The Texas Rangers
The most famous law-enforcement agency of the Old West, the
Rangers were heroes of hundreds of movies and books. "One riot, one Ranger,"
was their credo. Tough and fearless. Ruthless in confronting their enemies.
And the truth wasn't far off.
They were formed in 1823 as a paramilitary outfit of mounted irregulars, supported by local communities rather than the government. Their main responsibility was maintaining order on the wild Texas frontier. "West of the Pecos," was a synonym for lawlessness in the mid-nineteenth century. The Rangers were expected to face down Comanche raiders, Mexican soldiers and outlaws. One historian wrote that the history of west Texas after 1836 was no more than the history of the Rangers. The Ranger could "ride like a Mexican, trail like an Indian, shoot like a Tennessean, and fight like a devil." Sam Houston urged the federal government to keep its troops out of Texas. "We don't want regular troops," he told the U.S. Senate, "Just give us 1,000 Rangers."
Their paragon was Jack Hays, who joined the Rangers in 1840. He is credited
with being the first to understand the advantages of the new Colt revolver.
The six-shooter revolutionized combat in the West and whoever owned one had
an insuperable advantage. When Hays and a party of fifteen Rangers armed with
the new Colts fought off a force of eighty Comanches, killing half of them,
the weapon received national publicity and
the reputation of the gun
was made. So was that of the Rangers.
In later years, the Rangers were accused of excessive brutality in dealing with non-Anglos and some of their reputation was tarnished. But their place in American popular culture is secure. Almost every major western star portrayed a Ranger at one time or another and the image of The Lone Ranger became the standard of heroism and bravery by which the entertainment industry defined Western history.
The Texas Ranger Hall of Fame is located in Waco, which saw its share of Rangers when it was one of the wildest cow towns in the days of the Chisholm Trail. It is part of Fort Fisher Park. The hall contains a wax museum, dioramas, and some of the original weapons, saddles, and other equipment used by the Rangers.