Thursday, December 1, 2011

You Gotta Love This Guy...!


This old boy lived in a time when men were men.

I don't care who you are, when you have the intestinal fortitude to stand up to 80 Texas cowboys wanting to fight, then you are a "Bad Man!" This man had some major backbone, let me tell ya!

Dec 1, 1884:
Elfego Baca battles Anglo cowboys

Elfego Baca, legendary defender of southwestern Hispanos, manages to hold off a gang of 80 cowboys who are determined to kill him.

The trouble began the previous day, when Baca arrested Charles McCarthy, a cowboy who fired five shots at him in a Frisco (now Reserve), New Mexico, saloon. For months, a vicious band of Texan cowboys had terrorized the Hispanos of Frisco, brutally castrating one young Mexican man and using another for target practice. Outraged by these abuses, Baca gained a commission as deputy sheriff to try to end the terror. His arrest of McCarthy served notice to other Anglo cowboys that further abuses of the Hispanos would not be tolerated.

The Texans, however, were not easily intimidated. The morning after McCarthy's arrest, a group of about 80 cowboys rode into town to free McCarthy and make an example of Baca for all Mexicans. Baca gathered the women and children of the town in a church for their safety and prepared to make a stand. When he saw how outnumbered he was, Baca retreated to an adobe house, where he killed one attacker and wounded several others. The irate cowboys peppered Baca's tiny hideout with bullets, firing about 400 rounds into the flimsy structure. As night fell, they assumed they had killed the defiant deputy sheriff, but the next morning they awoke to the smell of beef stew and tortillas--Baca was fixing his breakfast.

A short while later, two lawmen and several of Baca's friends came to his aid, and the cowboys retreated. Baca turned himself over to the officers, and he was charged with the murder of one of the cowboys. In his trial in Albuquerque, the jury found Baca not guilty because he had acted in self-defense, and he was released to a hero's welcome among the Hispanos of New Mexico. Baca was adored because he had taken a stand against the abusive and racist Anglo newcomers. Hugely popular, Baca later enjoyed a successful career as a lawyer, private detective, and politician in Albuquerque.

Let me say this! If this guy was running for office in my town...I'd vote for him, hands down! I sure wish we had a few men of this caliber in office today!

Let's grab some fresh coffee and sit out on the patio! I'll build a fire in the pit so we can stay warm!

9 comments:

Sixbears said...

Some guys you just don't mess with.

Rae said...

That was one awesome dude. I'd vote for him too!

Ben in Texas said...

To this day there are a LOT of Baca's still in New Mexico. Just open a phone book and look. Especially in Albuquerque and south into Valencia County.

SHARON said...

Your stuff is always so interesting.

MamaHen said...

Wow.

JoJo said...

That was some tough guy. I know a Baca but don't think they are related. Nice people used to be nieghbors.
If I stand in front of my house the wind will propel me all the way to your place. I could enjoy that fire pit and a nice hot cup.

linda m said...

The only person I know that can even come close to this tough guy is Sheriff Joe Arpaio of Phoenix, AZ

Anonymous said...

He is now a hero of mine :-)

Have a great day!

Christer.

HermitJim said...

Hey Sixbears...
I do think that this guy would fall in the "don't mess with me" category!

You have a great day, and thanks for the visit!


Hey Rae...
Certainly good to see you again!

It's a shame folks like this don't get on the ballot anymore!

I really do thank you for coming by today!


Hey Ben...
Probably a lot of them are related to this man! Wouldn't surprise me at all!

Thanks, buddy, for coming by today!


Hey Sharon...
Why, thank ya, ma'am! I do appreciate the kind words! Glad you enjoy some of the stories!

Thanks for dropping by today!


Hey ER...
Pretty cool guy, huh?

Thanks, my friend, for coming by today!


Hey JoJo...
Then get you a skateboard and go stand in the wind!

I always enjoy pretty ladies just blowing in on the wind!

Thanks, sweetie, for coming by today!


Hey Linda...
Pretty tough customers, right?

They certainly fall into "my hero" category!

Many thanks for coming by today!


Hey Christer...
I know exactly what you mean!

More of this type are needed today!

Thanks, my friend, for taking the time to drop by!