elhombreconnonombre
Member
I picked up a couple of older books on the Texas Rangers that shed some light on the number of Rangers who drew Walkers at Vergara in Oct. 1847. One of these is the memoirs of R.I.P Ford, Col. Hays' adjutant at the time, written originally in 1885, and reprinted in 1963. The other is a book which contains a registry of Ranger commanders and
company officers from 1835 until present day. This latter book also includes a list of known Ranger combat engagements, date and location of the engagement, and names of fallen Rangers, and when, and where they died.
It is interesting to note that given this information one can determine some interesting details regarding use of the Walkers during the Mexican War.
Ford reports that when Hays and the Rangers came ashore at Vera Cruz in Oct. of 1847, he had 580 effective Rangers. Given that Hays's hq staff numbered 15, there were about 565 Rangers enlisted in the 6-7 companies (companies D,E,F,G,H,I ,K) under Hays command. In Oct. 1847, 394 Colt Walkers were likely distributed equally amongst these 7 companies, which means each company of approximately 75 Rangers plus co. officers and ncos drew about 56 Walkers. It is documented that a few Rangers helped*themselves to two, others just one, but many were just out of luck and had to make do with a pair of Aston horse pistols in pommel holsters.
For all you non Walkerphiles who are thinking, weren't the Colts numbered for Co. A through E of the Rangers? Actually their were numbered according to the hoped for increased company strength of the US Army Mounted Rifles - 110, which wound up not being authorized by the govt. Thus the Walkers were numbered 1-220 for Co. A,B,C,D and 1-120 for Co. E. This totaled the 1000. however, a little known fact is that on the back of each Walker cylinder is a number that designates the number of that particular military revolver in the entire production sequence, for example from what I have able to glean from the Walker grail lore, the Co. C Walkers were first to be produced with the cylinders numbered from 1-220 followed by Co. A from 221-440, followed by B, D, and E, so on, with the same numbering sequence up to for the total number of Walkers authorized by contract. When the Rangers drew their Walkers they took whatever was given to them without regard to the numbering of the pistols.
After the Rangers drew their pistols, there were only 100 Walkers left that were issued to Walker's C Co., 6 weeks after Walker's death, and these were not Co. C marked pistols. All of the Co. C pistols had already been issued to the Rangers.
The remaining 500 of the 1000 pistol contract were likely shipped to Mexico, but never issued, since there were only 500 Walker powder flasks made and delivered by Colt originally. These 500 Walkers and their powder flasks wound up at the Baton Rouge armory and were issued to the 8th Dept of the Army (Dept of Texas) after the Mexican War, along with the new 1848 Colt.
When the war was over only 191 of the 394 Walkers issued to the Rangers were turned into the US Army Ordnance officer in Mexico. Of these only 82 were in servicable condition. Thus, up to 203 servicable Walkers remained in the hands of individuals after they were mustered out of the Rangers. This number could include Walkers which were physically lost in combat and not reported, of which there were no doubt more than a few. Captain Roberts of Co. F lost his 2 Walkers when he lost his horse during combat. Capt. Roberts of Co. F also documented some information on the Walkers returned to the army. IF one can reasonably assume that the 394 Walkers were equally distributed among Hays companies, then co. F received 56 Walkers as I suggested previously, and Roberts reported 26 Walkers lost or damaged during 8 mo. of combat out of the 56 est. issued. So we can estimate an overall combat attrition rate of 46 percent which could be applied to the original 494 Walkers issued and to the 500 Walkers issued after the war.
company officers from 1835 until present day. This latter book also includes a list of known Ranger combat engagements, date and location of the engagement, and names of fallen Rangers, and when, and where they died.
It is interesting to note that given this information one can determine some interesting details regarding use of the Walkers during the Mexican War.
Ford reports that when Hays and the Rangers came ashore at Vera Cruz in Oct. of 1847, he had 580 effective Rangers. Given that Hays's hq staff numbered 15, there were about 565 Rangers enlisted in the 6-7 companies (companies D,E,F,G,H,I ,K) under Hays command. In Oct. 1847, 394 Colt Walkers were likely distributed equally amongst these 7 companies, which means each company of approximately 75 Rangers plus co. officers and ncos drew about 56 Walkers. It is documented that a few Rangers helped*themselves to two, others just one, but many were just out of luck and had to make do with a pair of Aston horse pistols in pommel holsters.
For all you non Walkerphiles who are thinking, weren't the Colts numbered for Co. A through E of the Rangers? Actually their were numbered according to the hoped for increased company strength of the US Army Mounted Rifles - 110, which wound up not being authorized by the govt. Thus the Walkers were numbered 1-220 for Co. A,B,C,D and 1-120 for Co. E. This totaled the 1000. however, a little known fact is that on the back of each Walker cylinder is a number that designates the number of that particular military revolver in the entire production sequence, for example from what I have able to glean from the Walker grail lore, the Co. C Walkers were first to be produced with the cylinders numbered from 1-220 followed by Co. A from 221-440, followed by B, D, and E, so on, with the same numbering sequence up to for the total number of Walkers authorized by contract. When the Rangers drew their Walkers they took whatever was given to them without regard to the numbering of the pistols.
After the Rangers drew their pistols, there were only 100 Walkers left that were issued to Walker's C Co., 6 weeks after Walker's death, and these were not Co. C marked pistols. All of the Co. C pistols had already been issued to the Rangers.
The remaining 500 of the 1000 pistol contract were likely shipped to Mexico, but never issued, since there were only 500 Walker powder flasks made and delivered by Colt originally. These 500 Walkers and their powder flasks wound up at the Baton Rouge armory and were issued to the 8th Dept of the Army (Dept of Texas) after the Mexican War, along with the new 1848 Colt.
When the war was over only 191 of the 394 Walkers issued to the Rangers were turned into the US Army Ordnance officer in Mexico. Of these only 82 were in servicable condition. Thus, up to 203 servicable Walkers remained in the hands of individuals after they were mustered out of the Rangers. This number could include Walkers which were physically lost in combat and not reported, of which there were no doubt more than a few. Captain Roberts of Co. F lost his 2 Walkers when he lost his horse during combat. Capt. Roberts of Co. F also documented some information on the Walkers returned to the army. IF one can reasonably assume that the 394 Walkers were equally distributed among Hays companies, then co. F received 56 Walkers as I suggested previously, and Roberts reported 26 Walkers lost or damaged during 8 mo. of combat out of the 56 est. issued. So we can estimate an overall combat attrition rate of 46 percent which could be applied to the original 494 Walkers issued and to the 500 Walkers issued after the war.
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