A Texas Ranger’s fight for survival

Taylor Thompson wore many hats on the Texas frontier: printer, newspaper editor, Confederate veteran and Texas Ranger, but it was through his writings that he left one of his most enduring legacies.

Born in the mid-19th century, Thompson lived through the Civil War and into the early 20th century, chronicling his experiences in a series of articles that brought frontier life into sharp focus. His accounts describe a harsh and dangerous world where Texas Rangers patrolled vast, unsettled lands and regularly clashed with Native American tribes across open plains and river valleys.

One such account, set in the autumn of 1864, recounts a perilous scout southwest of San Antonio that underscored both the ingenuity and vulnerability of ranger life.

Thompson was leading a squad of 13 rangers on routine patrol when they discovered a fresh Indian trail near what would later become Hebbronville in Webb County. At the time, the area was a wild expanse with no railroads or permanent settlements. The tracks suggested a group of 25 to 30 warriors driving a large herd of stolen horses.

With fresh mounts and a trail only hours old, the rangers gave chase. The pursuit carried them northwest between Uvalde and Eagle Pass, crossing the main road that connected the two towns, roughly 60 miles apart. Beyond that point lay largely uninhabited country stretching toward Fort McKavett.

As the chase continued, Thompson expected the fleeing group to slow once they reached open territory. By the third afternoon, their experienced tracker, Macedonia Dalgado, noted the trail was growing fresher, a sign the rangers were gaining ground.

The trail turned north toward Comanche territory along the branches of the Concho River, an area where tribes moved frequently as game became scarce. After passing west of Fort McKavett and crossing the North Fork of the San Saba River, the rangers encountered a troubling development: another trail merged with the first, increasing the enemy force to an estimated 50 or 60 warriors.

The trail soon split. One branch turned west toward the headwaters of the Devil’s River, while the other continued north. Believing the split was a tactic meant to divide his force, Thompson sent Corporal Justo Rodriguez and six men to follow the western trail, with instructions to return within three days. Thompson continued north with the remaining six rangers.

For three days, the smaller group tracked through rolling prairie broken by timbered creeks. One evening, they camped in a grove overlooking an unnamed stream. That night, they spotted distant campfires, reinforcing Thompson’s belief that the separated bands had reunited and that Rodriguez’s party was nearby.

The next morning, after covering another 10 to 15 miles, Thompson spotted timber ahead and used a field glass he had acquired during Confederate service to scan the area. What he saw changed everything.

Between 30 and 40 warriors emerged from the trees, flanked by additional groups. With no cover, no rocks or trees, and their horses exhausted, escape was impossible.

Using tactics pioneered by famed Ranger Capt. Jack Hays, Thompson ordered his men to dismount and tie their horses head-to-tail in a defensive circle. The rangers crouched inside as warriors charged, shouting war cries before wheeling into a circling attack at close range.

Though the attackers carried no firearms, arrows wounded several horses and added to the chaos. The rangers returned fire, killing several warriors and forcing others to retrieve the fallen.

After an hour, the attackers withdrew briefly before renewing the assault. A chief on an iron-gray horse attempted to rally his men, but Thompson handed his long-range Sharps rifle to expert marksman Miguel Matamoras. Two well-placed shots brought down the leader and another warrior, breaking the momentum.

By mid-afternoon, reinforcements swelled the attackers’ ranks, and the rangers prepared for a siege as daylight faded. Relief finally came when Rodriguez and his men charged in, shouting as they attacked the flank.

Reunited, the rangers mounted a countercharge, pistols drawn, but the attackers escaped on fresher horses. The rangers retreated to a nearby creek, where they treated minor wounds and rested. The following day, they reached a settlement near Eagle Pass on the Rio Grande.

Though the encounter ended without a decisive victory, Thompson’s account captures the constant danger of frontier ranging, survival achieved through discipline, skill and trust among comrades.

Through such stories, Thompson helped immortalize the Texas Rangers, blending heroism with the stark realities of a fading frontier shaped by conflict and resilience.