During the war almost every man and boy between 16 and 50 years was in the
army. This part of Texas was almost exclusively devoted to stock raising and
there was no market for stock and by a few men to see after it or to attend
to the branding. The prairie was filled with semi-wild horses and cattle and
the woods with wild hogs. When we returned from the war it was no uncommon
thing to see three or four year old unbranded horses and cattle, or
mavericks as they were called. These were common property but it was rather
difficult to rope and brand them for I have tried it.

At the Lone Oak, 15 miles northeast of Elgin, there was located a splendid
horse, the property of William Rowlett, and uncle of our townsman, Frank
Hughes, that was called an outlaw. That means he was so wild and fleet of
foot that he could not be penned and he lead gentle horses astray and they
could not be recaptured. The stockraisers had an unwritten law that lawless
horses might be killed.

Someone sent Mr. Rowlett word that they would shoot his horse if he did not
take him off the range. So, Mr. Rowlett came up to see Uncle Add and they
arranged to break up the bunch as he, Uncle Add, had several gentle horses
in it. At a time agreed upon, which I remember was a very dark season of the
year with great cracks in the ground running in a westerly direction. We set
out to meet Rowlett and his party probably two miles northwest of where Mr.
Jake Hanson now lives. It was necessary for our party to keep the herd out
of Brush bottom, so we were strung out behind the fleeing herd and between
them and the bottom. While running at full speed, Uncle Add¹s horse stepped
in a creek and turned a somersault, throwing his rider, it seemed to me, 30
feet. I was 100 yards behind him and his son, Edmond, was the same distance
in advance. Both of us turned to his assistance supposing that he was killed
for he was then an old man, this raid taking place in the fall of 1865, but
before we reached him he was back in his place yelling to us to get back in
our places, he could take care of himself. He ran in ahead of Edmond and
kept the herd out of the bottom.

This was sure a race. Fifteen miles from the starting point the Rowlett
party relieved us and turned the faded horses back to Uncle Add¹s pen.

We loosened our cinches, rested our horses an hour then rode back in a walk.
On arrival we found the herd safely penned. Mr. Rowlett had roped Wild Bill
and gone home. He afterwards sold the horse to an old darky by the name of
Uncle Ake, who had married a tall negro woman named Amanda. Uncle Ake bought
the horse for Amanda to ride. When roasting ears came in Wild Bill was fed
all he could eat and soon felt his keeping. One Sunday morning Uncle Ake and
Amanda started to church, Amanda riding Wild Bill and wearing a long woolen
habit as was the custom those days. The skirt caught in a dead post oak limb
which broke loose when she gave it a jerk and struck her mount in the flank.
Wild Bill said, ³werch², pitched Amanda on her head in a bunch of prickly
pears and away he went, head and tail up, to the prairie, and as he looked
back he seemed to say ³farewell.²

The old darky wanted me to help him get his horse but I told him to get Mr.
Rowlett who was a splendid horseman. He found Rowlett busy saving fodder. He
agreed that if Uncle Ake would help with the fodder he would do his best. So
Uncle Ake helped three days, then rode up to the Lone Oak where they found
Wild Bill who yet had on Amanda¹s saddle and bridle but the saddle had
turned under his belly. Mr. Rowlett made a dash with his lariat ready. At
first he seemed to gain on Wild Bill, then the distance began to widen and
the throw was made but fell short striking the horse on the rump; he
squealed and kicked bursting the saddle girths, shedding the saddle and away
he went like a blue streak. Mr. Rowlett gave up the drive and Uncle Ake
never saw his horse again for it was supposed that some of the stockmen shot
him as an outlaw.

Extracts From My Dairy 1861­1865 (F. S. Wade)