It had been only twenty-two years
since the conception of the Texas Rangers by Stephen F. Austin and the
organization has been at the helm of law enforcement for the Republic of Texas.
After the fall of the Alamo in March of 1836, there were many young men
mustered into service to prevent a Mexican retaliation upon signing of the
treaty recognizing Texas’ independence. Among the early volunteers in the
Rangers was a young Samuel Henry. Born in East Texas in 1810, Samuel was the
youngest of six children and had grown up a poor farm boy. He had little or no
education because the family required many acres of land to be tilled, planted
and crops harvested year round. They also had a few dairy cows, some mules and
two horses to pull the loaded-down wagons to market. In 1830, when Samuel was
the tender age of twenty, he wanted desperately to leave farm life behind and
experience the wilds of the western United States as recorded by the likes of
Lewis and Clark and the accounts of his ancestors upon arriving to the New
World.
His trek across the southern US
brought hardship and happiness. Now grown weary of the deserts, threats and
close calls with savage tribes and extreme heat of the west, Samuel returned
home to Texas and signed up with the Texas Rangers in early spring, 1833. He
was sent on numerous missions across the great state to hunt down fugitives and
protect Texan settlers from attacks by the savages. While stationed in Presidio,
he befriended Nora Belle Johnson, the young daughter of a local rancher. They
were married in the fall in 1834 and were with child soon after. Samuel and
Nora made their home in Presidio despite the fact that Western Texas is a
volatile and dangerous region. The following year, their first son was born. It
was a hot summer night when Thomas Henry was brought into the world. He had the
bluest of eyes, indicative of his parent’s European ancestry. 1835 was the year
the Texas Rangers were formally constituted and a small group of fifty-six was
sent to battle the Cherokee and Comanche tribes partly because of their support
of the Mexicans in a recent rebellion. Samuel had shown great bravery and
leadership in the many skirmishes with the Indians and quickly rose to the rank
of Lieutenant. The entire contingent of the Rangers fought the tribes until the
annexation of Texas in 1846.
The annexation was the tipping point
for the Mexican government. They consider Texas their property even though the
Republic had won their independence and thanks to Sam Houston and his constituents
in Congress, Texas was annexed by the United States on December 29, 1845. By
this time, Samuel and Nora had another child named James Henry. While his
growing family remained in Presidio, Samuel was called up to join the 1st
Texas Mounted Rifles under command of Colonel John C. Hays of the United States
Volunteers. His division was nicknamed the “Texas Division” by the newly
appointed governor, James Pinckney Henderson. Major General Zachary Taylor
mustered up 3500 Americans to set up operations on the Nueces River in order to
prevent and counter a Mexican invasion. They waited and anticipated an attack
but it never came. In November of 1845, President Polk ordered the men to move
to the Rio Grande valley and establish “Fort Texas” in defiance of Mexican
claims that all land north of the Nueces is their property. Conflict began on
April 26th, 1846 when a 2000 Mexican Cavalry detachment attacked a
70 man patrol, killing 16 and capturing 49. The patrol was sent to determine if
the Mexicans were planning an attack on Fort Texas.
Two and a half months later, war was
officially declared on Mexico and Samuel was promoted to captain. Oftentimes,
Texas Rangers were required to supply their own weapons but Samuel was given
cavalryman’s saber and the brand new Colt revolver to replace the old Flintlock
he bought with his meager wages. He did carry a standard issue Springfield 1822
Musket into each skirmish. His first call into battle came in September when
General Taylor pushed his forces further into Mexico to the city of Monterrey. Early
that morning, Samuel donned his thick leather chaps, boots, buckskin shirt,
sombrero and his weaponry. He mounted his horse and the Texas Rangers launched an
assault on two fortified hills in the city. It lasted three days and nights and
earned the Rangers the moniker, “Los Tejanos Diablos” for their ferocity in
battle. The offensives over the next year took its toll on a now thirty-seven
year old Samuel. Among the many American and Mexican casualties, there were
many who perished from diseases such as yellow fever, dysentery and typhoid. Samuel
contracted dysentery before the war’s end in August, 1847. Luckily, he survived
to return home to his family in Presidio. The war now over, Captain Samuel
Henry of the Texas Rangers returns to his ‘available when needed and inactive
when not needed’ life.
©Ashley Yarbrough 12/2012
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