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Post by jamesg on Mar 25, 2012 15:10:28 GMT -5
Texas Ranger Tibits ...Bits and Pieces of Ranger history that didn't dominate books but help make the Texas Rangers
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Post by jamesg on Mar 25, 2012 15:29:03 GMT -5
On June 3 1836 A.J.Yates wrote to Stephen F. Austin on his travels to the U.S. about finding support for the New Republic of Texas. In the Letter is the first mention of the COLT firearms which would re-write Texas history. He wrote Samuel Colt as to Prices of Rifles, Carbines, and Pistols. He states to Austin " I am inclined to think 100 Cavalry with Colt Carbines, with spring bayonets,and PISTOLS, will be a very efficient force.Colt Carbines and Pistols discharge 30 rounds in the same time that it takes to Load 3 times"
Source: Papers of Texas Revolution 1835-1836 John H. Jenkins
While we know the Colts arrived in Texas in 1842 and were to go to the Texas Navy...but the Texas Rangers got them and made History.
"God made man..Colt made man Equal"
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Post by sloanrodgers on Mar 25, 2012 20:28:34 GMT -5
While we know the Colts arrived in Texas in 1842 and were to go to the Texas Navy...but the Texas Rangers got them and made History. "God made man..Colt made man Equal" I believe Colts' firearms (rifles and pistols) started arriving in small numbers before 1842 and were used in a few battles against Mexicans and Commanches. The first time they were used in great numbers and determined the outcome of a battle was with a certain Texas ranger company, a little north of San Marcos, Texas.
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Post by jamesg on Mar 25, 2012 23:49:46 GMT -5
Skr is absolutely right!!!!!! The first shipment of 180 Colt Pattersons and Carbines for the Texas Govt was in 1839 plus whatever individuals brought in from the States. The 1842 shipment What caught my attention I found interesting that Sam Houston diverted this shipment from the Texas Navy(Which he was planning to get rid of) to the Rangers..also diverted me from my study.oops
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Post by sloanrodgers on Mar 26, 2012 16:56:22 GMT -5
Well, I'm glad to be correct on at least one thing, but I've never ranked so many exclamation points before. Thank you. I'm also a proponent of the Colt trickle-in-theory-to-Texas after their creation in 1836. In an April 14, 1848 report from the Committee on Military Affairs to the U.S. Senate, a famous ranger is quoted. Major Ben McCulloch says: "He has, at this time, in his possession one (colt pistol) that has been used for ten years without being repaired." While I believe McCulloch exaggerated his ten year ownership and the durabilty of his Colt in the hope that they would be procurred for Texas mounted volunteer and cavalry units, I think he was probably one of the first to use them in the former republic..
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Post by jamesg on Mar 27, 2012 13:41:36 GMT -5
NextTidbit How did the Texas Ranger Star develope?
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Post by jamesg on Mar 27, 2012 13:55:08 GMT -5
I was doing a little research and found this passage from a 1836 Commitee meeting Mr Childress introduced the following resolution
"Resolved, That a single star of Five points, either Gold or Silver , be adopted as the peculiar emblem of the Republic: and that every Officer or Solider of the Army, and members of This Convention, and all friends of Texas, be requested to wear it on their hats or Bosoms; Which on motion, was adopted."
Maybe during the revolution this was a symbol of rebellion tho I doubt many were worn in the field. because of lack of access to a Stars. Just kinda interested in this a we see in early paintings of Texas Heros with a Star.. and Civil War Texas troops wore a Star on their hat/cap Maybe this tibit did lead to the Development of the Texas Ranger Star badge..
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Post by sloanrodgers on Mar 27, 2012 22:57:03 GMT -5
I was doing a little research and found this passage from a 1836 Commitee meeting Mr Childress introduced the following resolution "Resolved, That a single star of Five points, either Gold or Silver , be adopted as the peculiar emblem of the Republic: and that every Officer or Solider of the Army, and members of This Convention, and all friends of Texas, be requested to wear it on their hats or Bosoms; Which on motion, was adopted." Maybe during the revolution this was a symbol of rebellion tho I doubt many were worn in the field. because of lack of access to a Stars. Just kinda interested in this a we see in early paintings of Texas Heros with a Star.. and Civil War Texas troops wore a Star on their hat/cap Maybe this tibit did lead to the Development of the Texas Ranger Star badge.. I'm not sure, but I think Childress' statement only pertained to the government and the military, not Texas law enforcement. There was little republic or local law enforcement in the early years. It was simple in sheriff-controlled towns, but often a free-for-all on who would pursue fleeing evil-doers, whether it was the local constabulary, legal posses, rangers or vigilantes. Few law officers wore flashy badges of authority except in the biggest of American cities because they were not professionalized and were usually run on a shoe-string budget. Often the sheriff or chief-of-police couldn't even afford a badge for himself (or his men) and the civic minded citizens of a community would come together to purchase a gold badge from a local jeweler. I think there has been a lot of myth-making and bad histroy with the creation and use of law enforcement badges prior to 1900, especially with the Texas rangers, who didn't need no stinking badges. They looked like rangers with their high top boots, low-slung gunbelts, big hats and their quick-draw warrants of authority. I think the whole cinco peso badge legend began in the 1950s or 1960s if my memory serves me correctly, but I can't remember which ranger started it and supplied the recently minted cinco peso coins to DPS Chief Garrison. I don't believe the cinco peso even existed before 1947, so there goes half the story. It's possible that some turn-of-the-century rangers had jewelers fashion five-pointed star badges out of one centavo or ten peso coins, but it seems more likely that they just cut them out of handy old tin cans. Why waste good Mexican money on something that could be easily lost or stolen off your shirt?
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Post by jamesg on Mar 27, 2012 23:16:31 GMT -5
Like I said just speculation on my part as a possible evolution. I never found any Proof postive link either Revolutionary Rangers did fall under the Army tho.
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Post by jamesg on Mar 27, 2012 23:21:57 GMT -5
SKR seems like were the only ones talkin'here....got any Tidbits you'd lke to bring up??
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Post by sloanrodgers on Mar 27, 2012 23:27:51 GMT -5
Like I said just speculation on my part as a possible evolution. I never found any Proof postive link either Revolutionary Rangers did fall under the Army tho. As am I and ruminating. The rangers usually didn't have a law enforcement role until years after the revolution. I actually found one of the first instances with a ranger Thomas Hos' Addicks in 1841 San Antonio. He was arresting horse thieves.
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Post by jamesg on Mar 28, 2012 0:11:50 GMT -5
here's a interesting tidbit showing chain of command in Revolution I found this a good example of working for the army a Note San Felipe, Dec 1, 1835 Maj Gen Sam Houston Sir Your Official order arrived today per Col. Houston I have this moment received an shall immediately repair to the point designated for purposes indicated. Tendering to you my assurances that no exertions on my part shall be wanting to achieve the object of your communication with sentiments of highest consideration I remain your servant. R.M.Williamson Commanding the Ranging Corps of Texas.
pretty good OPSEC too.
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Post by estebans on Mar 28, 2012 1:35:40 GMT -5
On the spread of Colts in Texas, I was struck by something I noticed in the list of arms confiscated from the 50-odd San Antonio defenders captured by Woll in 1842. Pistols are just itemized as pistols and pairs of pocket pistols, but among the long arms are two rifles with seven-shot revolving cylinders and one five-shot revolving rifle. Even if it's not a valid statistical sample, that seems like a relatively high percentage of advanced rifles among those defenders, whether Colt made them or not.
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Post by Allen Wiener on Mar 28, 2012 8:40:47 GMT -5
James - a bit off topic, perhaps, but do you have any approximate number of soldiers (up to March 2, 1836) who were actually part of the regular (permanent) army and thus under Houston's command? My impression is that most were in the permanent or auxilliary volunteers or local militias and did not regard themselves as under Houston. Williamson clearly did, as I assume Travis must have, since he came to Bexar as the leader of a small regular cavalry unit, and Bowie, who was sent to Bexar by Houston. Which makes it puzzling that Travis and Bowie later quarreled over command, Bowie being elected leader by the volunteers and then dividing command with Travis, who continued as the head of the regulars. All very puzzling and I wonder how puzzling it was to the soldiers and assorted leaders of the revolution and army at that moment.
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Post by jamesg on Mar 28, 2012 10:28:04 GMT -5
Estabans, I am not a expert on period firearms I know Colt firearms pretty well tho. The Colt revolving rifles of that period Came in 8- and 10 shot models some serious web searching would have to be done to find the 5 shot and seven shot rifles listed, Could be European made as I sure other Gun companies at the time were developing firearms as well.. This time frame is Revolutionary in arms development. May I ask the source of your list I'd like to take a look at the type weapons listed. Cheers, Jim G.
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