The Indianapolis journal., 1903-09-06
ORIGIN OF THE REVOLVER
HOW 1T CAME TO BE ADOPTED AS
AN AMERICAN ARMY WEAPON.
First Used BY Jack Hays to Fight
Mexican Cattle Thieves-Secret of
the Eirearm Was Long Kept.
Washington Post.

There is a romantic side to weapons of
war that is as interesting as any in our
national history. The origin OF our purely
American arm, the Colts revolver, fur
nishes an instance that will illustrate this
1t seems perfectly adapted to American
frontier conditions. 1t has given its skill
full wielders victory many a wen-fought
field. And this is why its rise and develop
ment should be a part OF our country's
military history.
In the SOS we were enarging our ma
tional boundaries in the Southwest. We
could not consistently develop in any other
direction. for the country to the northward
was not very desirable. We were looking
for a region that was especially adapted to
southern products, to be cultivated by slave
labor. The South was in the saddle and
meant to remain there, If Southern blood
and valor could accomplish it. The young
and thriving Republic of Texas was the
point toward which the attention of the
region south of Mason and Dixon's line was
turned. A handful of daring young Ameri-
cans had wrested from Mexico a region five
times the size of any State i'm the Union.
1t was then called the Republic of Texas.
The State of Tennessee was primarily re-
sponsibIe for this daring step. General
Sam Houston had gathered together a dar-
ing band of young men full of hot-blooded
courage. The blood of the pioneers that
took Tennessee from the warlike Indian
tribes on this continent was in them.
BRAVE JACK HAYS.
For a long time it was an uphill fight.
Not only the Mexicans, but the Comanches
and Lipans-unequaled warriors and daring
horsemen-harassed and raided the scat
tering frontier settlements and towns along
the Texas border until it really appeared as
if the entire scheme of the settlement of
Texas must go down I'm blood. But the men
who had started in to do this work were
not of the quitting kind. They were of
the Tory-hating, Indian-hghting stock that
obstacles did not daunt nor dangers quail.
And they set their teeth hard and swore
they would stay. To guard their frontier
thoroughly and effectively they organized
bands of companies of rangers, under off,
GERS who could not only fight Indians and
Mexicans, but control and discipline their
own army. Among the ablest of these COM
manders Colonel Hays-better known as
Jack" HayS-was incontestably the abest.
men as were then peopling the great South
western frontier. In stature he was about
five feet eight. and never weighed over
150 pounds. His hair was OF a darkish
brown, inclined to be red, and his eyes were
Of several colors, according TO his moods
In his hours of relaxation and among his
friends they were of a dark gray, with a
hue of hazel In excitement, and especially
in a fight. they were indescribable. They
simply seemed to blaze. when Jack Hays's
eyes begin to darken with flash in them
like lightning and of a black southwest
cloud it's a good time to let him alone"
said Burleson, one Of his intimate friends
and captain of one of the ranger troops.
when Hays was made a colonel of rangers,
and nobody knew him better than did Ned
Burleson, afterward a famous Governor of
the Lone Star State of Texas.
GOT COLTS FOR HIS MEN.
Some time in the middle eos, about 1895
or 1896, Colonel Hays was directed by the
Governor Of Texas to go TO New York and
purchase suitable arms to equip his troops
He had then about $50 men, but they were
not uniformly armed and lacked equipment
suitable for a mounted command. They
about all carried rife and pair of pistols
of various patterns. They needed TO be
equipped alike and with the very best
weapons that were available at that time
So, in obedience to his orders. and with a
letter of credit on the treasurer of the
Texas Republic. Hays took passage in a
schooner tnat was bound for New York
He was a month In making the trip, for he
started in September. when the gulf is
usually stormy and the prevailing winds
are from the southwest-and everywhere
else. They were blown into nearly every
port from Galveston northward before they
got in sight OF the Island OF Manhattan
Colonel Hays went the rounds OF the fire.
arms realm of New York IL was not a
difficult undertaking, for there were but
four or five OF them. But he did not find
anything that he had not seen before in
the way OF firearms. One day, however,
a gun dealer said: There is a man living
over In New Jersey at present that has just
invented a pistol which would like TO have
you see." What Is there about IL that
makes IL different from other pistelsf'