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Book Review:
Savage Frontier:
Rangers, Riflemen and Indian Wars in Texas
Republic of Texas
Press. 2320 Los Rios Blvd., Plano, Texas 75074. Telephone: 972-423-0090.
xvi + 336 pages. Notes. Bibliography. Index. Soft cover only. ISBN 1-55622-928-3.
36 illustrations and maps. $19.95.
Today,
it is difficult to conceive just how savage the Texas frontier was in
the early days before the Alamo, the Civil War, and to a lesser degree,
the 1880s. In Savage Frontier, Stephen L. Moore thoroughly discusses
that brutal time during the 1835-37 period, when hardy pioneers had
both Indians and Mexicans to fear and fight.
The
conflicts began as early as 1821, when a party of white settlers clashed
with some Karankawas along the coast. The discord steadily increased
as settlers continued to pour in>. Austin's "Old Three Hundred"
established colonies on land along the Brazos and the Colorado Rivers.
To provide some protection, John J. Tumlinson and Robert Kuykendall
wrote to Governor Jose Trespalacios and asked permission to raise fifteen
men to build blockhouses and small boats to fight on land and sea. Moses
Morrison raised a nine-man Ranger unit, which is considered the origin
of the Texas Rangers.
The
Ranger unit and other small squads of men patrolled the frontier, protecting
homes from all threats, pursuing raiders to recover stolen goods, and
punishing wrongdoers. Moore's study describes dozens of deadly exchanges
between Texans, Indians, and Mexicans: the battle on the Rio Blanco
in April 1835, Coleman's attack on the Tawakonis in July 1835, the Bexar
siege of December 1835, the Alamo, the Runaway Scrape, and the Battle
of San Jacinto, to name but a few examples.
There
were many battles and skirmishes that are nearly forgotten today, including
the May 1837 Post Oak Springs Ranger massacre and the McLean-Sheridan-Barnes
slayings of May 1837. Moore has researched all available documents and
provided new information about these engagements.
Along
with the details of these many encounters, Moore provides rosters that
have not been published before. Some reprint names from forgotten documents,
and others are created from using numerous primary sources such as the
memoirs of Noah Smithwick and the audited military claims of the Republic
of Texas. From these sources, which are not readily available, important
information has been gleaned which clarifies our state's history.
 Moore
maintains his focus throughout, guiding the reader through the maze
of administrative problems of a fledging nation in almost constant conflict.
Extensive primary records and accounts document the organization of
early Ranger units. It is a must read for all who appreciate the struggles
of early Texas.
-
Chuck Parsons
Stephen
L. Moore, a sixth-generation Texan, manages a creative department for
the nation's largest direct seller of home décor products. He is a descendant
of a number of Texas Rangers who served during the years of the Republic
of Texas. He, his wife Cindy, and daughters Kristen and Emily make their
home north of Dallas in Lantana, Texas.
A
graduate of Stephen F. Austin State University, Steve was a featured
author at the 2002 Texas Book Festival in Austin. Steve has written
three books and will have two more published in 2003. One is Volume
II of Savage Frontier, which will focus on the years 1838-1839.
The other book is a detailed history of the San Jacinto campaign of
1836.
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