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155 Captain Hays' rangers remained in San Antonio through the latter days of June to let his men recover from their wounds received in the Walker's Creek fight. They were still in town on June 27, when his company completed new muster rolls. Another Texas frontier force was in action during the summer of 1844. Rancher Henry Kinney established a ranging company to protect his own interests and those of the citizens living near him in the Corpus Christi area. During June, his volunteer company fought a battle with Comanches who had raided their area. More than a dozen Texans were killed or wounded, including Captain Kinney, who was slightly wounded by a Comanche spear while trying to save his company clerk, Juan Ruiz. At least six Comanches were killed or badly wounded in the brief encounter. The Texas secretary of war would authorize Kinney on August 5, 1844, to operate a regular ranging company with a strength of up to 56 men "for the protection of Corpus Christi." The Ninth Congress later passed a resolution for the appropriation of $2,349 to pay for the expenses and disbursements of Kinney's ranging company. Extant republic records do not indicate who commanded Kinney's rangers during the summer of 1844 but muster rolls show that Captain Henry Clay Davis was in command of this company by November.1 Jack Hays' men acquired another area to patrol that summer when Henry Castro began settling a large colony of mostly new Chapter 9 "I Laid Down to Die" Summer–Fall 1844 immigrants west of the Medina River. The project had the support of the Texas government. Hays wrote to Anson Jones on July 21, 1844, from Béxar, concerning Castro's work to establish a new colony. As the ranger commander, Hays pledged to "do everything in my power to enable him to effect his object as soon as possible."2 Captain Hays informed Jones that his small ranging unit would not be able to properly "afford the colonists much protection in their new settlement. I think, however, if my force was increased to 15 or 20 in addition to my present numbers, they could proceed to the lands and commence their operations in safety." Hays stated that Castro was in San Antonio but had been detained a short time while Hays recovered from "a severe spell of sickness," from which he had finally recovered.3 When Castro did finally depart Béxar on July 25, he went in company with five of Hays' rangers, the captain possibly not being in full health. In addition to the rangers, Castro had six other citizens with him, including former ranger John James, all of whom were "well armed."4 Castro's surveyors camped on Medio Creek, 12 miles west of San Antonio, the first night. The diary kept by Castro shows their food sources while on expedition.5 July 26th.—John James, who accompanied us, killed three bears on the Potranco Creek; saw many wild horses. James Dunn, one of the rangers, ran them and killed a fine stallion. Cross the Medina River and killed two deer and one alligator and caught some trout; camped on the Medina. Castro's land grant started four miles west of the Medina. One of the rangers reported seeing some mounted men on July 27, causing an alarm in the expedition. Six of the men set out to reconnoiter while the other half dozen men covered the camp. No encounters were made and Castro's party continued on, reaching Hondo Creek on July 29. Castro found the land bountiful with fish, deer, persimmons and honey. The surveyors returned to San Antonio on July 31, with two of Hays' rangers sick with fever.6 When Castro returned to town, he found that Prince Friedrich Wilhelm Carl Ludwig Georg Alfred Alexander, the 30-year-old 156 SAVAGE FRONTIER 157 "I Laid Down to Die" prince of Solms-Braunfels from Prussia, and his elaborately adorned companions had arrived in San Antonio with hopes of starting their own settlement. Prince Carl had traveled extensively through Texas and had been appointed commissioner-general for a colony of German settlers that wished to establish residence in Texas. His scouting efforts and land purchases would soon Capt. Hays’ Ranger Company: June 27–October 28, 1844 Captain: John Coffee Hays First Lieutenant: Benjamin McCulloch Privates: Christopher Black Acklin 3 John Adams 1 William Adams 2 Fielding Alston Richard Anderson 4 Edward Brookfield 4 Michael H...

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