THE TEXAS RANGERS

1
Come all ye Texas Rangers,
Wherever you may be,
A story I will tell you
Relating unto me.

2
'Twas at the age of sixteen
I joined the jolly band
And marched from San Antonio
Across the Rio Grande.

3
Our captain he informed us,
Perhaps he thought 'twas right,
"Before you reach the station,
See, boys, you'll have to fight."

4
I saw the Indians coming,
I heard them give their yell;
My feelings at that moment
No human tongue can tell.

5
I saw the smoke ascending,
The bullets round me hailed.
My heart it sank within me,
My courage almost failed.

6
When some as noble Rangers
As ever trod the West
Fell mangled with their comrades,
Sweet peace may be their rest!

7
I thought of my old mother;
In tears she said to me:
"Come all ye Texas Rangers
And stay at home with me."

8
I thought her old and childish,
The best she did not know;
My mind was bent on roaming
And I was forced to go.

9
Perhaps you have a mother,
Likewise a sister too,
And also a loving sweetheart
To weep and mourn for you.

10
If this be your condition,
Although you're bound to roam,
I tell you from experience
You'd better stay at home.

Version E, with music. "Given to me in 1912 by Miss Arretta Watts," [MO], "as sung by her father, who came to Missouri when a young man from Virginia." pp. 337-338, Belden, ref. above.

A version A, not printed, was "From a manuscript lent to me in 1904 by Harry Fore, compiled in Gentry County in the seventies of the last century. Ten stanzas."

THE TEXAS RANGER

1
About the age of sixteen
I joined a jolly band
And marched through Western Texas
Unto the Rio Grande.

2
Our captain he informed us,
Perhaps he thought it right:
"Before we reach the station,
Brave boys, we'll have to fight."

3
I saw the Indians coming,
I heard them give a yell.
My feelings at that moment
No human tongue can tell.

4
Our bugle it was sounded,
Our captain gave command.
"To arms, to arms!" he shouted,
"And by your horses stand."

5.
I saw the dust arising;
It seemed to touch the sky.
My feelings at that moment:
"Oh, now's my time to die."

6
I saw the glitering sabers,
The arrows round us flew,
And all my strength it left me
And all my courage too.

7
We fought them full nine hours;
And when the strife was o'er
The like of dead and wounded
I never saw before.

8
And two as good old captains
As ever ranged the West
Were lying side by side
With arrows in their breasts.

Version D, p. 337, "Reported by C. H. Williams from Bollinger County in 1906 as sung by a country boy there about fifteen years before."
Belden, ref. above.

Taking these versions together, it seems likely that all came from the same printed source, and were varied by the singers. They are badly garbled history.

"...marched through Western Texas Unto the Rio Grande" may seem more likely than "...marching from San Antonio across the Rio Grande, however, the rangers were in skirmishes with a combined force of Mexican soldiers and Commanche warriors more than once. This would explain references to "glittering sabers" and "glittering lances." as well as to "arrows."

"...150 rangers under Capt. John Coffee "Jack" Hays figured prominently in helping the Mexican invasions of 1842 and in successfully protecting Texans against Indian attacks over the next three years." In the Mexican War, the Rangers, under Hays and Samuel Walker, figured prominently, notably at the battles of Palo Alto and Resaca de la Palma, and provided helpful information and support to American forces at Buena Vista. Hays first encounter with Mexican Forces was at Laredo, when his group engaged Mexican cavalry (1836). Capt. Hays (later major) engaged Comanche and Mexican forces in 1846, aided by Mexican and Indian volunteers. These fights took place at Plum Creek, Bandera Pass, Painted Rock and other localities.
A notable encounter was at Salado, where his rangers fought Mexican soldiers under Adrian Woll (Woll, born in France, spent most of his life in Mexico and was quartermaster general for Santa Anna during the invasion of Texas. Later, he was with the group that offered the crown of Mexico to Maxmillian. He returned to France after the failure of the Habsburg takeover and died there in 1875). See Texas Handbook.

The poem may refer to this period, or to later events in 1858-1859 when, under Captain John S. "Rip" Ford, they fought the Comanches and against Juan Cortina, the "Red robber of the Rio Grande," but in the latter case "not too successfully."

The Handbook of Texas- http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/TT/met4.html