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171 Newly seated President Anson Jones quickly took steps to reimburse the senior ranger commander for the expenses he had incurred while keeping Mexican bandits and Comanches in check throughout 1844. Jones recommended after his December inauguration that the Ninth Congress should pass legislation to settle the various accounts that Captain Hays had made on behalf of his rangers.1 The Ninth Congress would ultimately prove to be the last in service for the Republic of Texas era. It would also be the last legislature to meet in the old river town capital of Washingtonon -the-Brazos. One of the more heavily contested resolutions which passed on December 20 was that of moving the capital back to Austin. The location of the Texas government continued to be a hotbed even after the so-called Archives War. Nine members of the House of Representatives, led by former ranger leaders John "Rip" Ford and William Turner Sadler, argued that the location of Austin, "liable at any moment to hostile incursions from the Indian and Mexican foe, renders that point at all times an insecure repository for the Archives of the nation." Their arguments were ultimately overturned and Washington-onthe -Brazos would cease to be the Texas capital after the close of the Ninth Congress.2 On New Years' Day 1845, Captain Jack Hays had only a small group of ten rangers in service, including himself. They Chapter 10 The 1845 County Ranging Companies 1845 were John Carlin, Tom Hancock, Tom Lyons, Francis McKay, Daniel Murchison, William Powell, Shap Woolfolk, William "Bigfoot" Wallace and John Young. Wallace had only received his freedom from Mexican prisons on September 16, 1844, and made his way back to Texas. Hays added three more of his longtime rangers back to his muster roll on January 10, 1845: William Adams, William Jett and William Oury, the latter also freshly freed from his Mexican imprisonment.3 Captain Henry Clay Davis was operating a company of Corpus Christi Rangers from November 1844 through February 1845. Henry Kinney offered to employ a group of volunteer rangers "to act as soldiers for the protection of the citizens of Corpus Christi." The men were allowed to elect their own commander. Kinney would furnish ammunition and supplies, including sugar, coffee, bread and meat. Private soldiers were to be paid $20 per month, the company lieutenant $40 per month and the captain $60 per month. The men elected Henry Clay Davis as the company's captain. Davis had previously served as a cavalryman 172 SAVAGE FRONTIER Lt. Davis' Corpus Christi Rangers: Nov. 28, 1844–Feb. 28, 1845 Captain: Henry Clay Davis Lieutenant: Mayberry B. Gray Privates: J. H. Aaron John Brannon 1 Robert H. Clements Michael Dugan George W. Fletcher John N. Gainer John Hoffer 2 Jacob Jackson Humphreys 3 Charles Johnson George Lord 3 Peter Mahoney Patrick McEvoy John Mills 3 Lawson F. Mills 3 Daniel Murphy James P. Ownby Philip C. Paul Ary Peratt William B. Phew Basil Pyant William Richards John Ross Riviero Ruocindo William Y. Scott Pomicina Villareal Andrew Walker Harrison Wood 1 Served Jan. 2—Feb. 28, 1845. 2 Served Dec. 6, 1844—Feb. 28, 1845. 3 Served Dec. 2, 1844—Feb. 28, 1845. 4 Served Nov. 28, 1844—Jan. 28, 1845. Source: Source: Muster and pay rolls, Texas State Archives. 173 The 1845 County Ranging Companies under Colonel Lysander Wells at the 1840 Council House Fight, and took command of the company on November 28, 1844. Kinney reserved the right at the end of each month to discharge "one or all of the company by paying the amount due up to the time of discharge." Kinney's second in command was Lieutenant Mayberry B. Gray, who had served in the Texas Army during 1836 and fought at the battle of San Jacinto. Davis and Gray originally enrolled 21 other men when the company went into service on November 28. Five more men joined Captain Davis' company in early December and January, making the company's size 28 total men during February 1845. Clay Davis' men had varying degrees of experience. Many had never served in any official military status. Basil Pyant and William Y. Scott had served two years in the First Regiment of Infantry from 1839–1841. Michael Duggan, Patrick McEvoy, John Mills and Lawson F. Mills had all served in the San Patricio Rangers during 1841. Jacob Humphreys, a veteran of the 1840 Plum Creek Comanche battle, had served under Jack Hays during 1841. Finally, James Ownby...

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