The Texas cattle industry developed in a big way after the Civil War. Virtually millions of unbranded longhorns ran free in south Texas. Much of this was due to ranches having been abandoned during the War. Demand for beef was on the rise in the East, and a rail line was being extended West, across South Kansas. All that remained was for Texas cattlemen to round up wild cattle, brand them and drive them across 1000 miles of wilderness to the railhead. This was an incredibly difficult and risky undertaking. However, there was very good money to be made and Texas was desperate for cash after the War. A steer that cost $4.00 to round up brought ten times that much at the railhead in Kansas.

Many dangers accompanied these trail drives north. There were rivers to cross, lightening and hailstorms, stampedes, poisonous snakes, Indian incursions and worse. During the first decade after the War the drovers were particularly threatened by roving bands of renegades. These outlaws sought to murder the cowboys and steal the cattle. Naturally, the men had to be alert to this danger and our "Texian" drover has spotted just such an approaching threat.