The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1894-01-11
CHE TEXAS RANGERS.
Origin of the ors.nl1asi0n-An Effective

custolhed to the country, and their long
Life OF scouting on the plains and
among. the foothills enables them to
located be 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 tilibustering
parties to make their plans and prep
aratlohs 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
sort of vigilance committee, who at a
moments notice could be ordered to
any part of the country.
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 We're force and power in the
southwest long before they were or
Rs2lje-1 4iruo1a state company, and the
states marvellous development is large
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
mark lanship 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 it's his
tory back to 1874, when Richard Coke
was governor of Texas Texas was
then overrun with Indian marauders
desperate border rutfians and cunning
Mexican bandits. These law-defvinp
people were strong in numbers, and
life and property were not secure in
any part of the state. Ranches within
half mile of large town were often
attacked and robbed The state troops
could not prevent these raids, for long
before they could move upon the enc
my they had fled 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
aAyiIliaYy 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 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 determination to conquer
and they generally succeed Superior
forces, often outnumbering their own
five to one, are attacked with the same
amount of self-confdence, 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-
pons and horses, and each one is COM
PEELED to have a good Winchester,
Colts revolver and hunting knife
The state furnishes them 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 moments notice
can leave their camp and start in pur-
suit of the enemy. A 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 xists,
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 enlists, and,
being well 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 Is 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