Vicinity of Texas Rangers' Battle of May 29, 1850
Alice, Jim Wells County, Texas
Marker Inscription
A gallant fight in era after Mexican War, while the Federals and Texans were ridding Nueces to Rio Grande area of marauders. Texas Rangers under Capt. John S. "Rip" Ford surprised camp of Comanches near this site on May 29, 1850. In numbers, Rangers and Indians were about equal. Seven Comanches were wounded, four slain; one Ranger was killed and two were wounded. Comanche Chief Otto Cuero was wounded by Capt. Ford and slain by a bullet from the gun of Ranger David Steele, who sent chief's regalia to Governor P. H. Bell, an ex-Texas Ranger. (1969)
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
In the unsettled years after the Mexican War, as U.S. and Texas forces tried to secure the country between the Nueces and the Rio Grande, Texas Rangers under Captain John S. 'Rip' Ford surprised a Comanche camp near this site on May 29, 1850. The two sides were roughly equal in number; the sharp fight left four Comanches dead and several wounded on both sides, and one Ranger killed. Chief Otto Cuero fell in the clash, and his regalia was sent to Governor P. H. Bell, himself a former Ranger.
Why it matters
It marks one of the many violent frontier encounters between Texas Rangers and Comanche people that accompanied Anglo-American expansion into South Texas.
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Related people
- · Capt. John S. 'Rip' Ford
- · Chief Otto Cuero
- · David Steele
- · Gov. P. H. Bell
Themes & tags
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