HOW HISTORY IS PERCIEVED

[williamlayton]

I have been busy with a study of the Neueces Strip--While not an exhaustive study it has been an exhausting study.
I keeep reading different accounts of the same material.
In two different well respected sources I read of an incident attributed too different characters.
The incident is the oft told tale of the Rangers along the border. Too say that they were not loved by many is somewhat an understatement. The Rangers were there too create order--citicsm of Leander McNelly was much the same and his reply was the in order to have law he first had to create order. How this was done is the source of the feelings.
I digress back to the story--The incident involves a Ranger/two Rangers and a cafe along the border. the time is either the 30's or early 50's. Both eras fit the turblance along the border.
The story is identical.
A ranger/Two Rangers enter a cafe for coffee. The owner of the cafe is NOT pro-Ranger and ignors a couple of repeated request for service. In both accounts a Ranger draws his weapon and shoots a hole in a metal coffee urn and proceeds to fill his cup as the coffee runs from the bullet hole.
The most believeable character attributed to this act is one Charles E Miller, AKA, Charlie Miller.
Miller, if one has any knowledge of the Texas Rangers, is in the Ranger hall of fame.
He is the one who disfavored the use of scabbards and championed the 1911. He is also probably the oldest Ranger of record, having joined the service in 1919 and again in 1951--by using a bible he found listing his birthday as 1893 when it is strongly suggested that it was closer too 1880--Charlie died in 1971 after retiring in 1968.
Charlie wore a Colt commercial stuck in the front of his trousers with the grip safty tied down with a piece of rawhide and the hammer on half cock. A young range officer at the academy asked Charlie if he did not think this was dangerous. Charlies reply was brief and to the point--"If this old thang wasn't dangerous I wouldn't carry the SOB".
Charlie once tracked an outlaw into Mexico where a gunfight broke out--both were wounded.
Charlie yelled to the bandit to come out and they would settle the matter as men so the one left could get medical attention.
Charlie said, "would you believe the stupid SOB did just that".
I vote for Charlie.
Blessings
 

[ROB]

Interesting story, sir. ( I'm respectful of my elders) Does your info come from www.tsha.utexas.edu/handbook/online/  ? Just curious. ROB

[williamlayton]

The information comes from a number of places--the web is a good place to do alot without buying a lot of books.
The University of Texas has a lot of reference material and official archived material available.
I buy books--some off the wall stuff.
The Ranger web page is a good-un though. It will lead you to things which are available and gives cles to what too look for.
Charlie's story is only a thumbnail.
Blessings

[williamlayton]

This saga of what is commomly known as the Neueces Strip has been going on since Mexico recruited folks to settle Texas and protect against indians and well the U.S. .
It was ill thought out and the attempt back-fired.
Mexico also granted such land grants to Orientals and many of their decendants are too be found in many parts of northern Mexico.
Land was purchased by a number of wealthy Mexican/Spanish families in this area of Texas, long before Stephen Austin came too be known. Many of the land grant reciepents were not from the USA. Chec, German and a number of others, fleeing Europe, are recorded as grantee's. A lot of these communities still use a form of their native tounges in pockets of their areas.
This "war" has never ended and I supose may never end.
The Rangers story in these disputes go back to R.I.P. Ford, McNelly and continue to this day--the 40's and 50's history (1940-1950) is particularly interesting.
It is exhausting to cover all of this trail--both financially and spiritually.
Lots to be said.
Blessings