"Covers every known Ranger unit 1823 to present, explanation of the time period covered, entries on each unit's commanders, periods of service, activities, and supervising authorities. Appendices cover the Rangers' battle record, a history of the badge, and Rangers who died in service, were inducted into the Hall of Fame, or received the Medal of Valor"--Provided by publisher.

For the common defense : Rangers in colonial Tejas (1823-1835) -- Gained by war : Rangers of the Revolution and Republic (1835-1845) -- Los Diablos Tejanos : Rangers in the U.S.-Mexican War (1846-1848) -- Rangers of the old stamp : the Texas mounted volunteers (1848-1861) -- A most desperate struggle : Rangers in the Civil War (1861-1865) -- No surrender, no prisoners : the minute men, the frontier forces, and the frontier men (1865-1874) -- A little standing army : minute men/special state troops/special force (1874-1881) -- Duty well performed : the frontier Battalion (1874-1901) -- Los Rinches : the state Ranger force (1901-1935) -- A fabled tradition : the Texas Ranger division (1935-present) -- Appendix A: Battle record -- Appendix B: Rangers who died in the line of duty -- Appendix C: The Texas Ranger Hall of Fame -- Appendix D: Texas Ranger recipients of the Department of Public Safety Medal of Valor -- Appendix E: Documents regarding the Texas Rangers -- Appendix F: The history of the badge.