Wharton's Copy of Reid's Texas Rangers

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AUTHOR: Samuel C. Reid, Jr.

TITLE:  The Scouting Expeditions of McCulloch’s Texas Rangers; Or, The Summer and Fall Campaign of the Army of the United States in Mexico.

PUBLICATION DATA: 1859. Potter. Third Issue.

This is a foundational Texas Rangers work, from the personal library of Houston lawyer and Texas historian, Clarence Wharton. He carried it with him on a visit to Monterrey to view the battlefields of the Mexican War. This book communicated the lore of Texas Rangers to the rest of the United States and spawned so its share of dime novels based on Ranger exploits. Wharton's notes on his visit to Mexico are penned to the front endpaper and his small bookplate is affixed to the front pastedown.

Condition report:

Decorative cloth covers show soiling and moderate wear from handling. Binding is shaken but all sewn signatures remain securely in place. 251 pages + ads.

Why It Matters:

Reid's narrative is most valuable for its depiction of camp life, practical jokes, scouts, skirmishes, etc. He was on the frontlines June to October 1846 and this book, was taken from diaries kept in the field. He very openly discusses the need the Texans felt for vengeance against Mexicans, and very openly discusses how non-Texan soldiers in the Mexican War were there for the fun and adventure of fighting in a foreign war. The image of Texas Rangers as individualistic rough & ready fighters entered American popular culture in large part because of this text. That this copy traveled to Monterrey with a popular Texas historian makes it all the more special.