Texas Ranger John B. Jones and the Frontier Battalion, 1874-1881

9. Terribly Tongue-Lashed

132 TERRIBLY TONGUE-LASHED 9 RANGERS CAME UNDER CRITICISM in San Antonio when, on September 13, 1876, several men from Company A were confronted by city policemen for “parading the streets . . . armed to the teeth.” The company, as Jones’ escort, was camped on the Leon River eight miles west of the city. The Rangers were finally induced to disarm while in public, but the local newspaper accused them “of a mind to break rather than preserve the law.”1 One of the men was arrested for carrying a pistol, but was acquitted by a jury upon hearing from Lieutenant Denton that the commander had reported to the sheriff the presence of his men in Bexar County, as well as a willingness to provide any assistance the lawman might need while the Rangers were there. A second charge against the Ranger for “intimidating an officer” was dismissed after a jury failed to agree on a verdict.2 The citizens of San Antonio felt they had good reason to exonerate the Rangers. On September 21, a group of citizens met and petitioned Governor Coke to station some Rangers closer, “either at Paint Rock water-hole, or about the head of the Llano.” Otherwise, they claimed, with all due deference to Jones’ opinion as to where troops should be stationed , the area risked being overrun by the “dreaded influx of thieving Terribly Tongue-Lashed 133 and lawless bands.”3 At the same time, Neal Coldwell, recently resigned from the Battalion, was elected in Kerr County as captain of a newlyorganized militia force established to protect against the “inroads of Indians and white outlaws.” In similar language to the San Antonio petition, Coke was asked to also provide better protection to the Kerr County area by a closer stationing of Rangers from the Battalion, again with all “due deference” to Jones’ opinion.4 In response, Jones exclaimed rather testily that no Indians had been seen in Kerr County since the previous June, and explained that the Battalion now consisted of only five small companies , each consisting of one lieutenant and twenty men, hardly a sufficient force to cover the Texas frontier from the Rio Grande to the Red River, some four hundred miles. I have been studying the frontier country for two and a half years; have traversed it from one end to the other about twenty times, each time by a different route as far as practicable; I know all the passes and “divides;” know where all the Indian raids have been made within the last four years, and have stationed the companies where I think there is the greatest necessity for them, and where I think they can do the most good, without reference to the opinions or desires of the citizens of any particular locality. There are about twenty towns on the frontier, each one of which would like to have a company of rangers stationed near it, and each one of which thinks its situation most exposed and most in need of protection (the citizens of most of them have so expressed themselves to me), but, as that is impossible, I make such disposition of my small force as my knowledge of the whole situation and my desire to render the most service to the frontier induce me to think is the best.5 Adjutant General Steele received word of a “disturbed state of affairs” in Llano County, and ordered a scout by the Rangers through that area. Jones’ role in this is unknown, and he was likely on an inspection tour when the order was received.6 The major clearly was not in Austin, as Steele also ordered Lieutenant Hamilton of Company B to aid the sheriff in Denton County to run down wanted fugitives in that area.7 One account had Jones in Houston for a Masonic meeting.8 Steele also ordered 134 TEXAS RANGER JOHN B. JONES AND THE FRONTIER BATTALION, 1874–1881 the scout, once the Rangers were finished in Llano County, to go to Burnet to aid the local authorities there.9 On September 19, after arriving by stagecoach back in Austin,10 Jones issued a special order naming Lieutenant George W. Campbell as commander of Company B to replace the resigned Hamilton. He also directed Campbell to move his company to a suitable place for a winter camp and to do as much scouting as possible with his small force.11 By...