Ranger Campsite Water Well
Crews, Runnels County, Texas
Marker Inscription
In an effort to protect area settlements, Governor Richard Coke established the Frontier Battalion in 1874. Comprised of six companies of volunteer Rangers, it was headed by Major John B. Jones. This campsite was part of a defensive line which reached from the Red River to the coastal area. Rangers of Co. E, under the leadership of Captain W. J. Maltby, were stationed here in 1874. The camp consisted of tents, a corral for horses, and this hand-dug well, which failed to provide water. Daily scouting duties included a sentry post on nearby Ranger Peak (0.5 mi. W). (1980)
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
In 1874 Governor Richard Coke raised the Frontier Battalion — six companies of Rangers under Major John B. Jones — to guard a line of settlements reaching from the Red River to the coast. Company E, led by Captain W. J. Maltby, camped here amid tents and a horse corral and kept a sentry post on nearby Ranger Peak; the hand-dug well beside them never struck water.
Why it matters
The Frontier Battalion's chain of camps marked the edge of Anglo-Texan settlement and the front line of its conflict with Native peoples.
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Related people
- · Richard Coke
- · John B. Jones
- · W. J. Maltby
Themes & tags
Nearby & related markers
Ranger Campsite
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