Tribute
to the
Lawmen
Article by: Bob Silva
Law officers deserve the utmost
of recognition for their never ending
contributions to the people. Law
officers in their daily routines never
know what their day might bring.
Their days could be without cause,
but then again, they could be involved
in a conflict that could require extra
assistance from other law officers.
Times have changed through the
years as to personal protection for law
officers, but one thing that has not
changed, is the men, and their ideals to
bring and up-hold law and order.
Shortly after William Becknell
created a trail from the Missouri to
Santa Fe (Santa Fe Trail) in 1821,
hundreds of frontier families migrated
west. With the mass migration came
lawlessness; the Southwest became
known at the Wild West. The starting
and ending Wild West period of the
Americas, all depends on who one talks
too.
The new territory west of the
Missouri was filled with lawless
and ruthless men, to include,
the Native American Indians
that stood to fight for their land.
As one caravan of wagons
after another moved across
the prairies, men, women and
children found themselves in
need to defend themselves and this
called for gun power. The guns in the
early part of the 19th century were flint
locks, but advancements were quick to
come and before long the flintlocks
were replaced with percussion caps and
smokeless black powder – next came
the cartridge. Smooth bore barrels
were rifled (grooved) and with this
change the marksman became
deadlier at longer distances. The
Civil War (April 1861 – April 1865)
and the 1800s brought further
refinements to firearms (rifles &
pistols); the Colt 45 (Peacemaker)
and Winchester Model 1873 known as
“The Gun that Won the West.”
One kid that grew up in Jackson
County, Missouri went on to maximize
on weapon skills as guns and rifle
technology were quickly changing.
The name of this kid during the Civil
War was Lewis M. Kreeger.
Lewis M. Kreeger grew up a
country boy on his parent’s farm bu