The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-12-24
Origin of an Organization Which Still
Does Good Service.
wv Orleans Times Democrat.

During the present disturbance in Mex
leo and along the Texas frontier there Is
TO class of men so much depended upon
for preserving the peace as the old bat
talon known as the rangers" said Mr..
F. l.. Morgan, of FL Paso, yesterday.
did you ever hear of .them?" he asked.
well. / will tell you a little something
about them. These rangers, they are
called, are in reality mounted police who
are accustomed to the country, and their
long life of scouting on the plains and
among the foot hills enables them TO locate
the position of the revolutionists accurate
ly. and to strike an effective blow at the
important movement. The entire ranger
force massed upon the frontier of the State
could alone protect the interests of law and
order. and make it impossible for flibus-
tering parties to make their plans and
preparations within the United States limits
and then TO pass over the State line TO help
the revolutionsts. These revolutionists are
accustomed to the same kind of life the
rangers, and they know the country thor
oughly, but they have not the discipline and
courage of the mounted police employed
by the State. The rangers are practically
scouts and spies, and for frontier fighting
they are unexcelled. Originally they were
of the State, being a sort of vigilance COM
mittee. who, at a moments notice, could be
ordered to any part of the country.
1.-The first ranger company consisted en-
tirely of scouts, trappers and old Indian
fighters, and they volunteered themselves
to the call of the law. They were a force
and power in the Southwest long before
they were organized into State company.
and the States marvellous development is
largely due to their services. They banded
together mutually to fight the Indians, and
gradually the different scouts became
known to the people of the towns and cities.
They were called rangers because or their
accurate Workmanship and bravery. They
were all over the country, protecting the
weak and helpless whenever possible and
boldly facing all enemies to the interests of
peace and order. Besides being crack shots,
they were as cunning as the Indians and as
brave lions.
1.-The present battalion dates it's history
back to 1874, when Richard Coke was Gov
ernor of Texas. Texas was then oyerrun
with Indian marauders, desperate border
ruffians and cunning Mexican bandits.
numbers, and life and property were not
secure in any part of the State. Ranches
within half mile of a large town were
often attacked and robbed. The State troops
could not prevent these raids, for long be-
fore they could move upon the enemy they
had fed to other parts of the country. There
seemed to be only one way TO solve the
difficulty, and that was to organize the
companies of rangers: L believe this was
done Immediately, and the State appropri-
ated $6DO000 for the purpose, upon the rec
ommendation of the Governor. Although
their numbers have steadily decreased since
then, still the rangers are a fixture In the
State, and their services will always be
needed long as the vast stretches or
country are unsettled and the home of law
defying persons Each company. now con-
are many auxiliary bands which can
rapidly be pressed into service when needed.
The rangers are always busy, and the dam
gers and privations of their hard duty are
always preferred to the quietness and in
activity Of a camp. Often they are COM
miles, and they show their endurance in
the saddle by riding for twenty hours at
a stretch. They follow the trail of the en-
across painless plains with tirelesS energy
until the Indians or deperadoes are caught.
personal safety, they rush into the battle
with a determination to conquer. and they
Communicating their own five to one, are at
tackled with the same amount of self-con-
fdence. and so effectively do they use their, their
have won name throughout the State
which sends the cold shivers down the backs
of those on whose trails the rangers are
placed.
"The rangers furnish their own weapons
and horses. and each one is compelled to
have a good Winchester, a Colts revolver
and a hunting knife. The State furnishes
them when in active duty sixty rounds of
ammunition for the rifle and thirty rounds
| for the revolver. Tents and food supplies
| are also given them at the expense of the
| State They are not hampered by heavy
| equipments, and at moments notice can
| leave their camp and start in pursuit of
| the enemy. A small mule pack slung over
| the side of the saddle contains about all
| the necessary equipments they need. The
discipline of the ranger companies is UNI
| like anything that prevails in the regular
| government troops, and. in fact, no disci-
| his duty, and they act together in battle.
| The reason of this lack of discipline is due
| to the fact that every ranger is an ex-
perienced hunter or scout before he en-
| lists and, being well acquainted with the
| life in the rough country, knows instinct
lively what TO do in case of an emergency.
There are drills or paradeS and only
one inspection year.
| These rangers are on the field now,
| under experienced leaders who have won
| names as Indian fighters, and they are
scouting all along the border line. The
State of Texas depends more upon its ran
gers to keep the Mexican revolutionists
| from coming into the United States terri
| tory than it does on the regular government
| troops.
"The men composing the rangers enlist
| for the term of one year and are then per-
| mitted to leave if they wish, but If at
| any time one wants TO return he is at lib
| erty to do so; consequently, the companies
| are never full, except at time like the
| present, when there is a chance of daily
| lighting when il seems as though every
| scout in the country comes rushing into the
| ranks of the rangers.