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The History and Legend of the Texas Rangers
The Texas Rangers lawmen have come to be synonymous with law and order in the old American West. Indeed, they are as legendary as Billy the Kid, Jesse James, and Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. Here's a little synopsis of their history.
The Rangers are considered to be the oldest organized law enforcement agency in the United States, and they can trace their origins back to the original Anglo settlement of Texas in 1835. It was Stephen F. Austin himself who organized the first group of 60 or so men; but within two years, the Rangers were a mighty force of 300.
They were a rough and tumble paramilitary-style band of tough men whose primary responsibility was to protect Anglo settlers from Indian attack. However, they were soon used for political and military purposes when Mirabeau B. Lamar (who succeeded Sam Houston as President of the then Republic of Texas) recruited the Rangers to wage war against the Indians. The Rangers were largely successful and the Cherokee and Comanche were greatly weakened as a result of their efforts.
It was the Rangers who perfected the technique of shooting at enemies from horseback. They used the new five-shot Colt revolver to do this task and their practices were later imitated by the United States army itself. The Rangers performed legendary feats of heroism during the Mexican-American war, but they also gained a reputation for unnecessary brutality.
Following the Civil War, Texas was again threatened by Mexicans and Indians, and it was the Rangers who were called on to defend the Lone Star State. The 450 members of the specially created Frontier Battalion were instrumental in repelling Indian advances and restoring order and peace during the hectic and precarious post-war years.
It was during this time that most of the myths and legends surrounding the Rangers were born. This was indeed the Wild West, and the Rangers were credited with capturing or killing notorious outlaws, desperados, and other threats to the peace. They strong armed the Comanche, Kiowa, and Apaches and became known as ruthless defenders of the law. In the 20th century, the Rangers were often at the center of some of the state's most infamous criminal stories, such as that of Bonnie and Clyde.
Despite their mystique, largely the product of romantic writers and revisionists of Old West history, the Rangers are considered a very real asset to Texas today and are a respected division of law enforcement.
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