Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1921-05-26

the soil made fertile by the blood or
their kinsmen, and they sooR became
the frontier fighting force par excel
lencp of the world. They were the
forerunuers of such organizations as
the Northwest Mounted Police of Can
ada the Cape Of South Africa ana
the Pennsylvania State, though unlike
any of them. They were the Anglo
American solution Of the problem or
the frontier. The true character or
the hangers becomes clear only In tine
light of that knowledge which comes
from an acquaintance"hip with the
nature and disposition of their foes,
the MpXicans on the ore hand and the
Indians on the other
From long experience with the Mex
leans the Texans had come 10 distrust
every word and deed ~ the race.
They doubted their honor, feared their
mercy and drspised their vnlor-leS-
sons dearly learned 1T the Alamo,
Goiad and san .Iacnto. From the IN
lianS. whose position on the west
has already been indicated. they also
took hard lessons. The t"mnnriv'
warrior WAS II terrible foe. courageous.
cunning and cruel. an adept in all the
practices and Subtrrfuges of partisan
warfare. and In order ~ meet him TN"
Ranger had to adopt his tn"iiGS. For
example. the Cnmanches always came
suddenly. mounted on the fleet prairie
mustangs, which they managed Witt
ronslnnmnte skill. and when Dor"
them away with the speed of the wind
Faced Torture and Death.
Again. the comanches never per
United themselves to be made captive
and To become their prisoner meant
torture and death. Here were the
ready made rules hy which the
Rangers had Ia r2ht Ihay were of
necessity superb h"rSemen, using their
legs mostly for mounting and sticking
on. They were sure marksm"n, show
ing great preference for the revolving
Six-Shooter They wore versed In wood.
craft and possessed an uncanny sense
Of direction, and they knew the lore
of the forest rs well as that of the
plain. Col John y. Ford, himself
summed up their qualities IN these
words:
"Tha Texas Ranger can ride like a
Mexican. trail like an Indian, shoot
like TennesSeean and fight like
very devil" Above all. these frontiers
men were the embodiment of individ
ualiSm II was their outstanding trait
Self-reiant and resouroefui, Frequently
eXtricnting themselves from difficult
ties, not by fighting hui by quick
thinking. Only one thing In warfare
they had forgotten in their tong strug.
gle with II dual foe. and that was to
surrender. They gave quarter some.
timrs--but never asked and never ok.
pectcd IL.
Their leaders were natural leaders
men who possessed in II high degree
the qualities they admired in others
and found essential TO themselves. A
few of these men We're John G. Hays,
Ben Mct ulloch. John :. Ford and the
Two Roses. The rankS We're filled
with those courageous ones who loved
atllWi anu adventure Htlltf Juan ease
and gain.
Did Valiant Service
IN lS4:l Texas joined the Union. The
Mexican war followed Immediately,
during which the Rangers performed
such valiant service aS scouts and
guerilla fighters with the armies of
Taylor and Scott that they We're her
aided nS heroes tlsoughuui the nation.
III 1874 the Rangers were rrorcai-
jZed. six companies of - men ench.
Hut an important change WINS made In
their status and duties They were to
protect the frontier and fight Indians
as. before. hut in addition. they We're
given Ia" power of peace officers. ON
the northern border they fought Lone
Wolfe, IAttlr Bun and other Comanche
warriors: on the southwest they
guarded the Texas side of the Rio
Gran,h' against Cnrtina and his band
Of cnttlt thieves; in the interior they
pursued and killed Sam BASS, broke
up the Sutton-Taylor feud and drove
the road agents under cover.
When not more actively engaged.
they guarded prisoners, protected
courts and dispersed lynching parties.
The Rangers We're busy men in those
days, In their double capacity of sol
dierS and peac" officers they presented
Il novel experiment in government, and
one which did not escape criticism
In fact. all the criticism that has ever
been brought against the Texas
Rangers has been brought against
them i'm their capacity rs peace Off
GERS. Be that as il may, during the
ten wears following this reorganiZa-
ton the Rangers pushed the Indians
10 the very limits of Texas, and
nj the same time rendered the interior
II safe and decent place to live In.
The success of their work was due
largely to the high personal courage
and indOmitahle spirit of the officers
and men.
With the passing Of the Indian raids.
the Rangers were relieved of further
purely military responsibility, and
from 1885 to the present they have
devoted themselves largely to the
maintenance of law and order within
the state