The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-02-19
TEXAS RANGER SERVICE.
A Branch Of the Constabulary Born
of Necessity Fifty Years
Ago.
The Rangers Duty Was Then to
Protect Citizens and Kill
Buccaneers.

Changed Conditions Now ~Prevail--som
Rangers of Note-Lntter-Day Rangers
N Shooting to XIII.
Undoubtedly the most unique branch c
the American constabulary is the Texa
anger service. 1t was born Of nsoesslt,
nearly a half century ago, says the st. Loui
Globe Democrat, when the Lone Star stat
was the harbor of men who had "left thei
country for their country's good" an
when the murderous Indian and maraudini
Mexican had rather scalp Il pale face o
steal his horses and cattle than t.
live in the country with him. III thos
stirring days that tried mons souls th'
ranger was at once looked upon as a knight
srrant and a soldier bold, whose duty i
was to protect the lifs of the citizen and tt
kill or arrest (more often to hilD the buo-
cancer who dared how his face out of the
MESQUITE. Then the service WAS organized
and equipped as an army, and combined
the functions of national defense with
those Of the posse comitatus. Their
strength varied with the exigencies
of the times, and they were drilled
in a tactics that had less regard
for the .'set-up'' of the soldier than for the
manner In which he could vault and rids a
horse. Their uniform. when the condition
Of the treasury was sufficiently plethoric
enough to 80 provide them, consisted OF
leather brooches e%orgeously decorated
with glittering buttons cleaning through
the fraved braid that covered the
outer seams of She trousers, a dull green
coat with pounds Of red cord cucumber
ing it ard a hat whose width OF brim
and height of conical crown were embossed
in silver coiled in fantastic shapes of
snakes. birds, dragons, etc. The hat was
the principle article Of uniform. and its
wearer felt more pride in it's size, weight
and ~gorgeousness than he did even in the
condition or speed of his horse. Another
feature of his attire was the great spurs he
wore. These were frequently Of solid sill
yer with a tip of steel, and were worn more
for ornament than for instruments to
utilize in urging on the horse.
As originally constituted, the service was
divided into divisions and battalions, as.
arc the regular armies of the world to-day,
Ru0 WA0 OASC1CN dLoS ~ UA2CJ 01Os JIG
president of the republic, and subse-
quently governor of the state, being
commander-in-chief with 8 regular
staff of aides. adjutants, etc. The ad-
jutant general of the state was in
Immediate command, an was usually
selected from among the line officers for his
conspicuous bravery and deeds of daring.
Particularly was this the case in the early
40s. when Texas was yet harassed BY the
minions of Santa Anna, who were always
watching for Il gap in the line of frontier
defense through which they might break
and invade the practically defenseless
towns and settlements Of tbs in
terror. which then meant the country
east of the Colorado river. San An
tonic stood as q fortified town and here the
supplies for the rangers we're kept, and that
city was the base operations. A picked
Eattllion was always quartered there> and
its most noted commander was Col. Tom
Howard, who was ever ready for a personal
conflict, or n general engagement under the
black flag. 1t is different now, however, and
the ranger of to-day is like his early prede-
sessor in name mainly, though he is equally
rs courageous. For a quarter century the
service has been dwindling in strength and
importance, and from a splendldly organ
lied army of trained soldiers it has dimin-
ished to a battalion OF eighty men unlearned
in military tactics, but always eager for the
fray.
Up to ten years ago the personnel of the
service was conspicuous by its eminent gen
tility. The best blood of Texas volun-
teered through that spirit of adventure that
led their fathers to the turbulent state. and
it was considered a social distinction to be
known as "ex-ranger." 1t was, in fact, in
the great majority of cases, a passport to
the highest social circles of the state. An
other class Of it's membership were aspir-
ing young men from the east, who had
taken Horace GIeely's advice and gone
west, expecting soon to become the cattle
kings that spring from the t1orid imagina-
tion of the novelist and dramatist, but
who, in tho majority of instances, soon
learned that the life of a ranger was more
thrilling and active than that of a restaur-
ant waiter. Some of the brightest news-
paper men in tho United States were COL
lege graduates who got a still better educa-
ton IN the range service; and notably is
this true of tho members of the press of
New York, New Orleans and Texas.
Gunter, the author of those two
Potter of Texas and "Mr. Barnes of New
York" is said to have served an enlistment
AS q ranger. Jennings, of the New York
Sun staff, did the Eamething. But rcrhaps
the most famou of all the early or latter
day rangers is Col. John s.. Ford. now
almost in penEry and want. Hs is known
to fame as rip Ford, and many is the
story that the dime novelist has woven
round his name. Col. Ford is past 70 wears
in age, but his frame is as erect and his gait
As spry as the average mans of 50. There
is little exaggeration in the claim for him
that he had been in more hot fights in the
broad open p~rairieg, on the burning sands
and in the thorny ~chapparal; has had more
hand-to-hand encounters with Indians,
Nexlcans and bandits: has made more hair
breadth escapes, and has n greater number
of notches in the handle of his trusty
Colts than any man in the west. And
vet he is not a rough Or uncouth char
acter. IN the contrary, he is a man of
more than unusual polish of manner
and mental accomplishment. When he
was not in the field he was at Austin, the
capital, editing Il paper that welded an in
huence in it's limited sphere equal to any of
the monster metropolitan sheets of to-day.
Gen. Hamilton +. Bee, brother of that
flaming genius of war who. with an audac-
lty superb, led the terribly destructive
charge of the confederates at Manassas,
and when expiring from a bullet wound on
the field inspired bis rnon to still more
vicious battle by shouting, "On men, See
Jackson standing like a stone waltz is
another of tho old-time rangers, and who
attained the rank of brigadier III tho con-
federate army by that same intrepid bravery
that distinguished him when a young man
in the ranger service. Gen. Bee is ENJOYING
tho mellow years yet remaining to HIS
princely lifc at San Antonio, surrounded bv
fayn nF tbA I1v1rlA -, xut,aL