And You Thought only Kids Play with Matches!

If you are firmly in camp Smokey Bear, this article might not be for you, cause people this go around are handing out wildfires like Oprah. Our topic this time is fire starting techniques and methods documented in Republic era Texas and closely adjacent areas. Some are seen just about everywhere and some I’ve never seen before necessarily anywhere, or at least in an Anglo context.

It’s a curious thing to note that even the mundane and items as commonplace fire lighting get enough references to really build a perception of common practices in history. And even passing mentions or circumstantial evidence can bridge the gap between the past and recreating it.

Without futher ado here they are in as close to chronological order as I can get them.

The Creole is racing to meet a hunting party, already awaiting him under the elegant mass of an isolated plane tree which casts its shadow across the route. They will mingle talk and laughter, scatter out into the forest, and gallop in pursuit of deer. If night surprises them, they will improvise, igniting a fire with a shotgun fuse to light up the whole camp. Their bearskins are spread out under the tent and the indolent Louisianans, grown as intrepid as Indians, will fall asleep contented near the flame that keeps wild beasts at bay.

the elements reduced us to spending a hopeless night, not on the soaked ground, but on our horses who refused to stand up and threatened constantly to roll over with us. It was impossible to light a with our pistols since rain had entirely soaked the powder.

Theodore Pavie, - Pavie in the Borderlands: The Journey of Theodore Pavie to Louisiana and Texas in 1829--1830, Including Portions of His "Souvenirs atlantiques"

In one place however we came to a considerable tract of ground where the fire had not been, as it was overgrown with a thick cane brake about five feet high. So far apparently from all habitations, and in the midst of a region which had been but lately swept by the flames, we never thought that any evil could arise from a little amusement of the kind; and feeling curious to see the burning of a Prairie, we determined to set a small portion of it on fire. Dismounting therefore, by snapping our guns we soon obtained a flame, which we touched to a few of the tall canes, at this season as dry as fishpoles, and were surprised at the rapidity with which it spread.

Anonymous- A Visit to Texas in 1831, being the journal of a traveller through those parts most interesting to American settlers, with descriptions of scenery, habits, etc

An unusually cold norther for the season of the year was blowing, and a steady drizzling rain was falling when we stopped. Brown, who had pulled off his coat and shoes before he swam the San Antonio river, suffered severely, and I was apprehensive, should we be exposed all night to such weather without a fire, that he would freeze to death. I had a little tinder box in my pocket containing a flint and steel, but all the tinder there was in it was a small piece not much larger than a pin head. This I carefully placed on a batch of cotton taken from the lining of my fur cap, and after many unsuccessful efforts I managed at last to ignite it. With this we started a fire, and then the first thing I did was to tear off a portion from my drawers, which I partially burned, thus securing a good supply of tinder for future use.

I hurried on as fast as I could, but before I had gone two miles further, I was convinced that escape by flight was impossible. I had heard old frontiersmen say, that the only thing to be done in a case of this kind, was to "fight fire with fire." I took my flint and steel from my pocket, ignited some tinder which I wrapped in a wisp of dry grass, and swinging it quickly backwards and forwards in my hand it was soon in a blaze.

For nearly a week this Mexican woman came to his place of concealment every night, fed him and dressed his wounds until he was sufficiently restored to travel. She then supplied him with as much provisions as he could carry and also a flint and steel for making fire, and bidding him "adios" she returned to the ranch.

John C. Duval- Early times in Texas,

marched all night and halted about 1 hour just before daylight, when they continued until about 9 o'clock, when they halted for 15 minutes. News arrived that our spies had intercepted theirs, when orders were given to continue the march. An amusing effort was made by the worn and hungry soldiers to get something to eat during this small stop. I depended upon my flint, steel, and punk to get a spark of fire and then dry grass with the burning punk passed rapidly through the air to create a blaze.

James Monroe Hill- 1894 Memoir

To remain stationary was certain death - so there was but one alternative left - move I must. There was an old dry log about fifty yards from me, and my life depended on my being able to reach it and strike a fire. Letting go the tree I ventured on this hazardous experiment, and moving my feet but a few inches at first, I succeeded, after much exertion of nearly an hour, in gaining the log. Having cut some dry pieces of cotton from my shirt, and loaded one of my pistols with them, I discharged it against a dry part of the log. My agonizing fears and suspense were soon relieved by the success of this effort to start a fire, and soon my frozen clothing began to yield to the influence of the heat, and it was not long before my sense of pain returned.

James W Parker- Rachel Plummer narrative; a stirring narrative of ad-venture, hardship and privation in the early days of Texas, depicting struggles with the Indians and other adventures

One of the gentlemen in the morning with some lucifers set fire to the prairie. There was some wind & it spread rapidly. We had to whip up our horses to fly before it.

Mary Austin Holley; the Texas diary, 1835-1838

came to a deserted cabin in the edge of the prairie and concluded to occupy it for the night. I stripped my horse and staked him out to good grass and took my dripping things into the cabin. I found the powder in my pistols so wet that I could not fire them, and my powder also so damp that I could not get fire in the pan in my pistols, So, I had to adopt the primitive way of producing fire by friction, rubbing two dry sticks together did not work, so I improvised a bow by tying a piece of cord at one end of a strong twig and stretching it to the other end making a bow. I took a dry piece of board and laid it on the floor and dug out a hole in it with my knife. I then took another piece of dry board and split off a piece about 8 inches long and sharpened it at each end after making it tolerably round. I took another small piece of board and made a hole a little way into it to hold the upper end of my rounded stick. I took a turn around this stick with my bow and had my machine ready. I placed one end of my stick in the hole in the board after placing around it the dryest and finest materials I could find in the old house.Having placed one end of the stick in the hole, I took the piece of board in my left hand, placing the end with the hole on top of the stick to hold it in place, and with my bow I commenced whirling the round stick around back and forth, pressing it down with my left hand. It did not take long before it began to smoke and to my delight the materials surrounding my stick caught into a blaze, and I soon had a roaring fire in the old fire place, for there was plenty of material, but you may be sure I did not need any for my personal warmth just then, for with the exertion and anxiety about suecess I was pretty warm; however, I got my blankets and everything strung about the fire and by the time I was ready to lie down I was quite comfortably fixed.

Journal of Lewis Birdsal! Harris, 1836-1842

No. 18: Houston 10th March 1838 The Republic of Texas March 2 Bought of W. D. and R. M. Lee… 1 Box Matches… Total Amt. furnished Lipans

Texas Indian Papers Volume 1

The Indians were seen some 15 miles S. E. from the spot where we then were. After a few minutes delay the expedition was set in motion on its back trail, and at the distance of ten miles where we took the turn we were ordered to encamp. Immediately, that is, within 20 minutes thereafter 63 of our men, well mounted and armed and divested of everything superfluous, went in pursuit of the Indians. As Fred was very sick I concluded to remain and help guard the camp. Among the 63 were some 12 or 15 Mexicans besides Old Dumacia the head spy. They found and followed the Indian trail without difficulty until it became dark. It was very dark, as there was a sky full of clouds and no moon. Old Dumacia took the lead, every now and then jumping down from his horse and lighting a lucifer match to see if he were right.

John Leonard Riddell- A Long Ride in Texas, 1839

No. 243: TRADING HOUSE NO. 1 INVOICE OF GOODS INTRODUCED B MATHIAS TRAVIS THROUGH ISAAC C. SPENCE [July 10, 1845] 2 doz. Fire Steels

No. 333: ACCOUNT OF INDIAN BUREAU WITH TORREY AND BROTHERS [September 27, 1845] Indian Bureau To Torrey and Brother Dr For Amt Mchdes furnished Indian Council pr order viz… Fire Steels

Texas Indian Papers, Volume 2

Several specimens of petrified wood are shewn by individuals, which are curious and interesting. Some of these are carbonate of lime, and others appear to be composed almost exclusively of silex (flint). Among the prairies of the rolling or undulating region, the latter variety frequently occurs, especially near the Brazos. Several of these were evidently live oak, the characteristics of that tree being yet distinctly visible. By percussion upon steel they yield abundant sparks, and may be advantageously used for procuring fire by surveyers or others, who may not be provided with matches. Will not such facts fully prove, if proof were wanting, that silex mayexist in solution in water, and hence be deposited either by uniting with decaying wood and other substances, or in masses by itself?

William W. Allen-Texas in 1840 or, The emigrant's guide to the new republic: of observations, enquiry and travel in that beautiful country

In the pouch which may have two compartments for bullets, punk for kindling fire, or a piece of rag rolled up and the end rubbed with powder-then with fint and steel, fire can be soon got by putting the (amadou) punk or rag into some dry grass-whisk it about, the grass takes fire, then a few dry sticks and voilá fuego.

William Bollaert-Arrival in Texas in 1842, and Cruise of the Lafitte

In another pouch or case he carries a parcel of corn husks, and a flint and steel. With these materials he makes his cigarrito, strikes a fire and smokes almost incessantly.

George W. Kendall-Narrative of the Texan Sante Fé expedition

A happy idea at length struck us, viz. that of making a fire on the ground under the trees. We set to work to collect sticks and dried leaves, and soon made a satisfactory heap. This done, we endeavoured to produce a light, by rubbing together two pieces of dried wood - Indian fashion. Do what we would, and strive as we might, we could not succeed, and yet we naturally felt, that half the romance of the situation would be destroyed, by obtaining a light in any more artificial manner. At length, however, we gave up the attempt in despair, and were thankful for a lucifer match which the doctor happily had in his pocket. The burnt bravely, rushing along the ground over the dead leaves, and warming the whole air to a distance of at least a hundred yards.

Matilda Houston- Texas and the Gulf of Mex-ico; or, Yachting in the New World, volume 2

Night came about half-way to the watering place, the oxen's fore feet were tied together to keep them from wandering ofif for water or falling in with wild cattle. In such a case, our situation would have been fearful, with a sick person not able to sit up even. We had a fire struck up with flint and steel - always plenty of dry float-wood on the beach.

We had eaten nothing since breakfast, at Yelasco. But Henry said he had found signs that some one had been there, for he had found fishing tackle, and so thought they had intended to return. He searched for food first and found bacon and flour under the sacks, then some coffee and a tin cup, and flint and steel. So he made a fire

Sedate, grave and serious sits the unconcerned Spaniard in his saddle, with much composure, striking fire| from his steel and flint to light his Segar

Mary S. Helm- Scraps of early Texas history

Having lost my gun and got my powder all wet, there was nothing with which to strike a fire. We had no matches in those days, the usual method being to take a bit of rag and rub powder into it and ram it into a gun (empty) and fire it out, the flash igniting the powdered rag. Sometimes we took out the fint from the lock of the gun, and with a steel, made for the purpose, or, in the absence of that, a knife, struck sparks into a rag or some other inflammable substance, into which powder had been poured. But my gun being gone, I was left without any of these resources, and not a dry thread on me, the wind fast approaching the freezing point, and no shelter from it. By this time it was getting dark, and I was shaking with cold.

Noah Smithwick-The evolution of a state, or, Recollections of old Texas days

We’ve seen failed and successful friction fires to playing with matches, from comfortable wanton arson to scenarios in extremis. Hopefully these accounts have you wanting to start your own fire in the woods or prairie, responsibly, of course. Smokey is watching!!!