Texas Rangers |
| Texas Rangers are special police officers of
the state of Texas. The Rangers have a tradition of individualism, resourcefulness,
self-reliance, and politeness. In the beginning , the Texas Rangers were formed to protect the people of the newly created Texas. The first Texas Rangers were expert horsemen and marksmen. In the 1830s, the Rangers adapted the practices of the enemies in order to keep peace. Indians, with their cunning, speed, and courage, set the pattern of Plains warfare. The Rangers learned the Indian skills of direction finding, horsemanship, and woodcraft. They were great marksmen, and chose the revolving six-shooter as their standard weapon. They also carried lariats, rifles, and Bowie knives with them. The Bowie knife was used as a backup weapon. After Texas gained its independence in 1836, Texans faced Mexican and Indian dangers on a 1,000 mile frontier. With a population of about 400,000, Texas couldn't afford a standing army. Texas needed a fighting force that would be small and inexpensive, available when needed, but inactive when not needed. The Texas Rangers, with no uniforms, drill, or regular pay, met these requirements. After Texas joined the Union in 1845, the Rangers continued to play a major role in frontier defense. During the Mexican war, they performed a valuable service as scouts and guerrilla fighters with the American armies in Mexico. One noted Ranger summarized their qualities in these words : "The Texas Rangers can ride like a Mexican, trail like an Indian, shoot like a Tennessean, and fight like the very devil." During the Reconstruction period that followed the Civil War, Texas suffered from lawlessness, murder, and Indian raids. In 1874, 450 Texas Rangers received commissions as peace officers. They continued to fight Comanches in the Northern border and Mexican cattle thieves along the Rio Grande. They also tracked down murderers, smugglers, bank and train robbers, and mine bandits. Within 10 years they restored peace and quiet in the interior of Texas. In 1917 and 1918, they succeeded in clearing the rocky Big Bend of outlaws. Today, Texas Rangers are now a of the Department of Public Safety. Most of the information on this page came from the "Texas
Rangers." World Encyclopedia Copyright 1979 U.S.A.
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