The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 82, July 1978 - April, 1979 Page: 43
496 p. : ill. (some col.), ports. ; 23 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
Extracted Text
The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
"I Am Already Quite a Texan"
larly beautiful. We crossed the river and camped in a fine grove between
high hills.
At daylight we were moving. Two men were seen in the distance, on
close approach, found to be Texan Rangers on the march to join their
company which was with the Expedition above. Now, don't picture to
yourself the Ranger, as you read of him in newspapers, the personifica-
tion of the brave and reckless-wild, perhaps, but with a redeeming trait
of lofty chivalry, but let me describe the animal and trust that you may
have little to do with them. I have some under my control and can speak
from Experience. Rangers are rowdies, rowdies in dress, manner and
feeling. Take one of the lowest Canal drivers, dress him in ragged clothes
-those he ordinarily wears, as you see him, are altogether too clean-
put a rifle in his hand, a revolver Sc big bowie knife at his belt-utterly
eradicate any little traces of civilization or refinement that may have by
chance been acquired, then turn him loose, a lazy ruffianly scoundrel in
a country where little is Known of, less cared for, the laws of God or man
and you have the material for a Texan Mounted Ranger, an animal-
perhaps I should say a brute-of whose class some hundreds are at pres-
ent mustered into the service to fight Indians. There are exceptions. My
invective is not meant for all."
I have gone I see far from my narrative. Reunmons a nous moutons18
-Rangers! They came up presently with a long yarn about seeking
twelve [I]ndians at midnight. They described very graphicly [sic] how
"we hollered and they hollered." As far as we could comprehend both
sides were badly scared; both sides ran. It was nothing but two Rangers
scaring twelve..The twelve discharged in the disgrace were going down
the road and met the two coming up. The two brought letters from an
officer at Fort Clark that they were to join our escort-we had just
started when we hear a great noise on the other side of the river, saw an
escort scamper down the bank, then came a carriage-ambulance. More
expresses sent after us. This was a Mexican Guide and a little boy who
had been five years a prisoner with the "Comanches," now sent on as a
guide to aid in tracking the Indians.
This was the last we heard from Fort Clark, we were now sixty miles
from that post and adding daily to the distance. We were in the Indian
170lmsted, A Journey through Texas, 299-303, was considerably kinder toward the Rang-
ers, but called them "so many organized tribes of civilized white Indians, living in moving
camps beyond the border ..." (p. 300).
18Properly, "Revenons d nos moutons," literally, "Let's return to our sheep;" that is, get
back to the subject.
Upcoming Pages
Here’s what’s next.
Search Inside
This issue can be searched. Note: Results may vary based on the legibility of text within the document.
Tools / Downloads
Get a copy of this page or view the extracted text.
Citing and Sharing
Basic information for referencing this web page. We also provide extended guidance on usage rights, references, copying or embedding.
Reference the current page of this Periodical.
Texas State Historical Association. The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 82, July 1978 - April, 1979, periodical, 1978/1979; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth101206/m1/63/: accessed May 7, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.