Mississippi Democrat. (Carrollton, Miss.) 1844-18??, 1846-11-25
sJack HAYS and his Men,

earning high place not only in the esli
nation of Gen. Taylor's army, as ap
pears from numerous letters from the
camp, but in the hearts of the people o.
the United States, until their exploits a
the battle of Monterey have created {
perfect enthusiasm in the popular mind to
know who and what this famous slack
Hays and his men" really are. In reply
to our inquiries, friend from western
Texas presents us with the following
sketch:
John @. Hays, native of Middle Ten.
uessee, came TO Texas early in the year
1889, believe, and settling at San Anton
10, commenced business as land locator
and surveyor. This calling was, then
exceedingly dangerous, for il was rare in,
deed that surveying party went beyond
,fhtoceItlements without rencontre with
So Mexicans, Camanches, Beediis,
,ssscoes, Towackanies, Keechies, or strag-
Cling band of some other hostile tribe in.
Testing the western frontier of Texas. In
these encounters, Hays, though hardly a
man in age, soon obtained reputation
for GOODNESS, judgment, courage, energy,
and a knowledge of frontier life and In
dian and Mexican character, which indu.
ced the government of Texas to tender to
him the command OF its first company Of
rangers, which was organized in the win
fer of 1910 and Al. Sometime after.
wards, when it was found necessary to
raise two more ranging companies, Capt.
Hays was invested with the command OF
the battalion, with the rank of major, and
he and "his men" continued 10 serve as
rangers until the annexation. He is not
more than 30 years of age (f so old) and
weighs from 1870 to l40 pounds. need
say nothing to you concerning his remark.
able sodierly qualities, for the pens and
voices of such men as Baile Peyton and
Gen. Worth have already told the world
that it holds few such warriors as Jack
Hays.
In western Texas, where, from habit,
all men are good Indian and Mexican
fighters, modesly is his most remarkable
trait; for it is no uncommon thing to hear
an over.modest man characterized as be.
ing almost as bashful as Jack Hays. In
deed, | question whether there is man
in Taylor's army who has as poor an opin-
ion OF the merits and services of II. as he
himself. He thinks much, and speaks lit
tie, and that little always to the purpose.
There never lived commander more
idolized by his men; for his word is their
law. Now, as they are regular frontier
men, and, of course, VIGOROUSLY restless
under any other restraint, his perfect con-
troll of them attracted much curiosity, and
many inquiries In Texas before its annex
alton. Their experience with him as
SOLDIER has given him their confidence;
his rigid and exact justice 10 them, his
habits of living and faring as roughly as
any private in the regiment, when on du-
ty, and of treating each comrade in arms
as in all respect his equal when not on du.
'ty, are probably the reason why the boys
one and all, are SO willing, without MUIR
muir, TO live on parched corn, ride 10 or
80 miles wilhou: dismountng for FIVE min
ules at time, or to fight Mex;cans with
pick-axes, when Hays deems either neces-
sary.
His men, who, in the estimation of Gen.
Worth, are the best light troops in the
world, are just the men 10 be led by such
an officer.
Out of the 400, | presume at leastS50
are farmers and stock-raisers in a small
way, on the Colorado, Navidad Lavaca,
GuadaIoupe and San Antonio rivers, in
Western Texas.
From the time of the battle of San ia
cinlo up TO 1871, when formed into regu-
lar ranging companies, they defended the
frontier on their own hook, without pay,
emolument, provision, or even ammuni.
ton at the expense of the government.
Whenever Indian or Mexicans approach
ed the settlements, runners we're despatch
ed up and down the rivers have before
named, to sound the alarm, and on such
notice those now composing Hays 'first
regiment of Texas Rangers" rarely re-
CURED more than six hours TO prepare for
a campaign of three months; for, alter all
catching their horses, running fifty bullets
and parchng and grinding half bushel
OF corn for cold -four, or panoR, as the
Mexicans, term it we're the only prepare
tons necessary. Hot or cold, wet or dry, |
they carried no tents, and required no
other provisions than fresh beef, which |
was usually driven with them. Once in |
while green horn, on his first cam.
Paigu, would pack little sugar, coffee, and
salt; but he would soon learn that boys
who had to fight for nothing and find their
own horsehesh aud ammunition, could do
1t about as well on carR"-solus. In
fact, after little experience with such a
life few at least Of those men would be
troubled with the care of any other provi.
sion than beef, or with any other equip