'Comanche Terror': Chapter One.

Texas, 1833...
The youth watched the Comanche encampment.Astride his Ford moto-trike, He carefully used a spyglass to monitor the Comanche encampment. If a large band of them left on horseback, he was to fire a warning flare and go for safely. He had a Mauser .44-40 'broomhandle' pistol belted around his waist. The semiautomatic pistol was a new comer to the frontier, having gone into into production in Utah in 1829. Browning had acquired Mauserwerke, and Wilhelm Mauser had sold the American production rights for his c96 pistol to John Moses Browning.

The c96 was a shot 'automatic'. Unlike the Colt Peacemaker of 1801, The c96 was a ten shot, .44-40 caliber pistol. It reloaded from a stripper clip, whereas the Colt Peacemaker was single-action revolver that reloaded singly through a loading gate. It{s} .41-250 black powder cartridge had rapidly made it a second line weapon. The Model 1792 lever action carbine used the same cartridge as the c96.

Bob Ross was too young to be a Texas Ranger. But he'd vowed on a Bible to do what he could to end the Comanche Terror. What few portable Voice radios were mainly used by the Texan Navy in patrolling the Texan Navy. The were numerous radio stations ni Texas. However, most civilian radios were simply bucket-sized receivers.

As he watched the Comanche village, he remembered the time Comanches had raided his family's ranch, near San Antonio. in 1831. Bob had been only nine years old, but he'd snatched up a Remington Revolving carbine and shot four Comanches in the raid. Afterwards, it had been discovered that Bob had shot Quanah Parker, The Comanche{s} high shaman and the war chief in the fight. HIs carbine being the only gun chambered in .40 caliber present.

Bob got $5,000 in gold as a reward from Texas government. He earned the undying wrath of the Comanche nation by rearming Both his family and neighbors with both Model 1792 carbines and Mauser c96 pistols. He'd bought the moto-trike as a means to rush intelligence data to local Ranger stations.

The Kerosene powered vehicle actually was easier to run than a horse-cart, given the decrepit road conditions. It was also cheaper and easier to maintain, too. Bob watched the camp. As he feared, large bands bands of horsemen were converging. When they hit, it would not be a raid , but total war.

Bob had a Model 92 lever action carbine. but today his mission was intelligence. Thousands of Comanche horsemen now organized. From recent history, Bob knew they'd be trouble.

In 1766, Mexico had adopted the bastard sword as its official melee' weapon for its infantry. The Xiphos[zeefoess]pattern sword had a double-edged 24-ich blade. had turned the tide against the Napoleon Bonaparte's army at the Battle of the Rio Bravo in 1787. The Comanches had witnessed the battle. They ditched the war lance and replaced it with the bastard sword. Alongside both the bow and acquired firearms; the Comanches rampaged clear to the Alaskan border.

The Duke of Wellington defeated the Comanches in 1818 when hi army smashed them at the battle of Montreal. The The Lee-Enfield rifle was significant faction in this victory, were automatic machineguns, breechloading cannon and Webley .44-40 revolvers.

Panic over the French adoption of the Snyder breech-loading rifle in 1785 had lead to a collaboration between both Mauserwerke and Enfield armory. The Lee-Enfield
rifle of 1799 was the result. It was caliber 6.5mm Mauser. It also had a hooded front ramp sight, gripping groove stock,and a 23-inch barrel. Bolt action, The Lee-Enfield rifle used a 10-round stripper clip-fed magazine. Sustained fire rate: 35 rounds per minute. The Prussians, BAvarians, and Austrians had adopted the same.

THe Lee-Enfield was superior to the Snider-Kendall harmionica rifle of 1797. It used a five round magazine, and it was chambered in .41-250 caliber. Indeed, the French had adopted the Colt Peacemaker as their standard revolver in 1801. Result. The 7-shot, .44-40 British Webley was superior. Indeed this break top double action was the official revolver of Britain, Hungary, Prussia, and the Texas Rangers.

The Austrians further muddied the waters with the Schwarlose 1804 This was a .44-40 aemiautomatic pistol that used a stripper clip to reload its eight round magazine. It was rugged and reliable. But the pistol was bloody murder expensive. Why, whoever heard of paying $25.00 for a pistol?! You could buy a Webley for ten bucks and a 1792 Winchester for $12.75.

Bob Ross continued his musings as he watched the Comanche encampment.'If I were emperor of Austria, I'd license that pristol's production all over the world. Only the Austrians and Bavarians. had adopted it.

Suddenly, the camp was a flurry. THe Comanche Horsemen formed a single, gigantic warband. It would have been impossible to count their number. Bob cranked his motor to life. ASs if on que, the horsemen left enmass, towards Laredo. POP! A pink flare arced towards .Laredo. Bob chucked the empty flare gun into the bed of his moto-trike and gunned the motor. Thirty five horsepower roared As BOb raced towards home and Laredo.

Bob raced at such speed that he whizzed past the entire war band. Before an arrow or bullet could be fired. Bob left the Comanches in hiis, a blur of life. In the distance, A Texas RAnger captain saw the flare and then Bob. "Good, he's not playing the hero."He muttered aloud.

Ranger Captain Leonard P. Wood was astride a magniificent Paint gelding Two Webleys belted around his waist in holsters. A Winchester 1792 carbine was sheathed on his saddle's right side. The Comanche war band passed the position. Captain Wood had been Ranger since 1802, never before had he seen such a huge war band.

It took a whole hour them to fully pass. The Texas RAnger captain yelled ."Rangers, hit 'em in the rear, one pass; regroup. reload and repeat.!" Captain Wood had 500 men in his command. They could at least reduce the number of attackers that Laredo would be facing. The Rangers stormed towards the back end of the Comanche formation. Webleys and Winchesters tore up the Comanches, lever actions flashed and revolvers crashed, hundreds of Comanches fell.

Yet, the main band did not face them. The Rangers regrouped, fresh gun belts.cylinders and loading gates filled. Again, they hit the Comanches in the rear. The main war bad raced towards Laramie, like a cyclone of death.

Five times they repeated their task. Low on ammunition, Captain Wood did likewise. order his. detachment to withdraw But other people looted the Comanche dead.

"Pa, thy got them French repeatin' rifles.' Big Lukey, his very evil son replied. "And them "Colt Peace makers, too." "Boy, put the swords and single shots ion the Ox carts. Take two Peacemakers and a repeatin' rifle for yourself." "Yes, Pa." Big Lukey did take a bastard sword for himself, too. The 150 strong 'Family' of Zebulon Abrahamson, were like wise reequipped.

The other swords and single shot rifles werre sold for extra ammo. Zebulon's band of river pirates, train wreckers, stage coach robbers, cattle rustlers, and thieves were now much better armed.....