These records consist of correspondence, especially letters from Governors Pease and Runnels, and letters to and from Governor Sam Houston, concerning Ranger activities, dating 1846-1861 (bulk 1854-1860). Some of the letters are originals, and some are copies certified by either the Adjutant General or by Secretary of State James P. Newcomb and submitted as part of the State claims against the U.S. government in 1871-1872. In addition, a large proportion of the items are things other than traditional correspondence, for example: contracts (for subsistence, for transportation, for services as a surgeon, etc.), affidavits of loss, copies of legislative bills, certificates of death, special orders, appointments of company paymasters, affidavits giving evidence of heirship, letters of credit, bonds, IOUs, certificates of election of officers, lists of wounded (1859), memos of instruction, and monthly company returns (only two items, 1860).

Additional correspondence concerning pre-Civil War Rangers may possibly be found in the Departmental correspondence series of the Adjutant General's records.

These records consist of powers of attorney made by individual Rangers and also by groups of Rangers, 1852-1862, for the express purpose of collecting pay and other monies owed to them.

In addition, there are lists of powers of attorney for 18 companies, 1855-1859 (bulk 1855-1856), arranged alphabetically by the name of the Captain or Lieutenant commanding the company, including the following commanders: Nat Benton, Reading W. Black, Giles S. Boggess, James H. Callahan, Thomas K. Carmack, John H. Conner, J. M. Davenport, Levi English, William Fitzhugh, Thomas C. Frost, William R. Henry, John S. Hodges, P. H. Rogers, John W. Sansom, William G. Tobin, William Tom, C. E. Travis, and John G. Walker. The information in these lists includes: number, from whom, to whom, where proven (county), by whom, and date of approval. At least three of the companies also contain lists of affidavits of lost property, giving number, names, value, by whom, where made, before whom, and date of affidavit.

Many of these powers of attorney and lists are stamped War Department, 1871, indicating that they were submitted to--and later returned by--the U. S. government as part of the claims that were filed in that year by the State, for reimbursement of the expenses of frontier defense.

These records include the following: requisitions, special requisitions, invoices of ordnance, lists of quartermaster stores delivered, receipts, shipping bills, freight vouchers, statements (of disbursements, of expenses, of forage, of arms), abstracts, returns, accounts of auction sales, lists of articles lost/destroyed, claims (signed by the Comptroller and the Treasurer), memos of amounts paid to various companies, vouchers, travel vouchers, officers' pay vouchers (oversized), reports of persons and articles employed and hired, payrolls of extra-duty persons, accounts current, etc. They comprise records documenting the activities of the office of the quartermaster, responsible for the supplies (including provisions, forage, medicines, and ordnance) and the services (payroll, transportation, etc.) required for maintaining a force of Rangers, dating 1850-1862 (bulk 1858-1861).

These records consists of a volume labeled Index to Pay Rolls, which contains (pasted on the fly leaf) an alphabetical list of payrolls of companies serving in defense of frontier, prior to January 28, 1861, and called out by Governor Sam Houston prior to March 2, 1861, which is signed Auditorial Board, Austin, March 11, 1867. This list includes name of commander, rank, inclusive dates of service, time served, and remarks.

The remainder of this volume consists of an alphabetical index of commanding officers of Texas military companies (apparently of the Civil War era--some have the notation Frontier Regiment), giving the name of company commander, number of roll, and a notation of either G, Good or B, Bad. It appears that those commanders listed on the introductory sheet--and therefore, presumably, loyal to the Union--were marked Good, whereas those not on that list were marked Bad. This volume thus serves a dual purpose: as a record of pre-Civil War Ranger activity, and as a Reconstruction assessment (in 1867) of that earlier activity (and of subsequent Civil War activity).

These records consist of annotated jacket covers and wrappers which at some time were removed from the documents to which they pertained, mostly quartermaster records and powers of attorney, but also muster rolls and pay rolls, and correspondence. The original documents of which these were jackets and wrappers date 1848-1860. Many have the stamp of the U.S. War Department, dated 1871 or thereabouts, showing them to have been part of the claims files.

These records consist of later copies (both transcripts and photostats) of correspondence, muster rolls, legislation, and miscellaneous documents (such as pages from the 1850 census which included Bexar County Rangers). The records from which these were copied are dated 1850-1861.

These records include correspondence, military orders, reports of scouts, journals of marches, certificates of disability, reports of the sick, certificates of loss, powers of attorney, etc. They comprise the correspondence of the Frontier Forces, dating 1870-1872. The majority consists of letters received by the Adjutant General concerning the Frontier Forces, usually abstracted on the reverse, with a filing code such as L[etter] R[eceived] 324 AGO ST 1870. Besides such letters as those requesting that Rangers be sent to a location, or acknowledging the receipt of a commission, there are such items as reports of scouts, journals of marches, certificates of disability, reports of the sick, certificates of loss, general orders, powers of attorney, etc.

In addition, there is a volume that is a register of letters received concerning the Frontier Forces, as well as the State Guard and the Reserve Militia, between July 18, 1870 and January 10, 1871. As with most such registers, the format includes the date the letter was received by the Adjutant General, a file number (in red ink), the name of the correspondent, the disposition of the letter (in red ink), the place, the date, and a brief summary of the purport. An index accompanies the register.

Finally, there are two volumes containing military orders from 1870 through 1912. One enormous, fragile volume contains General Orders from June 24, 1870 through January 8, 1912, some handwritten but most pasted down. Besides the Frontier Forces, the entire range of military organizations for this time period is represented: State Police, State Guard, Reserve Militia, Frontier Battalion, Ranger Force, Texas Volunteer Guard, and Texas National Guard. Another volume contains Special Orders, from August 1870 through April 2, 1897 (mostly handwritten); again, all military organizations are represented. The subject matter of the special orders generally includes individual or company assignments, leaves of absence, boards of survey, etc.

Additional correspondence concerning the Frontier Forces may possibly be found in the Departmental correspondence series of the Adjutant General's records.

These records consist of monthly returns for seven companies (A, B, D, F, G, H, and N), numbering between one and three returns per company, 1870-1871. Each return lists the numbers of commissioned officers and enlisted men present and absent, by status and by rank, alterations since the last return, numbers of horses serviceable and non-serviceable, and number of rifles and rounds of ammunition; the names of all enlisted men on extra duty; the names of all absent enlisted men; the names of all commissioned officers; alterations by name; and remarks (including in a couple of cases a record of scouts).

In addition, there are two lists of deserters (two men), for Company B, October 1870. Information on these includes name, rank, description, birthplace, residence, occupation, and enlistment data.

These comprise the records of the quartermaster and of the paymaster for the Frontier Forces, 1870-1874, documenting the procurement and disposition of government property (quartermaster stores, medical supplies, and ordnance) and services. The types of documents represented include monthly returns, requisitions, receipts, vouchers, claims, bills of lading, statements and abstracts of disbursements, IOUs, accounts current, etc.

Besides the loose documents, there are 17 volumes of quartermaster records. Two volumes itemize appropriations for the Adjutant General during Radical Reconstruction, giving the date approved, an explanation of each item, and the amount. Each volume is divided into sections: Adjutant General, clerks, telegraphing, printing, books, stationery, contingent expenses, postage, porter hire, wood, State Police, enrolling the Militia and State Guard, arming both, paymaster, arsenal, furniture, and--in the second volume (1872-1874), Minute Companies and Ranger Companies. There is a table of contents inside the front cover of each volume.

Another volume records requisitions of funds from January 1873 through January 1874, largely relating to pay, which includes militia companies as well as Rangers.

A volume labeled Blotter--all entered in new Cash Book, plus a corresponding volume labeled Frontier Cash Book, 1870-1871, contain a variety of records for the Frontier Forces, 1870-1871, including: quartermaster vouchers, commissary's vouchers, ordnance vouchers, medical vouchers, paymaster's vouchers, certificates of indebtedness for Companies D and I, and stoppages of sundry companies.

There is a Frontier Cash Book, 1872 containing a record of vouchers filed in the State Treasury by Adjutant General James Davidson, and on which money was drawn from the Treasury in payment. Information includes columns for date, company, name, amount due for services, cash stopped, balance due, certificate of indebtedness, cartridges, and remarks.

Another volume is also labeled Frontier Cash Book, and contains two sections. The first (pages 8-52) is a record of pay of Minute Men, by company; information includes date of enlistment, number, name, rank, and (for Companies A through C but not D through V) the monthly amount of pay (January-December, 1872). The second section (pages 102-183) records disbursements of the Frontier Defense Fund by Colonel Frank L. Britton, Adjutant General (November 1872-January 1874); information here includes: date of payment, number of check, on whom drawn, in whose favor, dates of services, amount, and the total paid to each company, with periodic summaries (accounts current). Pages 1-7 constitute an index.

A volume labeled Ordnance and ordnance stores issued (loaned to State military organizations beginning 1870, No. 1 contains the following information: date, company, name of captain, unit/county, and number of each type of ordnance and ordnance store (Winchester carbine, slings, swivels, screw drivers, etc.) for Minute Companies (1872-1874), Volunteer Minute Companies (1872-1876), and Ranger Companies (1873-1876). The end of the volume contains a list of Winchester carbines as reported on returns of ordnance at the Comptroller's office and on annual returns of the Adjutant General (1871-1872), plus a statement of the actual disposition of Winchester carbines (1874). A note indicates January 1, 1877 transferred to Ordnance Book No. 3.

A volume of Frontier Forces accounts, 1870-1871, contains the following columns: favor of whom, presented by whom, on what account, dates from and to, amount, and comments (e.g., rations, ordnance, freight, hire of team, etc.). It contains two indexes: one to companies (A-P), and one to names.

A series of volumes include accounts for each of seven companies (A, C, D, E, F, K, and P) of the Frontier Forces, 1871-1872. The information listed includes date, name, rank, term (months and days), and amounts in a series of accounts that vary from company to company (e.g., carbine, government sale, C. G. Falcon, Holt & Levy, certificate, etc.), plus total pay.

A volume labeled Frontier Claims, Private Accounts, 1870-1871, contains columns for date, company, favor of whom, on what account, dates from and to, amount, and remarks. Arrangement is by the 15 private firms to whom the accounts were due; an alphabetical index to these firms is included.

Finally, there is one letterpress book that contains copies of the outgoing correspondence from Captain Alfred D. Evans, Paymaster (March 14, 1871-March 14, 1872), primarily concerning the Frontier Forces, but also a few letters concerning the State Police, State Guard, and Reserve Militia. There is an index attached to the inside front cover of the volume.

These records comprise the correspondence of the Special State Troops/Special Force, dating 1876-1880. They consist primarily of telegrams, mainly from J. L. Hall, concerning the activities of the Special State Troops between 1876 and 1879. Other items include reports of T. L. Oglesby's detachment (September and October, 1879); proceedings of an examining court investigating murder charges against G. W. Talley, a private in the Special State Troops (1878); and oaths of the members of the Special Force (1879).

Also included are transcripts of correspondence concerning the Special State Troops, especially from 1878. Some of the originals of these items appear above, but much of them are from the Departmental correspondence series of the Adjutant General's records.

These records consist of oversized monthly returns, dating 1874-1880, for the following companies:

DESIGNATION: COMMANDING OFFICER: DATES: Washington County Volunteer Militia Leander H. McNelly October 1874- June 1876 Special State Troops Leander H. McNelly August, 1876- December, 1876 J. Lee Hall February 1877- December 1878 Special Force J. Lee Hall August 1879- May 1880 Thomas L. Oglesby June-December, 1880

Each return gives the following information: station; date; numbers of commissioned officers and enlisted men present and absent, by status and by rank; alterations since the last return; a return of property (quantity, description, and condition); and a record of scouts. Beginning in August 1879, the returns also give statements of arrests, including: date, names of parties arrested, charge, where arrested, by whom, and result.

These records consist of 10 monthly statements of arrest for J. L. Hall's company of Special State Troops, dated February-August and October-November, 1877, and February-March 1878. These pre-printed, oversized forms, labeled Statement of Arrest and Attempts to Arrest; also other duties performed in guarding prisoners and jails, scouts, etc., etc., contain the following information: date, name of person arrested, charged with what crime, where arrested, and result of arrest as far as known; date, name of person to be arrested, and charged with what crime; and other duties performed.

These records consist of documents certified by Captain J. L. Hall concerning individual men in his company of Special State Troops (from late 1877 through 1878). Each certificate indicates the date of muster, the amount of pay due, and any amount owed.

These comprise quartermaster records of the Special State Troops/Special Forces, mainly vouchers for supplies and services, dated 1874-1881. Maintained separately are monthly ration returns for the Special Force commanded by Hall and Oglesby, stationed at San Diego, Texas (August 1879-December 1880).

These records include correspondence, military orders, petitions, powers of attorney, certificates of disability, newspaper clippings, etc., of the Frontier Battalion, dating 1874-1901 and undated. The correspondence consists of letters and telegrams received and sent concerning the Frontier Battalion, 1874-1901, and undated. Many of the letters are reports from Rangers, and many others deal with quartermaster business. Also included are general and special orders, petitions, powers of attorney, certificates of disability, newspaper clippings, and so forth. Most of the items are abstracted on the reverse. Many of the pieces with no date are scouting reports which have become separated from their monthly returns. The researcher can find additional correspondence concerning the Frontier Battalion in the Departmental correspondence series of the Adjutant General's records.

In addition, there are three volumes containing military orders from the Frontier Battalion, 1874-1901, as well as for the entire range of military organizations since Texas was readmitted to the Union after Reconstruction (State Police, State Guard, Reserve Militia, Frontier Forces, Ranger Force, Texas Volunteer Guard, and Texas National Guard). One enormous, fragile volume contains General Orders, some handwritten but most posted down, and also includes orders from the four years prior to the establishment of the Frontier Battalion, and the eleven years after its dissolution. Two volumes contain Special Orders, the first volume from July 15, 1874 through April 2, 1897 (mostly handwritten), and the second volume from April 2, 1897 through May 18, 1901 (mostly pasted down); again, all military organizations are represented, and include orders from the four years prior to the establishment of the Frontier Battalion. The subject matter of the special orders generally includes individual or company assignments, leaves of absence, boards of survey, etc.

Finally, one volume contains rosters for Companies B, D, E, and F (1899-1900), plus a list of requests for Rangers (1900), mixed in with records of the Texas Volunteer Guard.

These records consist of twelve lists containing descriptions of new recruits for the Frontier Battalion, dating 1877-1883, for Companies A (1877-1878), C (1878-1883), and E (1877-1880). Information on each recruit includes: name, rank, age, height, hair, eyes, complexion, occupation, nativity, enlistment data (when, where, and by whom), and appraisement (value) of horses.

These records consist of oaths signed by two or more members of the Frontier Battalion, mostly on preprinted forms, dating 1874-1885, 1890-1900. The text of this oath is as follows: We do solemnly swear (or affirm) that we will faithfully and impartially discharge and perform all the duties incumbent upon us as members of the Frontier Battalion until [date] unless sooner discharged, according to the best of our skill and ability, and agreeably to the Constitution and laws of the United States and of this State. So help us God.

Oaths that were signed by no more than one individual can be found in the Service records series of the Adjutant General's records.

These records consist of one volume and some loose documents, comprising lists of fugitives from justice, 1865-1879, 1898-1899, and undated (bulk 1875). The latter includes lists of fugitives from justice from several counties: Burnet (post-1879), Gregg (1874-1878), Harrison (1865-1876), Kimble and adjoining counties [1877], Kinney (1877), Navarro (1898), Palo Pinto (1899), Refugio (1899), San Saba (1899), Stephens (1899), and Tarrant (undated). Information on a typical list includes name, physical description, crime, and dates of crime and/or indictment.

There is also a list of rewards offered by the Governor of Arkansas for fugitives committing crimes between 1873 and 1877; this list provides the following information: date, name, crime, where wanted, and amount of reward.

The volume labeled Record of criminals by county, crime, description is in reality a list of Fugitives from Justice, dating ca. 1875. The 4,180 entries include the following information: county, a consecutive number, name of the criminal, offense, when committed, when indicted, and remarks (including physical description). The same information--but not for all these counties--was published by the Adjutant General's office in 1878.

These records consist of capiases (warrants for arrest) against accused persons, dating 1873-1881, 1895, 1898 (bulk 1874-1878). Most of them are on pre-printed forms, which take the following format: The State of Texas, To the Sheriff or any constable of _____ County/any officer of the Frontier Forces/Battalion, Greeting: You are hereby commanded to take the body of _____ if to be found in your county, and him safely keep so that you may have him personally present before the District Court of _____ County, Texas, to be held at the courthouse thereof, in the town of _____ on [date]; he then and there to be and remain from day to day...until he be discharged by due course of law, to answer an indictment, no. _____, found at the [month] term, A.D. [year] of the District Court of said county, for [charge]. Herein fail not under penalty of law, but of this writ make due return, showing how you have executed the same.

Also included is an index to an unidentified and undated list of capiases; this is an alphabetical list of individuals and also of counties (which are underscored), each entry followed by a simple number between 1 and 14.

These comprise records of scouting expeditions conducted by individuals, detachments, and companies of the Frontier Battalion, dating 1876-1901. One group includes loose monthly reports previously filed with the appropriate monthly return. Most of these are without identification (on the document itself) of the company or the year to which they pertain, and many are without identification of the month. The folder, therefore, is the identifying element. The researcher should also see the Frontier Battalion records, Monthly returns, for missing and also supplemental reports.

In addition, there are eleven volumes, and parts of three other volumes, that contain records of scouts; these are described below.

A series of four volumes labeled Reports of Operations of State Troops or of Frontier Battalion provide reports of scouts and reports of Special Rangers for the various companies of the Frontier Battalion, the Special State Troops, and the Special Force (1876-1895). The format of these reports includes the date, a reference to correspondence or to a muster roll, an abstract of the report, and a tally (e.g., 1 scout, 1 arrest, 1 keeping peace, 360 miles).

One volume contains a guard list and a total enlistment list for Company A of the Frontier Battalion (1883), plus half a dozen or so records of scouts, possibly for Company E (1883-1887).

Another volume contains a monthly log of the number of arrests (by offense), the number of scouts, and the miles travelled, for Companies A through F (1890-1891), Company B (1897-1899), and Companies A through F (1898-1900).

Five volumes contain records of scouts for specific companies of the Frontier Battalion: Company E (July 1874-March 1877; September 1877-April 1879 and 1879-1880; October 1881-March 1886), and Company F (1876-1879). The first also contains ration accounts, cartridge accounts, records of guard duty, etc. The last also includes a list of the type of gun each Ranger was issued, with the serial numbers of the Springfield rifles.

A miscellaneous volume contains accounts current for the Frontier Battalion, 1883-1885, also broken down by company; a recapitulation of arrests (including a newspaper clipping of the same); and a memo of amounts paid.

A Book of Accounts of Company A, Frontier Battalion contains accounts, a record of scouts, and daily reports for December 1874 through April 1875. Volume Number 2 commencing 1882: Company A, Frontier Battalion contains an index which also includes volume Number 1 (1877-1882). The miscellany incorporated into this volume includes an enlistment roll, a hay record, a cartridge record, a record of scouts (1883-1885), and an oath.

Of unusual interest are a series of weather reports for 1880-1882, filed by Company C for the following months: February, March, April, November, and December, 1880; January 1881; and March 1882. Each report gives conditions for each day of the month, a.m. and p.m. For example: Cloudy wind N., snow wind N., or cold and clear wind S., or heavy rain wind S.

These records consist of monthly statements of arrest for the companies of the Frontier Battalion, 1877-1878. These pre-printed, oversized forms, labeled Statement of Arrest and Attempts to Arrest; also other duties performed in guarding prisoners and jails, scouts, etc., etc., contain the following information: date, name of person arrested, charged with what crime, where arrested, and result of arrest as far as known; date, name of person to be arrested, and charged with what crime; and other duties performed.

These records consist of oversized monthly returns of the companies of the Frontier Battalion, dated 1874-1901. Information contained on these returns includes: station, date, number of officers and men present and absent (by status and by rank), alterations, numbers of horses and mules, and remarks; a return of public property, and the increase/decrease in public property; a record of scouts; and a recap of arrests and attempts to arrest. Loose documents that were previously filed with these returns are now maintained as separate group of the Frontier Battalion's records, including Reports of scouts, Statements of arrest, Correspondence, and Quartermaster records (including Ration returns). Therefore the researcher should consult each of those groups of records as well for additional documentation. Many of the returns have two and three copies.

There are also five returns of property captured from Indians by Company A (November 1874), Company C (July 1874), and Company D (November and December 1874, and August 1875). These contain the following: date, description of property, probably name of owner and residence, where captured, value of property, and disposition made of said property.

Finally, there is one Return of the Frontier Battalion dated November 20, 1874, which includes: the letters of each company, the numbers of officers and enlisted men present and absent (by rank), and remarks.

These consist of quartermaster correspondence, requisitions, estimates of provisions needed, receipts, invoices, bills of lading, statements, expense accounts, ration returns, vouchers, abstracts, appropriations, etc. They comprise the various records of the Quartermaster of the Frontier Battalion, dating 1874-1901, and undated, including the following types of loose documents: letters and telegrams received by the Quartermaster; requisitions (for rations, for medical stores, for fuel, forage, and straw, etc.); estimates of provisions needed; receipts; invoices; bills of lading; statements; expense accounts; lists of rations on hand; accounts of public property expended, lost, and destroyed; requisitions of funds; etc. Records of ordnance--which are not very numerous--are included as well.

Maintained separately are the following types of documents, mostly on pre-printed forms: monthly ration returns; vouchers; and oversized quarterly abstracts of disbursements on account of frontier defense, abstracts of vouchers collected and paid on account of frontier defense, and accounts current.

There are nine letterpress books that contain copies of the outgoing correspondence of the quartermaster of the Frontier Battalion, 1883-1902, including John O. Johnson (1883-1885), L. P. Sieker (1885-1893 and 1899-1902), G. H. Wheatley (1893-1895), W. H. Owen (1895-1899), and E. M. Phelps (1899). Each volume contains an index.

There is a group of volumes labeled variously Appropriations and Disbursements (of same), or Cash Book, or Cash Book and Appropriations, etc., covering the period 1878 through 1899, covering all expenses of the Adjutant General's office, including frontier defense. The information contained in these volumes includes date, name, purpose, company, amount, and comments. Each volume is divided into sections (usually indicated by a table of contents at the beginning of the volume), such as frontier defense; handling and transportation of arms and ammunition; stationery, postage, and telegraph; tables, shelving, and furniture; incidental expenses; removing and guarding records and furniture saved from the burning of the Capitol; fees for commissions received; etc. One volume additionally lists officers commissioned (1893-1899) and Special Rangers appointed (1891-1899).

Two volumes list rations received by and issued to specific companies of the Frontier Battalion. One of them corresponds to Captain C. L. Nevill's and Captain J. T. Gillespie's Company E (1880-1886); this volume also tallies mules and horses issued to that company. The other volume contains ration accounts for Company F (1876-1878); the first two pages contain, in addition, an account of arms issued to that same company, 1876-1877.

One volume contains ordnance accounts for Lt. Pat Dolan's Company F, Frontier Battalion (1876-1879), including--in debit and credit format--date, purpose, and amount for each individual.

A volume labeled Transfer Book, Col. A. E. Devine to Col. L. T. Rogers, February 1, 1907 contains items from both the Frontier Battalion and the Ranger Force. Among the former type of record are a register of vouchers for the Frontier Battalion (1893-1897), and corn/hay and beef accounts for company F (1895-1897).

The volume which contains records of scouts for Captain Dolan's Company F (1876-1879) also includes a list of the type of gun each Ranger was issued, with the serial numbers of the Springfield rifles.

A volume labeled Cash Book (cost of) Frontier Forces, 1874-1875, gives pay roll accounts and sundry accounts for the Webb County Frontier Men, the Nueces and Rio Grande Counties Frontier Men, and each company of the Frontier Battalion. Another volume contains cash accounts of the Frontier Battalion and the Special Force, 1879-1881, arranged by company.

There is a volume containing miscellaneous data, possibly all for Company A of the Frontier Battalion, May-June, 1874. This includes rations issued, brands of mules and horses, a memorandum of beeef, cartridges issued to men on scouts, reports of Captain Waller's Company A, and soap issued.

An extremely deteriorated volume, which consists entirely of tipped-in items, contains quartermaster records, special orders, and circulars for various companies of the Frontier Battalion, 1879-1883.

A miscellaneous volume contains accounts current for the Frontier Battalion, 1883-1885, also broken down by company; a recapitulation of arrests (including a newspaper clipping of the same); and a memo of amounts paid.

Volume No. 2 commencing 1882: Company A, Frontier Battalion contains an index which also includes volume Number 1 (1877-1882). The miscellany incorporated into this volume includes an enlistment roll, a hay record, a cartridge record, a record of scouts (1883-1885), and an oath.

An unpaginated volume gives various accounts for both the Frontier Battalion (1897-1901) and the Ranger Force (1901-1906). For Companies B, C, D, and E (1897-1901), information includes: date, name, for what purpose (e.g., beef, oats, supplies, drugs, etc.), company, number (of voucher?), amount, to whom paid, and remarks. In addition, there is a list of pay accounts, 1901.

These records consist of the jacket covers to pay vouchers for members of the Frontier Battalion, which at some time were removed from documents that are now located mostly in the Service records series of the Adjutant General's records. They date 1874-1877, 1881, and 1899 (with the bulk dating 1875). They have been retained because they occasionally supply additional information concerning these men's service.

These records consist of copies of documents dating 1873-1901, mainly typed transcripts, including Frontier Battalion correspondence, muster rolls, pay rolls, and other documents, plus various notes on the Frontier Battalion compiled at some unknown time.

These records include correspondence, military orders, and newspaper clippings, dating 1901-1962 and undated (bulk 1917-1923). The correspondence consists of incoming and (especially) outgoing correspondence concerning the Ranger Force, particularly copies of letters sent by the quartermaster. They date 1902-1962, and undated (bulk 1917-1923). Most items deal with very routine matters; the Ranger correspondence for 1917 is a notable exception, containing letters concerning Special Ranger commissions, pensions, etc. Also included with the Ranger correspondence are a small number of newspaper clippings.

There is one enormous, fragile volume that contains General Orders from June 24, 1870 through January 8, 1912, some handwritten but most pasted down. Besides the Ranger Force, the entire range of military organizations for this time period is represented: State Police, State Guard, Reserve Militia, Frontier Forces, Frontier Battalion, Texas Volunteer Guard, and Texas National Guard.

In addition, there is one letterpress book containing about 25 pages, copies of a small amount of the outgoing correspondence of Colonel L. P. Sieker, Quartermaster General (January 13-March 4, 1905), plus some of E. M. Phelps (October 12, 1906).

Finally, there is an unbound scrapbook containing newspaper clippings apparently compiled by the Department of Public Safety in the first three years of its existence, 1935-1937. The articles clipped deal with the Texas Rangers and also with activities of the Department of Public Safety.

For the bulk of substantive correspondence concerning the Ranger Force, the researcher should consult the Departmental correspondence series of the Adjutant General's records.

These records consist of loose reports of scouts conducted by members of the Ranger Force between 1901 and 1917, and undated. Most of these were removed from the monthly returns, although some are still attached to the returns themselves. As with the reports of the Frontier Battalion, many of these documents have no identifying notations as to company, year, or sometimes even month; the folder specifies in which return they were found. Generally fragile, the most deteriorated of these reports have been pieced together and photocopied for preservation of their content.

These records consist of oversized monthly returns of the companies of the Ranger Force, dating 1901-1918. Information contained on these returns includes: station, date, number of officers and men present and absent (by status and by rank), alterations since the last monthly report, numbers of horses and mules, and remarks; a return of the number, description, and condition of public property, and the increase/decrease in public property; reports of scouts and arrests; and a recapitulation of arrests made in the month (including date of arrest, name of prisoner, charge, by whom arrested, where arrested, and disposition made of prisoner). Loose documents that were previously filed with these returns are now maintained separately, including mainly reports of scouts, but also ration returns, correspondence, and quartermaster records. Some of the returns have two copies.

These records consist of two enlistment logs, plus various lists of Rangers/Special Rangers/Loyalty Rangers, dating 1902-1938, and undated.

The enlistment logs are two volumes that give enlistment data on Regular Rangers, Special Rangers, and Railroad Rangers (1919-1938), including Cattle Raisers Association Special Rangers/Inspectors (1919 and 1933-1938). The data includes the following: date of discharge/transfer/resignation, rank, name, date of enlistment, and (for Special Rangers) city or town of residence. The index on page 1 of each volume includes the names of the railroad companies that were assigned Rangers.

The loose lists include the following:

A list of Rangers with enlistment dates between 1916 and 1917. Information on this list includes date of enlistment, name, occupation, address, age, marital status (for some), plus a color coding for sheriffs, railroad [rangers], and mayors. A list of inspectors for the Cattle Raisers Association who were Rangers without pay, dated September 25, 1918, giving name and address; also, a list of regular Rangers by company, dated September 22, 1920, giving name, rank, pay, and station. An undated list stating The following now hold commissions as Special Rangers, giving name, rank, and occupation. This list was paired with the following list, and therefore probably post-dates 1919. A list stating These Special Rangers had their commissions revoked January 15, 1919, and as yet none have been reappointed; information includes name, occupation, and town. An undated list of Loyalty Rangers, giving name, town, and county. Two different lists of Loyalty Rangers, arranged by county, giving county, name, post office address, telegraphic address, phone, and by whom recommended.

These records consist of printed general orders, legislation, and pamphlets associated with the Ranger Force, dating 1901-1923, 1961, and undated.

There are five General Orders (1901, 1911, 1915, and 1917), all publications of the Act of the 27th Legislature to provide for the organization of a Ranger Force. There is one circular (1909) concerning pensions.

Pamphlets include the following: a copy of Rule and Regulations governing the Ranger Force (1919); a booklet compiled by Fred R. Rymer, entitled The Story of the Texas Rangers: Excerpts from the book by Walter Prescott Webb, undated [post-1935]; a pamphlet published by the Texas Department of Public Safety, The Texas Ranger (1961); and a poem by Pierre Bernard Hill, a Ranger chaplain, The Ranger's Prayer (undated).

Finally, there is a 106-page bound typescript compilation of Ranger Laws (undated), covering laws enacted between 1823 and 1923.

These records consist of expense accounts, receipts, invoices, freight bills, and other records of supplies and services purchased, plus ration returns and vouchers. They comprise the quartermaster records of the Ranger Force, dating 1901-1939 (bulk 1901-1915).

Ration returns and vouchers are maintained separately from the other quartermaster records.

In addition, there are nine volumes containing quartermaster records, most of them transferred to the State Archives by the Department of Public Safety on June 16, 1978.

One volume labeled Transfer Book, Col. A. E. Devine to Col. L. T. Rogers, February 1, 1907 contains items from both the Frontier Battalion and the Ranger Force. Among the latter type of record are quartermaster issues and ordnance issues (both from 1906), and a list of quartermaster supplies returned from Camp Mabry (December 1905).

One volume contains Ranger accounts for 1906-1919, giving the following information: date, name, company, for what (e.g., payroll, incidental expenses, supplies, telephone messages, etc.), voucher number, and amount.

One volume lists Ranger accounts (such as salaries and supplies) for 1919 (pages 1-83), plus ordnance accounts for 1919-1933 (pages 254-300).

Three volumes consist of Ranger accounts for 1919-1922 and 1926-1931, divided into the following areas: salary, subsistence, forage, ammunition, transportation, telephone and telegraph, rent, fuel, lights, water, horseshoing, and auto upkeep. A table of contents inside the front cover serves as a guide.

Three volumes constitute Account Journals for the Ranger Force (1919-1939), arranged chronologically, including the following information: date, voucher number, rank, name, account (e.g., payroll, forage, subsistence 7 men, etc.), company, warrant number, and amount. The amount is listed under one of a series of columns, including: salary, subsistence, forage, travel allowance, transportation, rent, telephone and telegraph, horseshoing, auto expense, camp equipment, express and freight, stamps and stationery, or ammunition.