The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-02-15
RANGERS NEARLY CONE
Once the Pride and Protectors
of the Lone Star State.
NONE Drawer EVER LIVED
History of This Famous Front
Ter Organization.

hardly less important and far more pictur-
esque and necessary type Of men are be-
coming memories of the past as the days
of their usefulness are drawing TO close.
The pride of the Lone Star State. the
Texas ranger, having played his part, Is
gradually shrinking away TO mere moth
ingness before the march OF civilization,
law, and order. He contributed an inn
portant part in breaking the shackles that
bound this vast empire the Mexican gov
eminent. After this he pursued relent-
less policy of extermination against the
various maraude:ring bands Of desperad-
oes that made the wild and bad lands OF
Texas dreaded by all. And last but not
least, ne wiped out the roaming Indian
tribes who plundered, robbed and murder
ed as fancy dictated until today he has
made Texas famed the world over for the
vast strides which the commonwealth, as
large as all the New England and the mid
die States combined. has been making in
wealth and population
The Texas ranger is born fighter,
brought up from babyhood almost In the
saddle, a quick dead shot, cool. daring.
temperate, Injured to all kinds of hard
ships and ready at all times TO uphold
justice and defend the weak against the
Iawbreakers.
When the Alamo had fallen and the
frightful massacre there had occurred Cen
eral Sam Houston organized among the
settlers in the Territory, a troop Of 100
mounted riffiemen. Their object was TO
accomplish the mpossible-freeTexa and
aveng their fallen martyr patroit. kins-
men, and friends. They did wonders.
Their battle cry was Remember the
Alamo" and wherever they rode and
fought the enemy expected no quarter, d"
And, if fortunate enough to survive the
onslaught, never gave any If any members
of that devoted band fell into their hands.
With the fall of the Alamo fate seemed
against the Texans gaining their liberty,
but on Houston's call to arms volunteers
flocked to him from all directions. Only
the best men were taken and only the
brave men who were not afraid 10 die il
need be. The mention of their name
spread terror to the hearts of the "Greas-
ers" and when in the silent watches Of
the night the Mexican guard heard the
oncoming thunder of horses hoofs and the
dreaded cry, Remember the Alamo" in
terror they threw away their arms and
rushed to safety crying out with fear
while the little band would sweep through
the encampment leaving a wide swath OF
dead and dying behind them. and be away
on the trackless prairie again before the
enemy knew what had happened to them.
BY this means the fame of liberty was
famed into a bright glow again until the
battle of San Jacnto they routed the
Mexican army under Santa Anna and
obliged the Mexican government to ac-
knowledge their independence.
Organized in 1896 during the spring Of
that year they were continued In the SER
vice after the war and constitute a sort
of standing army for this unique repub-
lic They repealed hordes of Mexican ma
RAIDERS from beyond the Rio .Grande,
fought into submission the fierce Apaches.
Commanches and Kiowas. and administ-
cred justice on wholesale plan to a
great number of the red-handed ruffiisns
and outlaws who f1ocked into the new re-
public from all parts of the United States.
They 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 a state
1900 of the rangers were retained as
mounted police along the Mexican border
and for holding in check the almost in
tractable Indian tribes Of the Southwest.
Until 1864 the Texas rangers were almost
constantly in the field At times there
were reserve Rangers to the number Of
5000 among the fronuersmen. who were
called out many times TO aid in quelling
uprisings Of one sort or another.
At the breaking out OF hostilities be-
tween the North and the South General
Con Terry. an old ranger. organized the
famous command known as Terry's Texas
Rangers. composed almost entirely Of form
er Texas Rangers and frontiersmen. the
bark of whose rife meant death TO the
enemy upon whom a bead mad been drawn.
They fought from Bull Run to Appomattox
and lost - per cent Of their original muster
roll sharing honors with the celebrated
Louisiana Tigers az 20 which organization
proved the best fighters and most daring
While they were away fighting for the
lost cause the Indians grew restless upon
the frontier again, and soon after the war
the Texas legislature provided for calling
out 100 Rangers 20 protect the frontier
once more agains; hostile Indians. Then
as the country Quieted down the Rangers
were gradually reduced 20 I.010 and then
By easy stages 20 - men. and for the
last ten years there has been no legally
constituted force OF Rangers.
In the summer 1f 1S47 the Rangers FOL
lowed the Commsnches. numbering over
= 80
tine scarcely left the saddle sleeping. y
need be. on horseback. and never leaving
their clothes for az instant Several timea
there we're engagements OF several hours
length. but az last they subdued them.
and then Immediately had 20 turn their
attention 10 crush the even more dangerous
and hostile Apachss On The sest. This
took three months more u their tsrne, but
win these TIE United States troops aAsJ
took . hand ard bore their share q the
hsrdshipz and dznze-s. IN occo5sr Of the
same year hostile bands 0f naraudering
Mexlcans TIA; had crossed TIE frontier
with the av5vsd purpose o. killing al
6efeazeless settlers had % b. searched or
amid vast stretches and I-sckless foot
his. and fought under al insms gina -
aazar5ous circumstznces In ore week
twenty-five Rangers were KIDD b. tire
i-.rencae5 hals-5rees baosi,s % Ire GUN
bey q 30
Altogether IRE Campaigning against
Commauches. Ap4caes. ard n.2rarsers
lasted ten months. and there Vss 70; a
rest dzy. 10 the EHen the Rangers fslt
secure fraz danger no fs5se zasn ;AeT
were free from tbe danger - q rife saot
fro-1 soue ssaktng Zoe. 81 az tapss
months Severfe@z p~r cant B.ors Ssrs
wounded - poisonous srTozs and suiiets
- tast sasv becazas Iavzsts for Bse- NJ