El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1899-03-02


day when q feature of the army bill
was under consideration concerning
the effectiveness of the wonderful
cavalry police of the southern plains
the Texas rangers-hes drawn general
attention to this picturesque and
thrillingly interesting body of men.
who have no nterpartsin the world.
Col. Roosevelt, from knowledge OF
his subject, said at the beginning of
the recent war with Spain that "Uncle
Sam or any other power could not get
together a more formidable cavalry
than the sun-browned, raw-boned,
danger-tried rangers of the Texas
frontier" Congressman Payne of
New York remarked the other day in
the house that the Americans know too
little of the everyday heroes among
the matchless rangers OF the Lone Star
state.
The Texas rangers as an organiza-
tion dates from the spring of 1886. The
hardy Texans were at war with Mexico
for the freedom of the Republic of
Texas from Mexican rule. When the
Alamo had fallen and the frightful
massacre there had occurred, Gen.
Sam Houston organized among the
settlers in the territory troop of 1900
mounted rihemen. They were the orr
ginal Texas rangers. They did won
ders in the face of the army under Gen.
Santa Anna in the battle of San Jacin-
to When the Republic of Texas was
organized in December, 1887, the ran
gers were retained a. sort OF stand
ing army for the frontier of the unique
republic. During the seven years be-
fore Texas was admitted as a state in
the union, says the San Francisco
Chronicle, the rangers repealed horde
of murderous Mexican marauders from
beyond the Rio Grande, fought into
submission the fierce Apaches, Conan
ches and KiOwas do3 ems of times, and
administered justice on a Wholesale
plan to great number OF the red
handed outlaws and ruffians who f1Ocked
into the new republic from all parts of
the United States.
The Texas rangers became so much
of an institution for the protection of
life and property of the settlers and
lonely ranchmen of the territory that
when Texas became q state 1900 of the
rangers were retained as mounted pol |
ice along the Mexican border and for |
holding in check the almost intract-
able Indian tribes of the southwest.
Until the civil war broke out the Tex
as rangers were kept constantly in the
field. AT times there were reserve
rangers to the number of 5000 among
the froutiersmen, who were called out
many times to aid in quelling an
Indian outbreak and to drive out or
slay band of Mexican marauders.
After the war the rangers
were gradually reduced from 1000 to
300 men, and for some ten years there
has been no legally constituted force
rangers. The men who occupy to some
degree the places of the old-time ran
gers are officially designated the 'front.'
Ter battalion. Up to 1879 the battal- |
ion was composed of six companies |
nj
about five years ago. There we're then
forty men in company, officered by
lieutenant, sergeant and |
corporal. The pre- sent organization pro.
vides for only captains and sergeants, |
and the force was cut down in 1898
from fourteen men in each company to |
seven, "a mere handful" says an old |
but they are all aces
Still there is in the Office of the ad- |
iutant general at Austin a list of 1900
equipped and experienced men who are |
smensble to calls for immediate duty |
as rangers by the governor. The list
is revised every year, and only the |
most hardy may serve. There is also |
3 list of reserve rangers to the mum Der |
of 5000. The stOckmen and owners OF |
the big Texas ranches all employ some |
men belonging to the rangers on their |
own account.
When the civil war broke out Gen.
Con Terry, an old ranger, organized |
the famous body of men known as Ter |
rvs: Texas rangers. composed almost
entirely of former rangers and 'front.' !
ersmen. They fought from Bull Run |
TO Appomattox, and lost Is per cent of
heir original muster roll. Gen. Sher- |
mans memoirs comment upon the bra
very of the rangers at Shiloh. Soon |
after the close of the civil war the !
Texas legislature provided for calling
out 1900 rangers to protect the trout
ers against hostile Indians. They |
we're what would have been known 500
FEARS ago as wardens of the marches.
It was formidable little army thus
provided, and for some years thereaf-
ter the rangers formed strong body
Of troops. AS late as 1873 there were
organized and armed along the frontier
If Texas twenty eight minute compa-
lies of rangers, ano four more compa-