Captain Bill McDonald's (1852-1918) admirers rank him as one of the great captains of Texas Ranger history. His detractors see him as an irresponsible lawman who precipitated violence, hungered for publicity, and related tall tales that cast himself in the hero's role. This title seeks to find the true Bill McDonald and sort fact from myth.
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A superb biography of a famous Texas Ranger on the Western frontier William Jesse 'Bill' McDonald was born in Kemper County, Mississippi in 1852, but it was in the state of Texas where he earned his reputation as one of the most notable captains of the famous Texas Rangers. Such was his fame that Albert Paine, best known for his work on Mark Twain, was persuaded to become his biographer and that decision has resulted in a finely crafted account of McDonald's life in which his western character and amiability authentically shines through the various anecdotes of his life as a lawman on the South-Western frontier. Having moved to Wood County, Texas as a young man, McDonald became a grocer, but developed an interest in the law and soon became a Deputy Sheriff, Ranger and U.S. Deputy Marshall. Before long he was capturing cattle rustlers and train-robbers in the 'No-Man's-Land' and the Cherokee Strip. In 1891 McDonald became captain of Texas Rangers Company B, Frontier Battalion and set about bringing bank robbers, murderers and outlaw Mexican-Americans to justice with extraordinary success. Such was McDonald's renown that he eventually became a bodyguard for Theodore Roosevelt (who contributed an introduction to this biography), Woodrow Wilson and William Howard Taft. This is an essential book for anyone interested in the Texas Rangers and is highly recommended. Leonaur editions are newly typeset and are not facsimiles; each title is available in softcover and hardback with dustjacket.
James Abijah Brooks (1855-1944) was one of the four Great Captains in Texas Ranger history, others including Bill McDonald, John Hughes, and John Rogers. Over the years historians have referred to the captain as "John" Brooks, because he tended to sign with his initials, but also because W. W. Sterling's classic Trails and Trials of a Texas Ranger mistakenly named him as Captain John Brooks. Born and raised in Civil War-torn Kentucky, a reckless adventurer on the American and Texas frontier, and a quick-draw Texas Ranger captain who later turned in his six-shooter to serve as a county judge, Brooks's life reflects the raucous era of the late nineteenth and early twentieth-century American West. As a Texas Ranger, Brooks participated in the high profile events of his day, from the fence-cutting wars to the El Paso prizefight, from the Conner Fight--where he lost three fingers from his left hand--to the Temple rail strike, all with a resolute demeanor and a fast gun. A shoot-out in Indian Territory nearly cost him his life and then jeopardized his career, and a lifelong bout with old Kentucky bourbon did the same. With three other distinguished Ranger captains, Brooks witnessed and helped promote the transformation of the elite Frontier Battalion into the Ranger Force. As a state legislator, he brokered the creation of a South Texas county that bears his name today, and where he served for twenty-eight years as county judge. He was the quintessential enforcer of frontier justice, scars and all.
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Tracking the Texas Rangers: The Twentieth Century is an anthology of fifteen previously published articles and chapter excerpts covering key topics of the Texas Rangers during the twentieth century. The task of determining the role of the Rangers as the state evolved and what they actually accomplished for the benefit of the state is a difficult challenge. The actions of the Rangers fit no easy description. There is a dark side to the story of the Rangers; during the Mexican Revolution, for example, some murdered with impunity. Others sought to restore order in the border communities as well as in the remainder of Texas. It is not lack of interest that complicates the unveiling of the mythical force. With the possible exception of the Alamo, probably more has been written about the Texas Rangers than any other aspect of Texas history. Tracking the Texas Rangers covers leaders such as Captains Bill McDonald, "Lone Wolf" Gonzaullas, and Barry Caver, accomplished Rangers like Joaquin Jackson and Arthur Hill, and the use of Rangers in the Mexican Revolution. Chapters discuss their role in the oil fields, in riots, and in capturing outlaws. Most important, the Rangers of the twentieth century experienced changes in investigative techniques, strategy, and intelligence gathering. Tracking looks at the use of Rangers in labor disputes, in race issues, and in the Tejano civil rights movement. The selections cover critical aspects of those experiences--organization, leadership, cultural implications, rural and urban life, and violence. In their introduction, editors Bruce A. Glasrud and Harold J. Weiss, Jr., discuss various themes and controversies surrounding the twentieth-century Rangers and their treatment by historians over the years. They also have added annotations to the essays to explain where new research has shed additional light on an event to update or correct the original article text.
