General U.S. Grant to the Rescue

"Cimarron Deane" and "Smokey Hayes" of the Rio Grande Renegades were in a pickle of a place. A bad bunch of bodaciously be-deviled bad men were besettin' the home range of the Renegades. These nefarious nemesis were no-good ne'er-do-wells of evil intentions. And "Cimarron" and "Smokey" were sure 'nough backed up into the prickly pear on this one. They needed help....and fast. A call to the local Army depot came back with woeful news indeed. It was payday and the soldiers were out. Doing what soldiers do when they're out....on payday.

But luck was again on the side of these two Rio Grande Renegades as none other than General U. S. Grant [SASS #2] was in town. He got wind of the tifles and tribulations of our heroes and rode to the rescue. He'd gotten paid the week before. "One soldier?", exclaimed "Smokey", "We need more'n that. Lookit who we're up against." The General eyed the situation with a steely stare. Slowly removing his ever-present stogie from his iron jaw he cooly nodded towards the array of outlaws before him. "The Texas Rangers have a saying; One riot, One Ranger. Well we have a saying too; One gunfight, One General." He then calmly turned towards "Smokey" and "Cimarron".

"Marshall your forces.",
"Get 'em here quick."
"We'll whip these bad outlaws.",
"Before they give us the slip."

So "Smokey" and "Cimarron",
Put out the call.
They struck up a posse,
From here, there, and afar.

They came from the "Butte"
And Santa Fe too.
Silver City, Magdalena;
Even a Texas galoot.

Alamogordians came,
Two sixguns apiece.
A rifle, a shotgun,
The outlawry did cease.  

We stood our own ground,
With good men and women,
We went toe-to-toe,
And sent 'em a runnin'.

When the smoke of the shootin',
Had thinned in the air,
You can bet we were glad,
General Grant had been there.  

"You folks are the toughest",
He said with a grin.
"It's a pleasure indeed,"
"To help shoot these bad men."  

Then as he turned forth to leave,
He pointed my way.
"Just one more thing...."
"Lock that *?&%!! poet away!!"  

Gene Hughes alias "Smokey Hayes", and Deane Crawforth alias "Cimarron Deane" wish to thank all of the shooters who participated in the SASS Cowboy Action shoot on Sunday, September 23, 2001. "General U. S. Grant", who is SASS #2, is one of the founders of the international shooting sport association called the Single Action Shooting Society, or SASS. Membership is currently above 40,000 the world over. We even had one international shooter at our match, he was from Texas, "A whole 'nuther country." We had shooters from Alamagordo, Colorado, Elephant Butte, Los Lunas, Magdalena, Santa Fe, Silver City, Tijeras, Truth or Consequences, and anywhere else I might have forgot. We sincerely appreciate the short notice turnout and the hospitality extended to our guest, the "General".

If you like the Old West and enjoy shooting the weapons of the time period, please attend our matches. We shoot on the second Saturday and fourth Sunday of each month. If you don't have the weapons, show up anyhow and we'll usually have loaners. Come on over.

Next match is entitled: "Pistol Whippin' the Poet."