By Rick Schwertfeger, Captain, Frontier Partisans Southern Command, Austin, Texas “There, lying on the muddy shore, was the largest crocodile I ever have seen. I placed my bullet at the junction of its skull and spinal column and it just quivered and lay still. It measured 14 feet, 2½ inches from the tip of snout to tip of tail.” U.S. … [Read more...] about ‘A Wanderer In And Worshiper Of Beautiful and Unspoiled Country’ — Colonel Townsend Whelen – American Rifleman and Outdoorsman – Part II
Colonel Townsend Whelen – American Rifleman And Soldier – Part I
By Rick Schwertfeger, Captain, Frontier Partisans Southern Command, Austin, Texas This is the first of a two-part article on Colonel Townsend Whelen (1877-1961), known as Mr. Rifleman. Part I addresses his work as a marksman; soldier; and designer and tester of rifles, cartridges, and everything related to firearms. Part II will explore his … [Read more...] about Colonel Townsend Whelen – American Rifleman And Soldier – Part I
Working The Trapline — September 2019
This one is a music-heavy trapline. It’s Sisters Folk Festival month, after all. The band that brings the most “frontier” to the festival is Le Vent du Nord. Ceili wrote a profile of the band for The Nugget, which you can read here: The traditional Quebecois band, Le Vent du Nord is an award-winning group considered leaders in the … [Read more...] about Working The Trapline — September 2019
Working The Trapline — July 2019 Part II — Legends; A Mighty Orq; Words From A Bear
* Summer plews don’t shine. This is supposed to be the season when we pull up our traps and head for Rendezvous, there to blow in a season’s labor on a couple of weeks of debauchery. But the trapline keeps delivering prime doings. What can an old Frontier Partisan do but deliver another Working The Trapline? But, please, don’t put off your … [Read more...] about Working The Trapline — July 2019 Part II — Legends; A Mighty Orq; Words From A Bear
The Outside Of A Horse
“There is something about the outside of a horse that is good for the inside of a man.” That statement is usually attributed to Winston Churchill. He never really said it. He’d have endorsed the sentiment, though — because it’s true. Things have been pretty intense here in the Oregon Territory — just life-is-in-session stuff, but a LOT of it. … [Read more...] about The Outside Of A Horse
Indigenous Ability
Western Martial Arts has seen a tremendous surge in interest over the past 20 years, as enthusiasts have resurrected old blade combat manuals and discovered that — surprise! — the hyper-martial cultures of Europe weren’t just bashing at each other with sharp implements, but actually had martial arts systems as throughly thought-out and effective as … [Read more...] about Indigenous Ability
Yule!
A good Yule to you all! May Father Christmas bring you fine gear and plenty of gunpowder,ham hocks and guitar strings. May your fires burn warm and bright and may the stories ye tell keep the howling winds of winter at bay! … [Read more...] about Yule!
Hit The Pit
Daughter Ceili done went off to college and got really fit and strong. On Monday she asked if we could do “leg day” on Wednesday. I haven’t done workout programming on gym terms for years. The Frontier Partisan Biathlon does not work that way. But when the kid is home for Christmas, she gets to do things her way, so “leg day” it was. More or … [Read more...] about Hit The Pit
Working The Trapline — December 2018
• I do love this time of year. Celebrations of gratitude with family and friends — with obligatory feasting — thrum some deep chords in my soul. This Thanksgiving, the bird was earned. The Rullmans raised turkeys, and on the weekend before the holiday, Marilyn and I headed over to the Figure 8 Ranch to help Craig and Wendy do the necessary work. As … [Read more...] about Working The Trapline — December 2018
Who Do You Think You Are? — Identity Crisis In the Cultural Borderlands
It’s an interesting time to pursue an obsession with indigenous identity. One of my primary interests in Frontier Partisan studies these days is the “Men of the Middle Ground” — those whose racial and cultural identity was mixed in the great kettle of the borderlands. The North American Fur Trade created thousands of racially mixed … [Read more...] about Who Do You Think You Are? — Identity Crisis In the Cultural Borderlands
