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    Phantom Canyon
    Phantom Canyon
    Phantom Canyon
    Ebook165 pages2 hours

    Phantom Canyon

    By Joe Bob Newman

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    About this ebook

    Phantom Canyon is an Epic Western Adventure, it the story of four brothers,in 1851 New Mexico, who are being chased by Mexican Bandits. They come across an old Indian and take him with them. He takes them through Phantom Canyon to a Mysterious cave. They find many Spanish Artifacts in the cave, including gold and silver. The Bandits find them and they have a terrible gunfight. It seems to be a rematch of the battle of the "Alamo." Low and behold the Mexicans are being chased by a small group of US Calvary. It is nip and tuck to see who catches who first, and who will die in the climax? With one of the brothers terribly shot, they must make a decision, their ammo is about gone and they must retreat or fight to the last man. Should the oldest brother keep the last bullets in his colt to kill his brothers so the Bandits wont get to torture them?

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherJoe Bob Newman
    Release dateNov 10, 2012
    ISBN9781301077694
    Phantom Canyon
    Author

    Joe Bob Newman

    I have been writing mystery and fiction books since 1982. I have never considered having any published until now. My career has been in writing technical documents for the defense industry. By profession I am a mechanical engineer, P.E. I have six grand children.. During the summer months, I spend a lot of time in the mountains of New Mexico. Watching wildlife and observing the ecology. i also enjoy riding my 4-wheeler. I built a cabin by myself, just above a stream filled with trout, perhaps i should say am building, I have been working on it for twenty years and it is still not finished, but it is livable, it has electricity, running water and a septic system. With that, I am happy to live there in the summer months and for a week or two in the winter, but I have found that I am not much of a "snow" person.I do hope you read and enjoy my books as much as I enjoyed writing them! Thanks for visiting my page.Joe Bob Newman

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      Book preview

      Phantom Canyon - Joe Bob Newman

      Phantom Canyon

      By Joe Bob Newman

      Copyright 2012 Joe Bob Newman

      Smashwords Edition

      Cover Design by Laura Shinn

      Smashwords Edition, License Notes

      This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to http://www.smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

      Other Books by Joe Bob Newman – See the last page of this book for details.

      The Craft http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/248190

      When Time Stood Still http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/249866

      PROLOGUE

      In the spring of 1834, a long line of Conestoga wagons spread out through the Pan Handle of current day Texas, it was traveling west, following the southern route of the Santa Fe Trail. They were headed to California. The wagon train did not follow a single file, it spread out, as there was less dirt kicked up for the travelers to inhale. The trail was easy to follow; it was littered with old furniture, stoves, and any items that might have been too heavy or cumbersome for previous wagons. Travelers often sifted through the litter for something useful or valuable.

      To this very day, parts of the Santa Fe Trail can be seen cut through the country side in many states. Most of the old trash has been taken by collectors. The trail is clearly marked with signs, and it is difficult to imagine that this was once a super highway for horse drawn wagons.

      The wagons were driven by weary American pioneers. At the end of each day, the travelers would be exhausted, but they still had to make camp, take care of their stock, cook, clean, bathe and try to sleep some. Sometimes they traveled 20 plus miles in one day, and some days they camped within sight of their previous camp site. As this wagon train continued traveling westward, it came to an odd shaped mountain in New Mexico that had been named Wagon Mound. Wagon trains had used this mountain as a guide for many years and would continue to do so for many years to come. The Santa Fe Trail turned here and went south for many miles to avoid the mountains to the west. The trail goes through many little towns, one in particular is Las Vegas, New Mexico, and then the trail went on to Santa Fe.

      One wagon continued westward and proceeded to a small valley north east of Santa Fe, New Mexico. This lone Conestoga wagon was driven by a Kentuckian named Coy Turner. Coy had all his worldly possessions, his pregnant wife Lena Leota, and their three small sons in the wagon. He had conferred with the wagon train master and reviewed his small hand-drawn map, with the scout, and was certain of where he was going.

      Packed in the trunk, tied snugly to the back of the wagon, were old clothes, but more important, was a Spanish Land Grant, entitling Coy to 20,000 acres in a prime valley. He had won the land grant in a card game the previous year. He wasn't sure if the land was worth anything, but he would soon find out.

      And find out he did! The Mexican Governor's Office in Santa Fe pronounced the land grant to be legally his. The land was the most beautiful that he had ever seen. It was fertile land that was good for farming or ranching. Coy built a combination log and adobe cabin, as was common in the area. His family lived out of the wagon for months while Coy built the cabin. He bought cattle, plants and seedlings, and was well on his way to having a prosperous spread. For two years, Coy had nothing but good luck and good fortune.

      In the early spring of 1836, Coy traveled to Texas with several of his neighbors to buy cattle. While in Texas, he heard that an old Tennessean named Davy Crockett was heading to the Alamo for a big fight with Santa Anna's Mexican Army. Coy had once met Congressman Crockett, and the chance to participate in the whipping of Santa Anna was just too much for Coy. Driving the Mexican Army from Texas meant that Texas would become its own country, and Coy’s land was clearly inside the original boundary of Texas. The original boundary of Texas included a large portion of the current states of New Mexico and Colorado. Eventually Santa Anna was beaten by the Army of Sam Houston, and the Republic of Texas was born.

      Coy asked his neighbors to take his cows back to the ranch for him, and he was on his way to the Alamo! How could the Texian's lose if Davy was there? As you may recall, the Mexican Army Defeated the Texian’s, in what has been called . . . 13 Days of Glory. However, it took more than 4,000 Mexican soldiers to defeat the186 Texians. The term Texians, later became Texans.

      Sadly, Coy Turner was never heard from again. To this day no one knows what happened to him. His name was never published on any of the lists of those who died in the Alamo. There are still men’s names missing at the Alamo. It is possible he may have been there. He may have run into a Mexican patrol while trying to sneak into the Alamo or just been way-laid by Indians or robbers. During those years, many people just disappeared.

      As such, this epic saga begins fifteen years later in 1851. The Republic of Texas has become the State of Texas. The Turner land lies in the territory of New Mexico. Coy Turner's sons are grown now. They have built the Turner Ranch into one of the great cattle empires in New Mexico. Their Mother runs the ranch with a gentle hand. She has guided her four sons into adulthood. She never gave up hope that one day Coy might return.

      Lena Leota’s oldest son’s name was Samuel Wayne Turner. Sam was a tall lean man, 24 years of age. He had been the only father figure that his three brothers ever remembered. As such, the qualities of leadership were instilled in him. Once, a party of Indian braves had stopped at the ranch house. Sam had spoke to them in Spanish, and insisted that they leave the property. They did and Sam was very impressed with himself. He never knew that his mother was standing behind him with a double barrel shot gun. The Indians did not know that she had never fired the gun, and she wasn’t even sure if the gun was loaded. But the ploy worked, and the Indians had left them alone. Sam had never married, but Lena Leota was certain that he had plans for Kathy Langley. The only holdup seemed to be Kathy’s younger brother Bill, who at 17 years of age, was already a bully. Bill wasn’t a problem for Sam, but he certainly complicated matters. Bill frequently picked on Bucky, Sam’s youngest brother, and that was a problem, that so far he had not resolved.

      Lena Leota’s second oldest son was named John Bartholomew Turner. John was a half a head taller than Sam and had fifty pounds or more on him. John was very muscular, and extremely strong. When John was four years old, he was already taller than his older brother. John had a round jovial face, but no one would ever confuse him with a clown, at least not a second time. John idolized his older brother, and the two had been practically inseparable since John first learned to walk.

      Lena Leota’s next son was named Lester Truett Turner. Les had a long thin face, and rarely smiled. He fancied himself a gunfighter, but had never been in a gun fight. Les always came in third place whenever his brothers raced, fished, hunted, or told stories. This made him unsure of his position in the family and frequently he sought out other companionship. He had started frequenting the saloon in town, and Lena was certain that he spent most of his earnings on alcohol and the saloon girls. Lena was very displeased with this, but unsure what to do about it.

      Lena Leota’s youngest son was named Thomas Washington Turner. She had delivered him in the wagon by herself, while Coy was out working on their log cabin. When Coy returned, Lena was unconscious, and the baby was bloody and barely breathing. His umbilical cord was still attached. He was very small, and Coy had no idea what to do. He had sent Sam riding a horse to the closest neighbor’s house for help. The midwife didn’t arrive until late that night, and the baby was in serious condition. What they needed was a medical doctor, but the nearest one was the surgeon at Fort Union, more than a hundred miles away. The baby had survived, but he was always small for his age, and was mildly retarded. He had a handsome, boyish face, with very blonde hair. All his brothers had brown hair, but he never seemed to realize that he was any different from his brothers. At a very early age, his older brothers started calling him the little buckaroo. This later was shortened to Bucky.

      Lena Leota’s four sons were almost exactly 18 months apart in age. They were a close-knit family, with only Les’s frequent trips to town that ever kept them apart. The cattle business had been good to the Turner family. Contracts with the US Army Posts, to deliver both beef and horses, had been very profitable. They had also planted orchards, fields of fruits and vegetables. They sold the fruit and vegetables to neighbors, passing wagon trains, as well as the Army Post. Life had been good to the Turner family, except for the loss of Coy.

      Each member of the family had their own bedroom. And they slept separated, except during very cold weather. Then, they all slept on pallets in front of the massive fire place in the big room. It was late spring, 1851, and all the folks in the valley were celebrating a mild winter, and the potential for abundant crops. However, this was a time of much lawlessness, and frontier towns were not quite the safe haven that they are today.

      PHANTOM CANYON

      A band of more than sixty Mexicans’ fled across the Rio Grande River that separated the border of Texas and Mexico. They were being pursued by Mexican soldiers, otherwise known as Fedaralles. The band of Mexicans being chased was known as Bandidos, and they were running for their very lives. They were led by Juan Massimello, who pompously referred to himself as El Capitan. As the Bandidos crossed the Rio Grande River, the Fedaralles were forced to stop, as El Capitan knew they must. Juan or El Capitan had once been a Mexican soldier but was now a Bandido. He knew that the Fedaralles could not cross over into Texas, which was now a part of the United States.

      His men taunted the soldiers and cheered their own leader. They had all feared being sent to a Mexican Prison or being shot by a firing squad. Juan believed that the men feared and trusted him completely as their leader and would now follow him anywhere. This was exactly what he wanted. He was a leader, who led his own band of men; he smiled smugly, and then sneered at the Mexican Soldiers.

      The Bandidos left a bloody trail through Texas, as they entered into the Territory of New Mexico. They felt at home here. All this land had once belonged to Mexico and mostly Mexicans inhabited the country side. It was very important that they remain on good terms with the Mexican families living here. They skirted several villages which were built mostly of adobe. More than once, these villages had come in handy. These families would help hide the Bandidos when the need arose, just like they had done before. Juan knew the importance of keeping these peasant people friends of El Capitan and his Bandidos. He would not offend those who might be needed to help him, should the time come. And, he was certain that one day, it would come. The Gringos were pouring into New Mexico. He knew that one day; the Mexican people would be pushed out of their own homeland. Finally, the Bandidos came to a town with nearly all wooden buildings. Towns made of wooden buildings were always full of gringos, or Americans. From a small rise El Capitan studied the little town. Just a few buildings, but one was a country store. Country stores meant supplies, and they desperately needed supplies.

      Not many people were out in the streets, there were probably not more than 30 Gringos in the entire town. As the Bandidos supplies were short, he had instantly recognized an opportunity. The little town sat alone in a small valley. There were houses spread around the town, but there was not a town square. Juan knew that many towns had courthouses in the center of town that were built to be defendable in case of Indian attacks. Only a few Gringos men were visible and this town had easy pickin's written all over it.

      El Capitan smiled through yellow stained teeth and said loudly, Kill them all, Vamonous! His men knew exactly what he meant and they spread out as they charged the little town. The Mexican Bandidos quickly surrounded the town and began firing at anything that was moving.

      The raid on the town was completely unexpected. The Bandidos were primed to prove their collective manhood's by taking what they wanted by brute force. The men in the town were mostly farmer’s or rancher’s and were completely unprepared for what was about to happen. They ran outside to see what the commotion was, and were cruelly gunned down in the streets where they stood. Men, women, children, every person that ventured out into the street was quickly killed.

      The Bandidos took a supply wagon, loaded it with practically everything that was in the small general store, and then set the town on fire. Those who had hidden from the Bandidos, had to flee the fire, and were gunned down. The attack was a complete surprise to the town’s people. Even if they had seen the Bandidos in time, it

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