Went home for lunch and took another swing at the beautiful, flame-haired saloon owner, Sarah "Brava" Bowman.
Daily Whip Out: "Sarah Brava Standing Tall On The Banks of The Mighty Colorado."
Paul Andrew Hutton claims she was the original "whore with a heart of gold." There's some evidence for that claim. At Yuma Crossing she adopted both Mexican and In-din kids. When she died from a spider bite three days before Christmas in 1866, she was breveted an honorary colonel and buried with military honors in the Fort Yuma cemetery. She cut a wide swath across the Southwest from Texas to New Mexico and on into Arizona and California. She was fondly remembered by all who met her. Thanks to Gay Mathis, here's her obit:
Santa Cruz Weekly Sentinel Newspaper--Santa Cruz, CA--January 26, 1867--The Arizona (La Paz) Gazette of the 3d inst. says : Mrs. Bowman (familiarly known as the Great Western) died on the 22d ult., at Fort Yuma. She was buried the next day in the fort burial ground, with all the honors of war, the band playing the dead march, and the men of the garrison carrying their arms reversed, and firing a salute of fourteen guns over her grave, the flag being at half mast. It is said to have been the largest funeral that ever took place at Fort Yuma. All the business houses were closed, and every one tried to show the greatest respect to the last remains of a woman who was distinguished for undaunted courage and most tender humanity to the wounded at Reseca de la Palma, Buena Vista, and other glorious battlefields in Mexico.
Santa Cruz Weekly Sentinel Newspaper--Santa Cruz, CA--January 26, 1867--The Arizona (La Paz) Gazette of the 3d inst. says : Mrs. Bowman (familiarly known as the Great Western) died on the 22d ult., at Fort Yuma. She was buried the next day in the fort burial ground, with all the honors of war, the band playing the dead march, and the men of the garrison carrying their arms reversed, and firing a salute of fourteen guns over her grave, the flag being at half mast. It is said to have been the largest funeral that ever took place at Fort Yuma. All the business houses were closed, and every one tried to show the greatest respect to the last remains of a woman who was distinguished for undaunted courage and most tender humanity to the wounded at Reseca de la Palma, Buena Vista, and other glorious battlefields in Mexico.
"She could whip any man, fair fight or foul, could shoot a
pistol better than anyone in the region, and at black jack could
outplay, or—out cheat—the slickest professional gambler."
—Texas Ranger John Salmon Ford
Great image of a fabulous gal!!
ReplyDeletesounds like a couple of gals ive roamed around with, lots of fun but ya gotta be willing to pay the price, if your brave enough.
ReplyDeleteSarah Bowman? The "Great Western"?
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ReplyDeleteFirst of all, the obvious stuff. Don't even attempt a pistol if you don't routinely practice goblet/front squats. optics1.eu
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