The American Old West or the Wild West is one of the most colorful periods in the Western American history. This period has its roots in the events that happened in the latter part of the 19th century between the American Civil War and through the end of the century. One of the most important roles in this era belonged to the Texas Rangers.
Who were the Texas Rangers in the Old West? The Texas Rangers were members of the oldest law-enforcement agency in North America that had statewide jurisdiction. They employed agents quite similar to agents from other world-famous law-enforcement agencies around the world such as the FBI, Scotland Yard, Interpol, and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. The Texas Rangers were responsible for the investigation of different types of crimes that included murder and political corruption. They also acted as riot police and detectives, protected the Governor of Texas, caught fugitives, and performed tasks as a paramilitary force serving both the Republic and the state of Texas.
The Texas Rangers were formed in 1823 by Stephen F. Austin who addressed the need for men to protect his colony. He first employed ten men as his rangers to safeguard settlers from Indians. Subsequently, the council of local government representatives in Texas created a Corps of Rangers in 1835 to protect the frontier from the Indians. The Texas Rangers performed well as frontiersmen and some of them even took part in the war of Texas against Mexico, which eventually led to the state’s independence in 1836.
In the following years of Texan independence, the Texas Rangers gained worldwide recognition when they continued to protect the frontier from Indians and threats of Mexican attacks. They became know as the “los diablos Tejanos” or “the Texas devils.” Some of the most well-known Texas Rangers include Jack Hays, Ben McCulloch, Samuel Walker, and Bigfoot Wallace.
However, after the Mexican War and through the Civil War and Reconstruction, the duties and responsibilities of the Texas Rangers as protectors of the frontier was transferred to the United States army. Thus, the number of rangers became smaller until their duties were no longer relevant. It wasn’t until 1874 when the Texas Rangers were once again restored through two groups, the Special Force of Rangers and the Frontier Battalion, due to the rise of criminal activities across the state. They proved to be as effective as they had once been when their group was first founded in 1823. They remain the elite law-enforcement agency within the Texas Department of Public Safety until today.
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