To recognize the 200th Anniversary of The Texas Rangers Justice Ken Wise provides an overview of their history from their origin in 1823 to their modern role as a law enforcement agency within the Texas Department of Public Safety. Justice Wise emphasizes the unique blend of military and law enforcement functions the Rangers have performed throughout their history, illustrating this through historical anecdotes about individuals like Matthew Caldwell, Rip Ford, and Frank Hamer. Wise highlights the Rangers’ impact on Texas history, particularly their role in settling the frontier and combating outlaw activity. He also discusses the importance of understanding Texas history from the perspective of the time period in which events occurred, advocating for a nuanced and respectful approach to interpreting the past.
Timeline of Events
1818: Matthew Caldwell learns to fight and trade with Native Americans in Missouri, gaining valuable knowledge of Native American culture.
1823: Stephen F. Austin writes to Governor Luciano Garcia requesting permission to raise a company of 10 men to “range for the common defense” of the colony. This is considered the official origin of the Texas Rangers.
1831: Matthew Caldwell arrives in Texas and settles in DeWitt’s Colony. He receives a land grant but lives in Gonzalez.
October 1835: The Battle of Gonzalez takes place. Caldwell helps gather volunteers and participates in the fight, which is considered the “Lexington of Texas”.
December 1835: Caldwell participates in the Siege and Battle of Béxar, helping to take San Antonio.
March 1st, 1836: Caldwell attends the Convention of 1836 at Washington-on-the-Brazos.
March 2nd, 1836: Caldwell signs the Texas Declaration of Independence.
March 16th, 1836: Caldwell signs the Texas Constitution in San Felipe de Austin.
1837: Caldwell commands a company of Texas Rangers in the Gonzalez area.
1840: Caldwell participates in the Council House Fight in San Antonio, a significant event in Texas-Native American relations.
August 1840: The Comanches launch the Great Raid of 1840, culminating in the looting of Linnville. Caldwell predicts their return route and helps lead the Texans to victory at the Battle of Plum Creek.
1841: Caldwell participates in the Santa Fe Expedition and survives captivity and smallpox.
1842: Caldwell commands men in the Battle of Salado Creek, repelling a Mexican invasion led by Adrian Woll.
Soon after 1842: Caldwell dies, likely from exhaustion after years of fighting.
1854: The Brazos Reservation is established for Native American tribes, including the Caddo, in an attempt to reduce frontier violence.
Before the Civil War: A militia from Erath County led by Peter Garland murders seven Native Americans, including the wife of Choctaw Tom, on a hunting trip near Fort Belknap.
After the Peter Garland Incident: Tensions rise between settlers and Native Americans. Militias form and the US Cavalry and Texas Rangers are dispatched to the area.
Around the Peter Garland Incident: John Salmon “Rip” Ford leads a company of Texas Rangers attempting to interdict Native American raids in the area. They never encounter Comanches.
Following the Peter Garland Incident: Indian agent Robert Neighbors attempts to indict Garland but the US attorney refuses. Neighbors asks Ford to arrest Garland based on a warrant he secures, but Ford refuses, stating Rangers are a military force, not law enforcement.
1906: H.R. Hamer becomes a Texas Ranger and is assigned to the Mexican border during a tumultuous time marked by the Mexican Revolution.
1915: Hamer rejoins the Rangers after a brief period serving as a town marshal and deputy police officer. He is again assigned to the border, this time in Del Rio.
1934: Hamer, now retired, is asked to lead the hunt for Bonnie and Clyde. He spends months studying their movements and patterns before planning an ambush.
May 23rd, 1934: Hamer and a posse of law enforcement officers ambush and kill Bonnie and Clyde in Gibsland, Louisiana.
1935: The Texas Legislature creates the Department of Public Safety, combining the highway patrol and the Texas Rangers.
Present Day: The Texas Rangers number 172 authorized positions and work on specialized cases ranging from public corruption to cold cases.
Cast of Characters
Matthew Caldwell: A prominent early Texan, known for his toughness and participation in numerous key events, including the Battle of Gonzalez, the Siege of Béxar, the Council House Fight, and the Battle of Plum Creek. Caldwell exemplifies the grit and resilience of early Texas Rangers.
Stephen F. Austin: The “Father of Texas,” Austin established the first Anglo-American colony in Mexican Texas. His request for a company of mounted men to protect the colony in 1823 is considered the beginning of the Texas Rangers.
Choctaw Tom: A peaceful Caddo man living on the Brazos Reservation. His wife was murdered by a militia led by Peter Garland, illustrating the tensions and violence on the frontier.
Peter Garland: The leader of the Erath County militia responsible for the murders of seven Native Americans, including Choctaw Tom’s wife. His actions and subsequent attempts to justify them highlight the complexities of imposing law and order on the frontier.
John Salmon “Rip” Ford: A notable figure in Texas history who served as a soldier, Ranger, politician, and newspaper editor. His refusal to arrest Peter Garland highlights the evolving role of the Rangers from a purely military force to one with law enforcement capabilities.
Robert Neighbors: The Indian agent who attempted to have Peter Garland indicted for the murder of the Native Americans on the Brazos Reservation. He epitomizes the struggle to protect Native American rights and enforce the law on a volatile frontier.
H. R. Hamer: A renowned Texas Ranger who worked primarily on the Mexican border and later led the successful effort to capture Bonnie and Clyde. Hamer represents the transition of the Rangers into a modern law enforcement agency.
Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow: Notorious outlaws and serial killers who terrorized the Southwest during the Great Depression. Their eventual capture and death by a posse led by Hamer marks a significant moment in Ranger history.
Drew Carter: A modern Texas Ranger mentioned for his role in negotiating the surrender of a serial killer and his thorough investigation of a seemingly minor identity theft case, demonstrating the range and dedication of present-day Rangers.