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Throughout Hays County, 1861-65, as in the rest of texas, beef production for the Confederacy was a major patriotic service. Leading ranchers, called Government Stockraisers, had the duty of supplying the Commissary Department of the Army. Hays County, with its well-established cattle industry, had several men designated as C.S.A. Beef Raisers. These included James M. ("Doc") Day, John W. Day, Wm. H. Day, and their brother-in-law, Jesse L. Driskill; Wm. Washington Moon; and Ezekiel Nance. These men had hazardous work. They had either to fight or detour around Indians, rustlers and enemy patrols. Herds had to swim flooded streams, some with quicksand beds. Wm. H. Day once was almost drowned while swimming a herd across the flooding Brazos. At least two of the Day brothers were in military service as well as supply duty. Moon, a veteran of the Mexican War, and founder of the city of San Marcos, not only was a stockraiser but also joined the 32nd Cavalry. He donated beef to soldiers' families and furnished leather and horse feed to his cavalry company. Beside supplying beef to the quartermasters, Nance manufactured cotton cloth for the Confederacy. |
