Old Time Cowboy

The year was 1885.  Austin Milroy “Catt” Crismon had just purchased his first Colt Single Action Army Revolver from the Sears & Roebuck Catalog for about $17 and change.  The gun was new and it came with a used Union Army holster and Union Army web belt.  I wonder how he paid for it?  No credit cards, telephone, and probably not even money orders back then.  Surely Vienna, Missouri where Catt lived had a bank.  But, did Sears in Chicago even accept a check drawn on a bank in a Missouri town most of us today probably never even heard of it?  We wannabe cowboys sure take a lot for granted these days.  That was a mite of money back then.  But, what the heck, Catt was getting ready to see exciting New Orleans for the first time.

At the tender age of 16, Catt Crismon was ready to taste the “fast life” down the Mississippi.  Oh, he had heard many titillating stories.  Catt’s brothers and uncles had a thriving business going.  The Crismon boys felled prime Missouri timber and hand cut them into railroad ties.  When Catt told me the story he was 95 at the time and fire was in his eyes as he spun his tale!  He was a mighty handsome man even at his advanced age.  The railroad ties were tied together into solid wooden barges.  The ties were to be floated down the Gasconade River to the Missouri River, on to the Mississippi River at St. Louis and then down to New Orleans.  The last barge was fashioned into a box with a roof, somewhat like the caboose of a train.  Inside were a new blue sheet metal cook stove, provisions, plenty of Kentucky moonshine, and bedrolls.  This was the first time the older brother, Lon, would tolerate his younger brother along.  Catt’s job was to cook for the crew.

The cook also had to make sure that the caboose didn’t run aground around bends in the river.  Being a simple job, Catt had considerable time to while away.  Now in Missouri, the James brothers and Younger bunch were considered to be folk heroes.  Why, Catt couldn’t say.   But, he said he understood they all shot Colt Single Action revolvers!  And, they were reputed to be fast on the draw!  That’s what Catt and many other youngsters in those days (and even today) also want to be - a Cowboy Action Shooter.  With little else to while away the hours down the river, Catt practiced his fast draw.  After all, handling a Single Action was his heritage.  His dad, a Confederate Civil War hero, was at one time the Maries County Sheriff.  His grandpa was at one time the Maries County Judge.  In later years Catt would also serve as a Town Marshall.

Catt carefully set up his shooting target!  He tied three railroad ties in an upright position facing aft.  Into the center tie at about chest high he drove a railroad spike.  The challenge was to practice his fast draw and hit the nail each shot, driving the nail into the tie.  Now Catt didn’t say if he ever hit the spike, but did say he had a heck of a good time trying!  However, Catt forgot one important element.  He failed to bring with him any reloading equipment or reloading components.  He soon ran out of ammo.  The lesson learned in 1885 applies today; no matter how fast and experienced in Cowboy Action Shooting you are, sometimes it gets down to the quantity and quality of your ammo!

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