Artist Mike Capron Painting History

We Share Land, You Share Horses

by Jefferson Spilman

Mike Capron is a well-known Texas cowboy artist and a U.S. Marine Corps Vietnam War veteran.

Capron says he has always been fascinated with riding, roping and painting. After graduating from high school, he eventually landed his first “real” cowboy job working on the Mescalero Apache Indian Reservation. Then in 1965, Capron enlisted in the Marine Corps and served as a radio operator in Viet Nam. When his enlistment ended, he returned to Texas and to being a cowboy. Capron’s art education has come from a variety of sources to include correspon- dence and individual lessons.

Since 2012, Mike and his wife Anne have resided in the small West Texas town of Sheffield, Texas, near the Pecos River. Capron’s studio is on Main Street in the old General Store and is a gathering place for friends, cowboys, residents and travelers.

When asked about his approach to art, Capron says, “I appreciate art all the way back to cave paintings. Charles M. Russell’s paintings excited and convinced me of the importance of accuracy and believability, especially horses.” He adds, “Before I paint, I must have an emotional connec- tion to the subject.”

Just across the Pecos River, in Crockett County, is Fort Lancaster, a state historic site managed by the Texas Historical Commission. Fort Lancaster’s history includes visits by the U.S. Army camels before the American Civil War, Confederate Texans during the War Between the States, and the U.S. Army Buffalo Soldiers.

The most dramatic event at the fort, the Battle of Fort Lancaster, occurred on December 26, 1867. Company K, 9th U.S. Cavalry Regiment defended the fort against the Kickapoo and their allies. Fort Lancaster is the only U.S. Army fort in Texas that was directly attacked by Native Americans. Although 32 horses and six mules were captured represented a late afternoon battle in December. His cowboy expertise, his riding and roping experience, and Russell’s impact on his original works of art influenced the accuracy of the horses and mules.

To focus his research, Capron considered the following aspects: “How did the Kickapoo ride horses? How were the Kickapoo equipped? What was the Kickapoo plan? Where were they going afterwards?”

Capron’s research guided his artistic vision of the stampede along with his personal demand for accuracy. Spending hours in his Sheffield studio, Capron created a spectacular painting titled We Share Land, You Share Horses that focuses on the Kickapoo surround- by the Kickapoo, Buffalo Soldiers successfully defended the fort against overwhelming odds and being attached on three sides.

In 2018, artist Mike Capron met with Site Manager Jefferson Spilman. According to Capron, “I wanted to paint something from the fort’s history.” After discussion, Capron chose to focus on the Kickapoo stampeding Company K’s horses and mules during the battle. Captain William T. Frohock, Company K commander, described the stampede as the decisive moment during the battle.

Capron’s in-depth research included The Kickapoos: Lords of the Middle Border by A.M. Gibson, photos of Kickapoo from the late 1800’s, and the Fort Lancaster site library. He made frequent fort visits to ensure the landscape and light ing the stampeding horses and mules. In the background is the fort with Company K soldiers. Mike captures the excitement of battle, the fast movement of horses, the fright in the eyes of the Army horses, and the determination of the Kickapoo.

When asked about We Share Land, You Share Horses Mike says, “The painting is a piece of local history, and I am excited to illustrate the Battle of Fort Lancaster. I would like to encourage people to appreciate telling stories of the past, either verbally or visually. There’s still a lot to paint in our history.”

We Share Land, You Share Horses by Mike Capron is displayed at the Fort Lancaster Visitors Center.