Arizona Rangers

Capt. James H. Tevis

Arizona Territorial Ranger

Capt. James Henry Tevis was one of the original Arizona Territorial Rangers when the organization was first founded. Many people are aware of the Texas Rangers, but little is written about the Arizona Rangers. The Arizona Rangers were founded along the same lines as the Texas boys. They patrolled the wilderness, served the Governor's Warrants , made arrests and assisted with the maintainance of peace and order.

About the time of the Civil War, the Arizona Rangers were 'disbanded' and many joined the Confederate Army as a unit and were involved in the Red River Campaign, and a very bloody but almost unknown battle at Glorietta Pass in Arizona. They were the last unit to be mustered out of the Confederate Army as a unit.

After the War, Capt. Tevis returned to Arizona and was asked to assist in the forming of a company of rangers to once again provide law enforcement throughout the territory. Capt. Tevis put out the call for volunteers. His standards were very high for the time. A Ranger could not be wanted for a crime in ANY jurisdiction, no outstanding debts, except for a legally constituted mortgage, no gamblers, hard drinkers and above all had to be clean cut and of good character. With his commission and his Rangers, Capt. Tevis once more set out with warrants and court papers to clean up the territory.

Capt. Tevis passed away in the early 20th century. His Rangers had been disbanded many times, but he was able to see the Rangers once again re-incarnated to become the first officially sanctioned law enforcement unit in Arizona.

Today his legacy lives on, not only here in re-enactment groups, but in the Arizona Rangers. They are a volunteer unit which assists the Arizona law enforcement community.

Company A, Arizona Rangers was mustered into confederate service for three years or the war by Capt. Sherod Hunter at Doña Ana, Territory of Arizona, January 25, 1862. The company was sent to occupy Tucson which they did February 28, 1862. A detachment under James Tevis escorted Col. Reily (4th TX MTD Vol.) to Magdalena, Sanora. A detachment of scouts were sent toward Yuma along the Gila River and on March 30, 1862, fired on by advanced Pickets of the California Column. In --- 1862, Hunter and some of his men destroyed Unionist Ammi White's flour mill at the Pima Villages and captured Capt. McCleave, Co. A, 1st California Cavalry, and several of his men. A detachment was sent to escort the prisoners back to Mesilla. On April 15, 1862 nine advance pickets under Sgt. Henry Holmes engaged advance scouts of the California Column under Lt. Berret of the 1st California Cavalry at Picacho Pass, Arizona Territory. The pickets under Sgt. Holmes killed three and wounded three of the union scout. Among the killed was Lt. Berret. Three Confederates, included tucson_1870s.jpg (25470 bytes)

Sgt. Holmes, were wounded and captured. Hunter and Company A abandoned Tucson on May 4, 1862. The next day a savage fight with the Apache Indians occurred at Dragoon Springs where some Confederate exiles were killed and several horses and equipment were run off by the Apache band. Hunters Co. A, Arizona Rangers arrived in the Mesilla Valley May 27, 1862. On July 1, 1862 the company was engaged against Mexicans along with elements of the 7th Texas Mounted Rifles. Lt. Jim Tevis of Co. A, commanded the rear guard on the withdrawal back to Texas. Once in San Antonio Co. A, Arizona Rangers would become one of three companies in Lt. Col. Herbert's Battalion Arizona Cavalry.

Herbert's Battalion Arizona Cavalry was organized by combining Capt. George Frazer's Arizona Ranger, Arizona Guards, and Sherod Hunter's Co. A, Arizona Rangers. Sherod Hunter soon afterward resigned his commission in Co. A and took a commission as Major in George Wythe Baylor's 2nd Texas Cavalry-Arizona Brigade. Hunter's 1st Lt. Swope to command of Hunter's company. Three companies were thereafter known as Helms', Oury's, and Swope's Companies. By December 1862 the Arizona Battalion was scouting for Gen. Sibley in the vicinity of Plaquemine, LA while he was waiting for the arrival of his brigade. The Herbert's Arizona Battalion including Swope's Company as part of Sibley's Brigade took part in the campaign against Banks at Ft. Bisland and served with Col. Green and the rear guard. In the delaying action at New Iberia, LA, Lt. James H. Tevis claimed he "had at least fifteen men cut down by sabers." Shortly afterward Capt. Swope resigned his commission and Herbert's Arizona Battalion was consolidated into a single company with Capt. Jim Tevis commanding. The command was thereafter known as the "Arizona Scouts."

In May of 1863, with Capt. James H. Tevis in command, the Arizona Scouts was assigned to Col. James P. Major's Texas Cavalry Brigade consisting of the 1st Texas Partisan Ranger; 2nd Texas Partisan Rangers; 2nd Texas Cavalry-Arizona Brigade; and 3rd Texas Cavalry-Arizona Brigade. The Arizona Scouts undoubtedly took part in the raid to Thibodaux and Donaldsonville, LA while Col. G. W. Baylor and Sherod Hunter and the "Mosquito Fleet" advanced on Ft. Brashear. The Arizona Brigade went on to serve with Major's Brigade through out the rest of the 1863 Campaigns and returned to the Texas Gulf Coast with the rest of Major's Brigade.

In the Winter of 1863-1864 the Arizona Scouts were temporarily assigned to Saufly's Scouting Battalion [roster] and their company, Co. E, was reported as detached to Col. Duff (33rd Texas Cavalry) and scouting in the vicinity of Port Lavaca near Indianola, TX. After reconnoitering for an indication of a federal advancement on the Texas gulf coast. The Arizona Scouts along with the rest of Major's Brigade was hurried to Northern Louisiana to join forces with Lt. Gen. Richard Taylor to check the advance by Gen. Nathaniel Banks toward Shreveport. Sometime before or after the move, Saufley's Battalion was broken up and the detached companies returned to their original commands. The Arizona Scouts maintained their independent status in Major's brigade. The Arizona Scouts and Major's Brigade, under the command of Gen. W. P. Lane, participated in the Red River Campaign including battles of Mansfield and Pleasant Hill. At Mansfield Capt. Tevis was severely wounded and Lt.. John M. Smith succeeded Tevis in commanded the Arizona Scouts for the remainder of the Red River Campaign, harassing Banks on his retreat down of the Red River. On May 1, 1864 the Arizona Scouts, under the command of Lt. Smith, assisted the 3rd (Madison) Cavalry, Arizona Brigade in capturing a transport and several federal prisoners.

After the Red River Campaign the Arizona Scouts and Major's/Lane's Brigade were sent to Arkansas where they were engaged in their last skirmish at Montecello, AR September 10, 1864. The Arizona Scouts surrendered and as Capt. Jim Tevis claims, were the last Confederate unit mustered out at Hempstead, Texas May, 1865. Capt. Jim Tevis said the "15 men that were left scattered in all directions and only three ever returned to Arizona."