The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1906-07-05

River, thirty-fve years ago, was
i camped body of fifty men in the
loose uniform Of the Texas
Rangers, says a writer in the Chicago
Record-Hera The grove was about
half mile in diameter, and nearly
circular. The rangers sought rest after
q fruitless search for bands Of Apaches
known to be on both sides Of the
river. It was customary for the
rangers and the Mexican rurals to help
each other when near the border line.
The rangers were stalwart, bronzed
and hardy set Of men. of 1ntelIgent
face and quiet in conversation and
manners. They were maintained by
the State to suppress internal disorder
and repel external invasion; they were
selected from the better class of citi-
zens who were endowed with civic
virtues and governed by patriotic pur-
poses. Long service had given them
the mastery Of every kind of warfare
with the desperate, lawless and pitiless
Indian. Their discipline was perfect,
either in camp or field. They were
equipped in picturesque garb ana
armed most effectively, as taught by
experience.
Each man carried huge bowie knife
for close fighting, carbine for range
fighting, two six-shooters each and a
saber for the charge, and they were
more expert in the use Of these
weapons than any other body Of men
living. Great care was shown in the
choice of their horses, for they were
Invaluable in service and in fact, made
the rangers work on the vast plains
of Texas possible. Speed, endurance
and courage, with intelligence, were
the qualities Of the steed, which under
kind training, made the soldier and
horse a modern Centaur and 1rresisti-
BILE against the wild tribes Of the West.
Each man held twelve lives in his
holsters, one in his carbine. and all who
came within the deadly lunge OF the
knife or sweep of the saber perished.
So prepared and arrayed' for stirring
adventures and ruthless war, fhe
ranger went forth as the knight errant
of q boundless domain to protect and
defend life, liberty and property de-
pendent upon his chivairic mission,
against legions Of the cruelest foes
that ever cursed any portion Of the
human race.
sLAYING WOMEN AND CHILDREN
Around the grove from the river to
the staked plains on the north was a
level prairie extending far and wide
into Texas and Mexico, the abiding
place of many primitive homes and
more pretentious and wealthy ranches.
A great horde.of Apaches in their an
nual August foray were Staying, burn
ing and driving away women, young
girls and boys, while infants and chill
dren too feeble for fight to the noun
tain villages Of the invaders were at
once slain without mercy. This hellish
work was going on in old Mexico some
miles west of the river. There was
much less hard fighting and more
plunder here than in Texan territory.
And thus the red fiends reveied to sur
felt in their saturnalia Of crime, with
none to oppose but the helpless victims.
The rurales were in hiding or hunting
for the rangers to help them.
At midnight, after the second day OF
encampnent, a vaquero was brought
in by guard to Major Wizard, the
officer in command. He told a most
distressful tale of attack upon the
ranch of Don Morales Eleardo, his
master, reh Mexican Of aristocratc
lineage, his family Of wife. boy OF
twelve years and beautiful daughter
the Senorita Dolores. It was vigorous
" defended by the owners and sixty
vaqueros against an overwhelming