"Faithful Shep: The Story of a Hero Dog and the Nine Texas Rangers Who Saved Him," by Don DeNevi, Texas Review Press, 2017
No creature is more loyal to its human masters than dogs. Sometimes the loyalty is returned.
Faithful Shep's story started as a column in the El Paso Herald dated February 3, 1900. George Wythe Baylor, a retired captain of Company C, Frontier Battalion, Texas Rangers, wrote about a curious incident that occurred in January 1880.
Two Coloradans and their German Shepherd Dog, Shep, came to Texas seeking mules to sell to miners back in Colorado. Unsuccessful in their mule quest after searching from San Antonio to El Paso, the men decide to return home through an abandoned stage road. Deep in Big Bend country, overnighting in a former stage house, their horses get stolen by Mescalero Indians.
The men walk to safety, and because the men cannot risk detection by the raiding Apaches, they leave Shep behind. They cannot risk his drawing attention by barking or merely roaming around. They order Shep to guard the abandoned possessions until they return and leave a side of bacon and a bag of corn for food.
Once the two men reach safety, they set out to recover their dog. They cannot get an Army escort, so they plan to go alone, despite the risk posed by Chief Victorio's Apache renegades. Ranger Captain George Baylor with eight other Texas Rangers and an Indian scout volunteer to join the pair. The party sets off in search of Shep — and a confrontation with Chief Victorio.
From this odd footnote in Texas frontier history, Don DeNevi has created a gripping tale of heroism, sacrifice, and fidelity that celebrates the best in both canine and human nature.
About the Author
Don DeNevi has authored over 30 nonfiction histories and biographies. Faithful Shep is DeNevi's first work of historical fiction. DeNevi retired from the Criminology Department at San Francisco State University, where he taught courses on understanding the criminal mind. He returned to work as Supervisor of Recreation at San Quentin State Prison in Northern California's Marin County. He also served as the prison historian. DeNevi lives in Pebble Beach, California, where he continues to write and enjoy playing tennis.