The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1894-01-23
THE TEXAS RANGERS.
Origin of the Organization An Effective
Body.

IneSe rangers as IneY are calieu. arc
In reality mounted police who are &C
customed to the country, and their long
life of scouting on the plains and
among the foothills enables them to
locate the position Of the revolutionists
accurately, and to strike an effective
blow at the important moment The
entire ranger force massed upon the
frontier of the state could alone pro-
tect the interests of law and order, and
make it impossible for flibustering
parties to make their plans and prep
aratiOns within the United States
limits, and then to pass over the state
line to help the revolutionists. These
revolutionists are accustomed to the
Same kind Of life as the rangers, and
they know the country thoroughly, but
they have not the discipline and cour-
age OF the mounted police employed by
the state. The rangers are practically
scouts and spies. and for frontier fight
ing they are unexcelled. Originally
they were organized to fight the Indi-
ans and outlaws of the state. being a
sort of vigilance committee, who at
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amy part of the country.
J The first ranger company consisted
entirely of scouts, trappers and old In
dian fighters, and they volunteered
themselves to the call of the law.
They were force and power in the
| southwest long before they were or
ganized into state company, and the
So q o,S mo Ia-a1oD,,anf fS 1or
ly due to their services They banded
together mutually to fight the Indians,
and gradually the different scouts be-
came known to the people of the
towns and cities. They were called
| rangers, because of 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 cum
| ming as the Indians and as brave as
lions.
The present battalion dates its his
tory back to 1874, when Richard Coke
was governor of Texas. Texas was
.tHCl III Will IHQidH
desperate border ruffians and cunning
! Mexican bandits. These lhN-defying
people were strong in numbers, and
life and property were not secure IN
any part of the state. Ranches within
half a mile of large town were often
| attacked and robbed. The state troops
could not prevent these raids, for long
ihof0ra hau no
my 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 i'm.
mediately, and the state appro-
priated 100000 for The purpose, upon
the recommendation 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 as long
! as the vast stretches of country are I'M
settled and the home of law-defying
! persons. Each company now contains
!; about twenty men, but there are many
| auxiliary bands which can rapidly be
pressed into service when needed. The
| rangers are always busy, and the dan
| gers and privations of their hard duty
are always preferred to the quietness
and inactivity of the camp. Often they
are compelled to make forced marches
of many miles, and they show their en-
| durance in the saddle by riding for
| twenty hours at a stretch. They follow
the trail of the enemy through rough.
mountainous passes and across path
| less plains with tireless energy until
the Indians or desperadoes are caught,
| and then with disregard for their
| own personal safety they rush into the
| battle with a determination to conquer
and they generally succeed Superior
| forces, often outnum bering their own
| five to one, are attacked with the same
/ amount of self-confidence, and SO eff
fectively do they use their weapons
| that all fall before them. They have
won name throughout the state which
| sends the cold shivers down the backs
| of those on whose trail the rangers are
| placed.
The rangers furnish their own wea-
| PEELED to have a good Winchester, q
Colts revolver and a hunting knife.
| The state furnishes Thea when in active
| duty sixty rounds of ammunition for
| the rifle and thirty rounds for the re-
volver. Tents and food supplies are
| also given them at the expense of the
state. They are not hampered by heavy
equipments, and at a moments notice
| can leave their camp and start in pur-
suit of the enemy. 4 small mule pack
slung over the side of the saddle con-
tains all the necessary equipments they
| need. The discipline of the ranger
companies is unlike anything that pre-
walls in the regular government troops,
and, in fact, no discipline really exists.
for every man knows 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 experienced
hunter or scout before he eulists. and,
being we'll acquainted with the life in
the rough country. knows instinctively
what to do in case Of an emergency.
There are no 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 rangers to keep the Mexican reTolu-
tionists from coming into the nited
States territory than Il does On the
regular government troops
The men composing the rangers en-
list for the term of one year and are
then permitted TO leave If they SO wish,