Fancy Pants fights Comanche
On the 1st of February 1861 Texas became the 7th state to succeed from the Union.
A small force of Union troops, who were tasked with trying to protect the Texas frontier from Comanche attacks, were moved into Kansas leaving the vast frontier unguarded.
The situation was grim, even with the help of Federal troops the Comanches would raid and plunder as they pleased.
An organised defence was needed and needed immediately, one man stepped up, a farmer with a questionable sense of fashion named Samuel J Richardson. Richardson organized a local company of cavalry to fight the Comanches, the cavalry became part of the W. P Lane Rangers.
Before the cavalry left for one campaign against the Indians they paraded down the main street of the town of Marshall where Richardson gave a stirring speech.
He stepped up to the podium dressed in his trademark jaguar skin pants with matching holsters, and told the assembled crowd of how he and his men would hold back the Comanche attacks. The speech was a hit with the crowd and many of the women listening were reduced to tears.
After this short campaign Richardson and his company rode to Austin where they were mustered into the Confederate army. After the war he served as the chief of police in Marshall.
He died of natural causes in 1876.