[Houston] Tri-Weekly Telegraph, November 1, 1861
From the Nashville Gazette.
The gallant regiment of Texas Rangers, under Benjamin F. Terry, now encamped at the Nashville Fair Grounds, is drawing largely upon the confidence and admiration of our city, and the hundreds of anxious spectators who daily call to witness the wonderful exploits. Each grand performance excited new wonder.
The lasso, made of horse hair, which is of great strength, is thrown with great exactness a distance of ten or twenty yards, the greater the speed of the horse the greater is the distance it is thrown, and the more certainty in taking the object sought. This will be an object of terror to the running enemy, whether on foot or horse.
Another performance is the taking up of an object from the ground by the rider, when the horse is at full speed. Another is the springing from the saddle to the ground and into the saddle again, the horse at full speed. Another is the hanging on the side of the horse, hiding the vital parts of the rider from the deadly weapons of the enemy. A still more exciting performance is the breaking of wild horses to the saddle–horses known to be so wild and unmanageable as to be unfit for use–horses which Rarey, the great horse tamer, had failed to break, were blindfolded, saddled and rode, both single and double, in an incredible short space of time.
I was most agreeably surprised to find in this regiment many men of fine intelligence, polished manners, excellent moral character and good fortune. This was not a matter of so great surprise, when we learned that these were picked men, and picked, too, by a man no facile in the judgment of human character as their commander.
This is, indeed, a model regiment, in reference to physical, military and moral cultivation. We hope soon to see them on the best horses of our State, flying with their lassos, sabres and double-barrel shot guns after Lincoln’s intruders upon Southern soil.
J. P. C.