When James B. Gillett joined the newly created Texas Rangers in 1875, its duties were as varied and its members as unorthodox as its methods were irregular.

First published in 1921, Gillett's now classic account of his six years of service depicts with freshness and authenticity how the Rangers maintained law and order on the frontier—and occasionally dispensed summary justice. From the Mason County War to the Horrell-Higgins feud, the capture of Sam Bass, and the pursuit of Victorio's rebellious Apaches, Gillett saw the kind of action that established the Rangers' enduring reputation for effectiveness.