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More about the Ladies' Rangers

Captain John Robert Baylor's

Company I, 2d TX Cavalry Regiment, Arizona Brigade

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The following five 1863 articles from the Tri-Weekly Telegraph, published in Houston, Texas, that mention Baylor's Ladies' Rangers of the TX 2d Arizona Brigade probably explains why J.R. Baylor's Company I was called Baylor's Ladies' Rangers.  Comments in red edits and "black bold" highlights have been added by your editor; otherwise, there are no edits.   If you can identify anyone or any place mentioned, please let me know.   These five articles are from the Houston Tri-Weekly Telegraph digitized by the University of Texas at Tyler.

http://libguides.uttyler.edu/content.php?pid=33095&sid=244280 , website that replaces

http://www.uttyler.edu/vbetts/houstontri-wtelegraph1863.htm

March 8, 2013 url of 1861 THE STANDARD 1861

http://www.uttyler.edu/vbetts/clarksville_standard_1861.htm

[HOUSTON] TRI-WEEKLY TELEGRAPH, Jun 18, 1863, p2, c3
The Juvenile Concert.—

An entertainment is to be given on Friday evening next, by the young misses and masters of Houston and Galveston, the proceeds of which are to be appropriated to the "Ladies' Rangers."   The programme is one that ought, apart from the real object of the concert, to draw a full house; and we are satisfied that it, together with the fact that this concert has been gotten up to assist in arming and equipping John R. Baylor's Rangers, will fill Perkins' Hall. All the pieces to be sung are national, and we notice among the young lady performers, some who, notwithstanding their juvenility, have quite carried us away with the sweetness of their voices, and their just appreciation of music.  We hope there will be a full, overflowing demonstration, and by demonstration, we mean a LARGE ATTENDANCE. The older feminines and masculines have not failed to draw crowded houses during the winter and spring. do let us hop the young folks, who have stepped into the service in the heat of the day, will be properly appreciated and abundantly rewarded.  Let the concert be a decided success. Other places have given liberally towards this object, let Houston out do them all.

[HOUSTON] TRI-WEEKLY TELEGRAPH, Jun 24, 1863, p1, c3

Col. [S.W.] Sydnor [Lt, DeBray's 26th Cav, CSA] will sell to-day, at his auction, an elegant silk bed-quilt, for the benefit of Baylor's Ladies' Rangers. It was sent up by Mrs. Dermot, of Harrisburg [Harris Co TX], for this purpose.

[HOUSTON] TRI-WEEKLY TELEGRAPH, Aug 20, 1863, p3, c5

We are requested to give notice that the Ladies at Piedmont Springs [Grimes Co TX] will give a Tableau and Concert on Friday evening next; 21^st instant, for the benefit of the Ladies' Rangers, (Baylor's). This will be a pleasant opportunity for those who desire a few days' recreation by a visit to the Springs.

[HOUSTON] TRI-WEEKLY TELEGRAPH, Aug 28, 1863, p2, c3
Piedmont Springs [Grimes Co TX], August 24, 1863.   Editor Telegraph—

This place was enlivened on Friday night last, by an entertainment given by the ladies and gentlemen sojourning here, for the benefit of Baylor's Ladies' Rangers. The entertainment consisted of tableaux, songs, selections and recitations, all of which passed off in a manner highly creditable to the parties engaged.  After the tableaux was completed, there was a raffle for a finely worked table cover, a gift from Mrs. Hunter, of Fort Bend county, to the Rangers. Six hundred and fifty dollars were realized from the raffle, and four hundred dollars from the exhibition.

The ladies propose to give another entertainment of a similar character, on Friday night, September 4, when they hope to meet many of the citizens of Houston and this vicinity.  The proceeds will be contributed to the fund now being raised in the Confederacy, to erect a monument to the memory of General [Stonewall] Jackson.
Visitor.

[HOUSTON] TRI-WEEKLY TELEGRAPH, Nov 25, 1863, p1, c4

Frontier News,   Weatherford, Texas, Nov. 9^th, 1863.   Editor Telegraph:--

War is a moving machine—
Successes and reverses alternately,
Orders and countermands eternally,
Arrests and releases infernally,
Is the way of the War King.
 

I did not remain in camps but a short time, until I was ordered back to Texas, and in Parker, Johnson, and adjoining counties, was assigned the laborious duty of seeking those persons that had deserted their colors and were hiding in the brush. My duty was to get access to them if possible and by pacific terms to get them to return to their true allegiance to their country.  My success was very gratifying, sending a number to their respective commands.
 

Recently Col. John R. Baylor was sent here with orders eminating [sic] from Maj. Gen. [John Bankhead] Magruder, to gather all deserters and stragglers and organize them for frontier protection. They are flocking to him from every direction, and ere long the Colonel will swell his command to thousands.
 

The Indians have been very troublesome on the frontier. They have depredated as low down as Johnson county. They killed Mr. Green [? Jeremiah Green, b-1811 NC] near the Comanche Peak.  They have stolen horses on Bear and Long Creeks, carrying off two children, a little girl and a boy, of Mr. Wilson's; were followed and recaptured in the mountain fastnesses by the bold and gallant Erath county boys, and returned to their grieving parents.   They also killed Frank Brown's wife, and wounded two of his daughters, one being matured to womanhood.   She has since died.  Near by, and by the same devils, were killed and scalped, two of Parson Hamilton's sons.   The parents grieve their loss.   Last week, Nan Tuckett, a very efficient frontiersman, was attacked by twelve Indians. He fought them with desperation, killing two dead and wounding two more. He shot eight shots at the rascals, and, from the want of loaded pieces, was overpowered, and shot a deadly shot by the enemy's piercing arrow.  The frantic people mourn his loss.  This fight took place within three hundred yards of his house, and his family dare not assist him.

More recently the family of Mr. Porter, of Montague county, has been barbarously massacred and burned up in their house. A little girl scarcely ten was shot through the neck with an arrow, she fell by the side of her dead mother, pretendingly dead, and lay there until a little brother, who hid himself under the house, come to her relief and carried her out of the house just as the roof was falling in. The frontier will have better protection now, than it had before, or since the war.
 

There are a set of soft-shells in those counties that are eternally harping us the downfall of Vicksburgh and our reveres generally. It is believed here that such people are disloyal, and are looked upon as suspicious characters. All such croakers should either be sent out of the country, hung, or else place them in the manufacturing department at Huntsville.
 

There has been a vast amount of grain destroyed here lately, and it is believed to be done by incendiaries of the above class.  John Hayley had a crib containing 700 bushels of corn burned. Hamp Patillo [N. Hampton Patillo, b-1817 NC] lost by fire 1000 bushels of wheat and barley, John Sparks had a mill consumed by the same destroying element, with all the grain and flour therein contained. Old Jack Cole [J.P. Cole, b-1809 VA, 1860 Parker Co TX cen p469] had his residence destroyed in the same manner, depriving the women and children of beds and clothing.—Some suspicious characters have been arrested, one placed in the Buchanan [Johnson County] jail, whilst others are to be tried in Weatherford [Parker Co TX], but there are so many to be tried in Weatherford, but there are so many legal gentlemen of the same stamp that I have no faith in their being convicted.

Col. John R. Baylor and his Lady Rangers are here, ready for duty. An express has just come from Bonham, asking Col. Baylor to accept the command of the entire retinue of deserters and stragglers, which will be a considerable force. I hope that he will agree to lead them, for in my opinion he can instill into them new life, and an energy that will enable them to do good work and retrieve their lost characters. Six companies have recently come out of the brush in Collin and adjoining counties by the kind and pacific policy used by Gen. [H.E.] McCulloch.  The course that Gen. McCulloch has pursued since his arrival at Bonham has won him the good will of the entire frontier. May he long live to assist us in our struggles, and may a kind Providence nerve our arms to soon strike the blow that will cause the enemy to sue for peace and establish to us our liberties and an independent Republic. More anon.

Gray Rover.