern Scottish Highlands, Laird is an epic family saga in which a proud Scot defies a shadowy American billionaire hellbent on buying up the glens. Amidst family feuds, buried secrets and star-crossed romances, the Laird of Castle Drummoch (Branagh) remains determined to protect his ancestral lands from oligarchical land grabbing.
“At its heart, Laird is about one man standing his ground against unchecked wealth and power,” said Jane Wiseman, Head of Originals for Paramount+. “There’s something universally resonant about watching someone fight to protect what matters most, and with Kenneth Branagh leading the series, and an equally remarkable creative team, we can’t wait for audiences to root for the Laird of Castle Drummoch.”
Clan Cornelius is in. Laird is created by brothers who gave us MobLand and The Agency, both of which we dig greatly, so that bodes well. Always like to see oligarchical land-grabbers take one in the nuts. I would be most pleased if the Rigby Highland Stalker gets a prominent product-placement gig, and I hope the music selection gives a boost to independent artists the way Yellowstone and Sheridan’s other projects have. And I hereby give you a gratuitous Rigby Highland Stalker pic:
Plug that oligarchical land-grabber!
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Oh, hey… speaking of tigers… or at least tiger stripes:
Tiger stripe camo is the emblem of U.S. Special Operations in the Vietnam War. It speaks of nerve-straining long-range patrols in the jungle, of Mekong Delta firefights, of CAR-15s and Claymores. Could the camouflage pattern be worthy of a doorstop tome? Apparently, yes.
From Headstamp Publishing:
With historical roots based in the “Lizard” camouflage patterns worn by French colonial troops in Indochina in the years following the Second World War, “Tiger Stripe” has become an icon of the Vietnam War. Most commonly associated today with US Special Forces advisors, Tiger Stripe camouflage saw surprisingly wide usage across an array of forces in South Vietnam – with South Vietnamese Special Forces (LLDB), South Vietnamese Marines (VNMC), South Vietnamese Rangers, Civilian Irregular Defense Groups (CIDG), Mike Force, MACV-SOG, and more. The reputation of Tiger Stripe is such that even the most disinterested person today instinctively associates the camouflage with Special Forces. Tiger Stripe: The Vietnam Camouflage Story is the most visually comprehensive book to ever dive specifically into this topic, covering its development and usage leading up to and during the Vietnam War.
This one tickles me — dudes talking camo like fashionistas.
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Netflix has announced that it will start carrying all seven seasons of SEAL Team starting on August 18. This is is a very solid series, especially after its Season 5 switch from CBS to Paramount+, which cast off the constraints of network TV (it got grittier and darker). Lady Marilyn and I both enjoyed it quite a lot. There’s plenty of action, but also a good bit of humor and a good look at the relationships that flourish and crash under the strain of constant deployment. Worth your time.
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The post on the cutlass as a home defense weapon kicked up some interesting discussion — and leads further down the sidetrail of Frontier Partisan choppers.
That 1917 pattern cutlass was a popular in a variety of variants — one being the Dutch Klewang.
“A klewang in the right-hand fist never refuses.”
The traditional Klewang of Southeast Asia looks like this:
As far as I can tell, the Dutch version is a cutlass by another name. Here’s a bit of history:
The esteemed Purple Heart Armoury offers a treatise of fighting with the Klewang — and a trainer to engage with.
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Don Nguyen’s On The Scout YouTube channel is a favorite. He’s a Scout Rifle aficionado, as well as a mountain guide, hunter, and outdoor educator. He is also a man of style, which I appreciate. I enjoyed this video on stealth camping, because it brought back memories of overnighting in the Angeles National Forest, right on the edge of LA, where, if you did things right, you could hide out right on the edge of 14 million people….
The man is a kapelophile, which resonates… cuz I are one myself.
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Most of Frontier Partisans’ research/reading attention has been devoted to the 250th of the American Revolution, which is as it should be. But there is another Revolution that has fascinated me ever since I read Tom Mix & Pancho Villa back in about 1990 or so. That is the Mexican Revolution. I have made several serious deep dives into the history of the Revolucion Mexicana over the years, and I plan to return to it when I have completed the American Revolution on the Frontier Podcast series and my work on guerrilla warfare in the Civil War. That desire has been given impetus by my belated discovery of a vast multi-volume work of military history conducted by a Texas oil man by the name of Joe Lee Janssens.
Most of the books in English on the Mexican Revolution focus on the political history of that calamitous social earthquake, or they are biographies of the legendary figures of the Revolution like Pancho Villa and Emiliano Zapata. Janssens’ series Maneuver and Battle in the Mexican Revolution is a monumental undertaking to render the military history of the Revolution — which saw the biggest battles fought in the Western Hemisphere outside the American Civil War. The battles of Zacatecas, Celaya, and Leon were titanic clashes.
While a common perception of the Mexican Revolution as a guerrilla war persists, author Joe Lee Janssens draws on access to the restricted archives of the Mexican Secretary of Defense and the use of long-overlooked primary sources to illuminate a scope, scale, and sophistication of operations that is in every way consistent with maneuver warfare.
Janssen has five big volumes in that series, a series on U.S. Army Intelligence in the Mexican Revolution, and a new series, Zapata’s War. This is the work of an obsessive, and I appreciate that kinda feller:
Joe Lee Janssens earned a BBA in Finance from Texas A&M University, where he was a member of the Corps of Cadets, and a BA in Spanish as well as a PhD in Latin American history from the University of Houston, where he graduated with distinction. A native Texan and twenty-five year veteran of the oil field, he first began studying the Mexican Revolution while living in Veracruz where he was the finance director of a U.S. subsidiary. He continues to encourage and assist military histories of the Mexican Revolution through the mexicanrevolution.net website.
The Black Tyrone says
Fascinating, particularly the edged weapons of South East Asia. I imagine Boh Da Thone might have wielded such blades as well as the Malay warlords of Conrad’s Lord Jim. I have read parts of Richard Burton’s work on swords and find “Blades of the East” curiously and exotically intriguing. There is a bit in your post for several interests. Thanks
JimC says
Glad you enjoyed.
Larry Allen Richardson II says
“Fascinating, particularly the edged weapons of South East Asia. I imagine Boh Da Thone might have wielded such blades as well as the Malay warlords of Conrad’s Lord Jim.”
Salgari’s Sandokan as well.
“I have read parts of Richard Burton’s work on swords and find “Blades of the East” curiously and exotically intriguing.”
It’s a pity that RFB never completed his massive ‘Sword’ treatise.
The blades of India, Indo-China and the Philippines can be quite wacky.
The Black Tyrone says
It is a shame most of his work was destroyed by his wife upon death.
The Black Tyrone says
Anyone with similar interests as mine may wish to delve into the story of James Brooke, soldier and adventurer known as the White Raja of Sarawak in Borneo.
Feudist says
I first read about him in “Flashman’s Lady” back in ought-79. Or of my favorites about the cowardly bounder, cad and whoremongering Flashy.
I thought it was a nice touch of bravura that Brooke required all who came before him to be armed.
Black Tyrone says
Flashy is the best! What??
Larry Allen Richardson II says
“Anyone with similar interests as mine may wish to delve into the story of James Brooke, soldier and adventurer known as the White Raja of Sarawak in Borneo.”
Once again, I feel compelled to mention Salgari’s Sandokan, who squared off with Brooke.
Matthew Ilseman says
There is going to be a second collection of DC comics Westerns which seems to focus on Jonah Hex coming out at the end of the year.
https://www.amazon.com/DC-Finest-Western-Requiem-Gunfighter/dp/1799517578/ref=sr_1_1?crid=244XANAK6CYUJ&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.z-0ATBb3V-z4K_rIrgKktIAvmgF49j6CLOmrdNttra-EMqI8WIjFs3Cu8jOfhPa5YvcUwa1qk9liz_0Ps0CMHYHdew2VtqHMqUDTQyRr1FhBNLwQjtYZC4bhHjavV25n3Ov1Shu5BDgTclXOB5_bl4J2zXv4ExNa7DgvghHe09PkqYqNF2hHjjnDffiXSzmx4KOEfhx07I1YoN7sSyfSs-5EV1_T9Ne-1ahQE4r8N0w.Z0MV13JKws-wX0Np–UY1N79Qr194vabym2HMSTSdlg&dib_tag=se&keywords=dc+finest+western&qid=1785767320&s=books&sprefix=dc+finest+western%2Cstripbooks%2C202&sr=1-1
I find this interesting since I would not have expected to see a second Western volume in the same year. I’d have guessed they would have released another Superman/Batman/whatever superhero volume. I am guessing the first was popular.
Stygian Dogs has a video on REH’s Westerns
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G3ti3jre2zw
Rick Schwertfeger says
I’m definitely in on the Laird – and the Rigby .275, of course. Also a big fan of Don Nguyen. It’s amazing how many times I can rewatch his videos!
Quixotic Mainer says
Guntube needs more dudes like Don Nguyen and Cade Cole! That being said, I’ll use Deerslayer as my dry fire soundtrack today, it’s another banger from HH.
Anecdotally, I had read the Klewang was generally wielded while using your empty carbine as an off hand parrying item, at least for the Dutch. Purpleheart is a great company, I get my sticks from them as well as a few poly mockup weapons, most of the rest of my dojo buys from them now too.
Scottish Yellowstone make sense. You can’t say they were the original cattle feuders, but they certainly contributed a lot to the tradition.
Ugly Hombre says
https://www.invaluable.com/auction-lot/spectacular-silver-plated-cuno-helfrecht-engraved-2338-c-pbs908d93z
https://image.invaluable.com/housePhotos/julia/32/118932/H0019-L05552292.jpg
Here is a nice Old Colt from New Mexico with connections to outlaw mercs who rode with Maduro. Thought it might fit the thread.? I can’t find any info on “The Chino Bandits” and little info on the action mentioned in the sales write on the SAA in the compuker. To bad its some Wild Bunch owl hoot trail good stuff..
*SPECTACULAR SILVER-PLATED CUNO HELFRECHT ENGRAVED COLT SINGLE ACTION ARMY REVOLVER WITH FABULOUS NEW MEXICO HISTORY WITH ORIGINAL BELT & HOLSTER RIG.SN 275496. Cal. 45 Colt. This wonderful Colt with 4-3/4″ bbl, 2-line address has caliber marking on left side and 2-line patent dates with rampant Colt in a circle on left side of frame. It has Helfrecht’s deluxe engraving with about 70% coverage foliate arabesque patterns on frame & Helfrecht’s trademark sunbursts on left recoil shield & loading gate. Matching engraving extends ¾ the way up sides of bbls with Moorish pattern over top, around address, and snake & dot patterns over top strap & in ejector rod housing gullet & back edge of cylinder. Top of back strap has Helfrecht’s trademark fan with Moorish pattern panel down back strap which is engraved “C.A. FARNSWORTH, SHERIFF / GRANT CO. 1905-1906”. Fitted with deep relief carved ox head pearl 2-pc grips and overall has a fine silver plating. Accompanied by a Colt factory letter fully identifying this revolver, as found, with silver-plating, pearl grips, factory engraved & inscribed as found, shipped June 7, 1906 to Hibbard, Spencer, Bartlett & Company, Chicago, Illinois and sold to W.S. Cox, address unavailable. Later research in the form of a letter from Lawrence H. Shelley, Sheriff of Grant County, Silver City, New Mexico, dated Dec. 9, 1963, disclosed that W.S. Cox was “a leading hardware store merchant in this county” and “at one time he worked for the Hibbard-Spencer-Bartlett Co., hardware wholesalers of Chicago”. Also accompanied by a spectacular, one of a kind, possibly the only one known, fantastic jockstrap holster & cartridge/money belt. Belt is 37″ long x 5-1/2″ wide of 1-pc supple russet brown leather folded & sewn with sewn & riveted billets and a nickel-plated rectangular, cut-corner buckle. The open end of belt has an early brass snap and two latigo lacings & a riveted corner. Right end of belt has a dbl row of thirty-two 44/45 caliber loops with remainder of belt having a sgl row of thirty-four rifle cartridge loops. Buckle end of belt, which is also open, also has two latigo lacings with riveted corner and has a large cartouche, one right side up and other upside down of “A.D. SEITZLER & CO / -MAKERS- SILVER CITY, N.M.”. Belt has aforementioned jockstrap holster which is for a 4-3/4″ sgl action Colt. It is made completely of a sgl piece of heavy belting leather, tooled in typical foliate & floral patterns with latigo laced back edge with toe contained in a pocket, also tooled to match with riveted corners & latigo laced edges. Center of holster has an identical cartouche to those found on belt. Top front of open edge of holster has remains of an integral hammer loop, about half of which is missing. This fabulous rig was the proud possession of Charles A. Farnsworth, who was presented the Colt presumably by grateful citizens of Grant County, although no record has been found to indicate why the presentation. In an accompanying article, The Chino Bandits, author Terry Humble states that both Farnsworth & his deputy, Charles Smith, were presented engraved Colts with their names & dates on backstraps. Farnsworth was the Sheriff of Grant County, New Mexico, with County Seat in Silver City, 1905-1906. His tenure as Sheriff apparently was only one term and reasonably uneventful as far as available records disclose. It appears that in about 1910 Farnsworth lost this Colt & rig, supposedly in a poker game, to Dwight B. Stephens, the Sheriff of neighboring Luna County, New Mexico with nothing more known of it until 1911. On Aug. 10, 1911 three outlaws by the names of John W. Gates (later identified at Irvin Frazier), John Greer & Reynold Greer thinking to rob the Chino Copper Company payroll as it was being transported from the town of Santa Rita to Hurley, stopped the automobile that usually transported the payroll, but this time was only occupied by John Sully, manager of Chino Copper Co. & two other gentlemen named Bruff & Bradley. The payroll had been sent the day before by special train and therefore was safe. The bandits, who became known as “The Chino Bandits”, not finding the payroll simply relieved the three gentlemen of all their valuables including money, watches & a large diamond that belonged to Mr. Sully. When the alarm was sounded a 3-man posse from Santa Rita, Constable Lon Portwood, Asst. Mine Superintendent Horace Moses & Reese Jackson took up pursuit and tracked the bandits from the site of holdup into the hills. The bandits spotted them coming and ambushed them, relieving them of their firearms & horses. Next morning a larger posse of seven men took up the pursuit from the ambush site but was unsuccessful in tracking down the outlaws. The three outlaws did not surface again until Nov. 7, 1911 when a man being held in the Luna County Jail, who subsequently was learned to have been John Gates, leader of the Chino Bandits, was sprung from jail by two armed & masked men. Apparently during the escape, Gates pistol whipped Sheriff Stephens and stole Stephens’ revolver before making their escape. Sheriff Stephens took up pursuit with a posse and eventually tracked the outlaws to a house on the VXT Ranch outside of Winston, New Mexico in the rugged Black Range Mtns. A running gun battled ensued with the outlaws boldly exiting the house and mounting their horses. They proceeded toward the encircling posse as though to surrender but when they came close, they calmly slid off their horses and, using them for shields, proceeded to kill Deputy Sheriff Thomas H. Hall & Deputy Allen LeRue Smithers, an Arizona Ranger (New Mexico was considered “Arizona Territory” at that time. Sheriff Stephens was apparently on the opposite side from this action and did not participate until the bandits were riding away. He came around corner of the house and killed John Greer with the other two escaping unharmed. Reese Jackson identified the dead man as the leader of the Chino Bandits and the person who had held up his 3-man posse. A note regarding the Chino Bandits: Apparently** John Greer, Reynold Greer & Irvin Frazier, alias John Gates, were all former members of Francisco Madero’s rebel forces during the Mexican Revolution and were defeated by Federal Troops at Casas Grandes, Chihuahua, Mexico. In this battle John Greer was apparently seriously wounded and Frazier bravely held off the Federal troops long enough to rescue Greer. This is apparently why Greer risked breaking Frazier out of the Luna County Jail. The two remaining bandits were not heard from again until Jan. 1912 when a man named “Gray” was arrested in El Paso for robbing Pullman cars in Santa Fe Railroad yards. Apparently during his arrest & subsequent search, a pawn ticket was found which turned out to be for this beautifully engraved & inscribed Colt. Charles Farnsworth was contacted and related that the revolver was the one carried by Sheriff Stephens the night of the jailbreak in Demming, New Mexico. Sheriff Stephens & Grant County Sheriff McGrath of Silver City traveled to El Paso and confirmed that the Colt belonged to Stephens and that the prisoner was actually Irvin Frazier, the escaped prisoner. Frazier was tried & convicted of first degree murder of the two deputies and on April 25, 1913 Frazier & another convicted murderer were hanged in Soccorro, NM. Although two different men under arrest were subsequently thought to have been the third Chino Bandit, neither could be positively identified as such and he disappeared into history. In 1913 Sheriff Stephens was killed in a prison break and our Colt went to his son, Dwight Stephens, Jr., who committed suicide in 1930 and the Colt was sold to pay for funeral expenses. It did not reappear until 1963 when it was found to be in the Collection of Vincent Krause of Urbana, Illinois. Since that time is has passed through three other Colt Collectors to the consignor. Additionally accompanied by a large binder of research material including the Terry Humble article titled The Chino Bandits, a copy of the famous “Time-Life” photograph which shows Deputy Sheriff C.H. Farnsworth (actually C.A. Farnsworth) and Pvt. W.K. Foster (an Arizona Ranger), who is wearing his badge. Farnsworth is wearing what appears to be this belt & holster rig. Also accompanying are the listings of Arizona Rangers with their enlistment & discharge dates, which lists Farnsworth as having been in the Rangers only in 1905, apparently just before his election to the sheriff’s position. Additionally accompanying is a copy of a photograph of Farnsworth as the Sheriff of Grant County, New Mexico, which orig photograph hangs in the Grant County Courthouse in Silver City, New Mexico. Also accompanying are many copies of newspaper articles regarding the holdup & subsequent escape of the Chino Bandits, their shootout at the cabin and capture & trial of Irvin Frazier, alias John W. Gates. Further accompanying is a certificate of award from the Colt’s Mfg. Co. dated May 22, 2006 authenticating the 1st place award for Single Action Army Pre-War presented at the Annual Colt Collectors Association Show & Banquet in Kansas City, Missouri on Oct. 8, 2005. CONDITION: Very fine to extremely fine. Revolver overall retains most of its orig silver-plating with slight muzzle edge wear and some minor sharp edge wear. Grips have a repair at top right edge and left heel, otherwise are sound showing moderate wear with finefire & color. Mechanics are crisp, strong bright bore with scattered fine pitting. The belt is dry with lightly crackled surface & worn edges with a very dry & delicate tongue billet. Holster is strong & sharp with slight edge wear. This is one of the finest & most thoroughly researched and documented western law enforcement & outlaw guns that has come to market in recent history. This, together with the tragic & intriguing story involving the murder of the two law officers, make this a very desirable piece of Western lore.*”
https://www.invaluable.com/auction-lot/spectacular-silver-plated-cuno-helfrecht-engraved-2338-c-pbs908d93z
Late old west gunplay cira 1911-13 sure would make a helluva movie if they still made good westerns. sigh..
That’s a beautiful old thumb buster they would say “to pretty to shoot” but it sure as hell got shot. New Mexico is a fantastic place I did not know enough when I lived there to investigate the history there young and stupido.. I could have even rode my Honda 350 down to Horse Thief and knocked on Skeeters door he was in the phone book. lol And went to Columbus and had a bucket of cerveza.!
JimC says
I missed diving onto a lot of California frontier history when I lived there because I was focused elsewhere — and was young and stupido…
Thanks for this.
Ugly Hombre says
Welcome Jim. Yeah to late we get smart in my case mea culpa.. I was in Oklahoma to with a lot of Old Okies and I was to dumb to ask the right questions and go to the great old west places 101 Ranch, “Cowboy and Outlaw Reunion” Dalton Gang hideouts etc.
One civilian old Okie at the job was a real hard case with some late old west history complete with gun smoke. But I did not find out the whole story to late and not the right questions.
The worst foul up was the pristine Colt Bisley that my Okie pard took me to see. Sweet old lady husband had died and my Okie pard said “nice old Mrs has a Colt she wants to sell”
She brought it down in a oily rag looked almost new just right wear. I did not know what a Bisley was. “Hombre you want to buy it” No Sir.. How much you want Maam? 150 or sum such. Oh no its worth more than that he went to the bank and paid her more than the going price in the 70’s. I hope my Pard still has it and he is still shooting it. Where ever he is.
Duh.. stone drops into the well. lol
John M. says
The Scottish lairds are gonna save us from the oligarchs now? Do these people read their own copy?
David Wrolson says
Get to Scotland in a second-but since Flashman was mentioned I have to point people in the direction the Private McAuslan stories by the same author. These are more obscure but I tend to prefer them to Flashman (personal taste).
Re-Scotland
I am reading a book called “The Last Keeper” by Tom Opre. I think Opre is a filmmaker who interviews Game Keepers, and Lairds, and Environmentalists and Scientists etc etc-in the Scottish Highlands.
I am reading the book-I don’t have the film yet-but a running theme is that the (almost?) communist leadership of Scotland with its base in the large cities is not a fan of the large landholdings in the Highlands. Fascinating reading-especially since we were in Scotland last year.
I think Opre has done a similar project on hunting in Africa and in Montana called the Real Yellowstone.
JimC says
Yes! Did a post on the “Killing the Shepherd” series here:
https://frontierpartisans.com/the-real-yellowstone-a-bear-encounter/
His work is impressive.