Following the Texas Revolution in 1835, the frontier of the new republic became a battleground for Texas Rangers and Native Americans. Armed with single-shot pistols and rifles, the Rangers were often easily struck down by arrows and lances. A new firearm would soon give the mounted riflemen the upper hand.
On June 8, 1844, Capt. Jack Hays and his troop of Rangers were returning to San Antonio when they spotted a group of Comanches. Being familiar with the tactics used to lure Ranger units into the open, Hays commanded his men to hold their fire and advance slowly. More Comanche materialized — so many that the Rangers would never agree on the number. They gathered on a nearby hilltop before charging down on the Rangers at full gallop.
The outnumbered Rangers readied their firearms, brand new revolvers Hays had bought at the Texas Navy’s liquidation sale earlier that year. When they were within arrow range, each man unleashed a steady stream of fire from the curious chunks of iron they carried. The Comanches were overpowered by the gunfire. The skirmish ended with up to 50 Comanche dead — and only one Ranger fatality.
Hays’ Big Fight, as it came to be known, entered American frontier lore almost as soon as it was over.
In Episode 4 of The Engines of Texanity, we talk about how the Colt revolver became the favored “peace making” weapon across the Texas frontier.
Hays’ new revolvers, known as Paterson Colts, were the product of Samuel Colt. Technically gifted, Colt produced his revolver prototype out of scrap wood in 1831. The innovative design prevented misfires and awkward reloading.
Colt’s interest lay far beyond just building a gun. Inspired by Eli Whitney, of cotton gin fame, he wanted to create a process to manufacture guns cheaply.
The few thousand revolvers he finally produced in 1836 were rejected by the U.S. Army and every state militia east of the Mississippi. Some made their way to Texas, where they received a warm welcome. In 1839, the Texas Navy purchased 180 of the revolvers, 30 of which Hays had acquired just in time for his Big Fight.
Every Ranger involved became Colt converts, including another Samuel — Samuel Walker. Becoming a Ranger captain himself by 1846, Walker armed his men with a Paterson Colt the moment they were available. While he praised the firearm, Walker had some improvements in mind.
In December 1846, the two Samuels met. Walker wanted six modifications from Colt: six shots, not five; .44 caliber instead of .36 caliber; a trigger guard in place of a folding trigger; a longer, 9-inch barrel; the ability to reload without disassembly; and a front sight made of polished German silver.
The collaboration produced the Walker Colt. In a letter to the inventor, Walker referred to the revolver as a “peace maker,” an ironic nickname that stuck with future models.
On Oct. 5, 1847, Walker, now in Mexico, received an early-release pair of Colt Walkers. The barrel of each firearm was decorated with an intricate engraving depicting Hays’ Big Fight. Four days later, Walker was killed after capturing the town of Huamantla. His men retaliated against the community in horrible fashion, no doubt wielding their Colts as tools for revenge.
Colt revolvers only grew more prominent, beyond the Texas Rangers. One observer in 1854 estimated that there were more revolvers in the state than there were men. Not so much an economic engine, it became a psychological engine, propelling Anglo-Texan frontiersmen triumphantly across the Texas plains.
What is undeniable is that the association that Samuel Colt cultivated between Texas and his revolver impressed itself upon the state’s psyche. It rounded out Texans’ image of themselves as the ultimate self-reliant men. Perhaps it’s fair to wonder whether the power imbalance introduced by the handgun invited the extreme violence that characterized Texas history for so much of the second half of the 19th century.
Click below to listen to Episode 4 of The Engines of Texanity.
