[From J. Marvin Hunter's Frontier Times Magazine, April, 1929]

We are indebted to Mr. John Hoffer, of San Angelo, for the accompanying photographs of members of Captain Marsh's Company B, Texas Rangers. The group picture was taken by M. C. Ragsdale, an early day photographer, shortly after the trouble at San Angelo, when the negro troops stationed at Fort Concho shot up the town of San Angelo. The trouble was caused by the killing of a negro soldier by a white man named McCarty, during a drunken brawl in a saloon. Led by rumors that McCarty was in hiding at the Nimitz Hotel the colored troops formed and marched into the town, clamoring for vengeance. Within the hotel the wildest excitement prevailed as volley after volley of shots raked the walls announcing that the building was surrounded. The hotel at that time was the refuge of many women and children of the town, as their men folks had presumed there would be less danger there than at any other place in San Angelo while the ugly mood of the soldiers lasted. After riddling the building, the troops dispersed. No fatalities resulted from the raid, but the citizens of the town began to arm themselves, and an appeal was sent to Captain Marsh's company of Texas Rangers. The latter responded gallantly; they made a hurried trip to the scene of disturbance, called upon Colonel Grierson, who was in command of the post at Fort Concho and informed him that if any more of his troops crossed over into San Angelo within ten days they would be carried back "feet first." The commander cooperated with the Rangers and peace was restored.

Mr. Hoffer writes us as follows: "The pictures forming the enclosed group were taken by Ragsdale at Fort Concho following the raid of the negro soldiers of the Tenth Cavalry under Lieutenant Colonel Grierson, at the time they shot up the little post town of San Angelo in 1881 . I got the individual pictures together and had the group picture made at the same time. Our captain, Bryan Marsh, had been sheriff of Smith county, and had recently taken command of the company, succeeding Ira Long of Wise county. I was first sergeant of the company at the time, and Marshall Gibson and J. M. Sedberry were corporals. Of the eighteen members of the company in the group I do not know of any living except W. F. Buchanan and myself, although I hope there are others. I had the picture copied from the original for your use."

The names of the men in the group are: Top row—Frank Chapman, J . H. Williams, W. F. Buchanan, L. B. Wells, David Gains. Second row—Corporal J. M. Sedberry, William Paugh, B. H. Markley, G. W. King, N. L. Jenkins, D. H. Brown. Third row—Corporal Marshall Gibson, Charles Threntam, Captain Bryan Marsh, first Sergeant John W. Hoffer, R. Fisher. Fourth row—Jim Werner, teamster; A C. Grant, Howell Brown, a Texas Ranger in full dress.

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