Captain's Rangers

by Elmer Kelton

In 1875, nearly forty years after the Mexican War, Mexicans and Texans are still spilling blood over ownership of the Nueces Strip--a hot, dry stretch of coastal prairie that bushwackers and horse thieves have turned into a lawless hell. Captain L.H. McNelly, a complex and determined Confederate veteran, is brought into the Nueces Strip for one to keep the peace. His measures are harsh and controversial--but McNelly wasn't sent in to be popular. In this boilerpot of killing and racial hatred, can any man bring lasting peace?

Genres: Westerns, Fiction, Historical Fiction

269 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1968

About the author

Elmer Kelton (1926-2009) was award-winning author of more than forty novels, including The Time It Never Rained, Other Men’s Horses, Texas Standoff and Hard Trail to Follow. He grew up on a ranch near Crane, Texas, and earned a journalism degree from the University of Texas. His first novel, Hot Iron, was published in 1956. Among his awards have been seven Spurs from Western Writers of America and four Western Heritage awards from the National Cowboy Hall of Fame. His novel The Good Old Boys was made into a television film starring Tommy Lee Jones. In addition to his novels, Kelton worked as an agricultural journalist for 42 years. He served in the infantry in World War II. He died in 2009.

http://us.macmillan.com/author/elmerk...

Reviews

[Charles van Buren · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fictionalized tale of famous Texas Ranger, Captain Leander McNelly

Reviewed in the United States on February 5, 2021

A very good fictionalized account of Texas Ranger Captain Leander McNelly's 1875 foray into the Nueces Strip. Part of Texas by treaty but plagued by Mexican "patriots" and bandits as well as fed up Texans who shot or hanged Mexicans just suspected of being bandits. McNelly was determined to bring peace to the strip no matter who he had to shoot - Mexican or Texan. At one point, a frustrated and very sick McNelly also led a raid across the Rio Grande to recover stolen cattle.

A major part of the story is told through the eyes of Laham Neal, a cowboy turned ranger. A man who is not completely unsympathetic to the Mexican point of view. A subplot concerns his rocky wooing of a rancher's daughter.

[Mike (the Paladin) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I haven't been prone to much reading of westerns of late, but in the past I read quite a few. Of course in my life I've read some of most genres (LOL). I had never read any of Elmer Kelton's novels before this one though he's written quite a few. I picked this one up mainly because I'm somewhat of a history buff and this one deals with the conflict over the Nueces Strip. This is a strip of land between the Nueces River and the Rio Grand the ownership of which remained in question for some time after the Texas and Mexican war.

Mr. Kelton makes a real attempt at telling of the feelings on both sides here. The Mexican bandits who were hated in Texas but thought of as patriots by some south of the Rio Grand. The killings and raids against the Texas settlers, the war that was fought for many years with no quarter given.

I'm also interested in (and frankly an admirer of) the Texas Rangers. They are pretty much painted as the heroes here. A look at the attempt to keep them honest and honorable after the disaster of the Reconstruction Era Texas State Police (who were famous for their dishonesty)is also a big part of this book. Saying anymore will of course lead me into the story and entail spoilers...so.

The story itself isn't bad. The writing is workman like and will hold the interest. I felt that it took a little while to actually get going. That's not to say that it was slow moving,the action pretty much kicks in as we get to know the characters, but it takes a bit to fit itself into a coherent tale.

Personally I found the romance that meanders through the book a little silly, but I suppose some must get into it pretty thoroughly, to each their own. If it's your cup of tea enjoy.

I won't say I enjoyed all of the book, but I liked, enjoyed parts of it and it tied up it's story in the "satisfactory" manner of the "standard western". I may read more by this writer, if the mood strikes me, but I don't plan to run out (or to my computer) and get more right away. I don't feel the urge to strap on my 6 gun and saddle up as often as I once did (like when I was 12 or 13) but I do now and again.

I will say this, Kelton in one of a few writers who writes a west that seems real, with horse sweat you can smell, dust that grits in your teeth, and characters who remember that you need to loosen a revolver in it's holster if you may need it quickly as they tend to stick a bit after setting in leather for a while.

3 stars...didn't love it, but it was pretty good.

[Jerry Blackerby · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favorite writers. He stays historically correct about and very accurate about Texas.

[Peter Corrigan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Elmer Kelton remains one of my favorites, especially when you need a break from our own crazy world. Like many of his books this one mixes fiction and history, the history apparently rendered with scrupulous attention to detail and accuracy. 'Captain's Rangers' refers to Captain Leander McNelly, Texas Rangers and former CSA who was ordered to pacify the near guerilla war over the so-called Neuces Strip in south Texas. The year is 1875 and possession of that region between the Neuces River and the Rio Grande down to Brownsville is under contention between Mexicans bandits (the 'narcos' of the time!) and American ranchers, many of them bandits themselves. The Texas Rangers were sent to bring order to the region and had a great deal of success in the 'battle' of Palo Alto and the Las Cuevas War. The Wikipedia entry on McNelly https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leander... confirms nearly every detail that Kelton has in the book which is impressive. The fictional story built around the main character Lanham Neal is a bit less convincing but brings a genuine human touch, another characteristic of Kelton novels. This may not have been one of Kelton's best books but 3.5 stars, rounded up for historical accuracy.

[Charles · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kind of two stories tied somewhat loosely together. The opening is completely fictional, featuring a cowboy named Lanham Neal working on a ranch right near the border of Texas and Mexico. Raiders from across the Rio Grande burn the ranch and kill the owner, leaving his daughter, Neal, and a couple of other hands to manage things. Neal has a falling out with the daughter because of her thirst for revenge and ends up joining the Rangers that follow Captain McNelly, who is trying to put a stop to the banditry. The story follows along historical lines then until the end, when the situation between Neal and the rancher's daughter gets resolved.

Despite the fact that it seemed like two tales shoehorned together, the book kept me reading and was enjoyable, with a lot of action and a lot of good local color that I enjoyed.

[Jay Wright · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book is based on history, but most the characters are fictional. Captain MacNelly is the real character and he was a famous Texas Ranger (maybe not as famous as Walker (tongue in cheek)).He is best know for cleaning up the Nueces strip at the far southern border of Texas with Mexico (Brownsville). The action is continuous and the fictional characters believable. It was a good book about a time of change,

[Sequoyah Branham · Rating 4 out of 5]

Captain’s Rangers starts you with a big emotional pull to route for the gentleman Lannam Neil.
It switches gears a little bit toward the middle and takes a little of that emotional pull away.
A great story nonetheless! One that looks at violence and law from a little bit of a different side of the road.

[Michael Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great adventure. It was predictable and well w!

[Jason · Rating 5 out of 5]

Recommended and given to me by a church member. Very good!

[Bo Everett · Rating 5 out of 5]

He Is Good. Can't Wait Till the Next

[Cinnamon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Elmer Kelton is one of my dad's favorite authors, so I thought I would try one of them out.
I enjoyed this story a lot. The main character is well written and easy for me to imagine and put a face to.

In the years following the Civil War, the area of Texas known as the Nueces Strip was a war zone. The area, between the Nueces River and the Rio Grande, was part of Texas but still claimed by many Mexicans as theirs. After the Civil War, many white ranchers moved into the area, pushing Mexicans out as they established ranches. The Mexicans decided to fight back by raiding the ranches, stealing stock and burning out the ranchers. The governor of Texas reformed the Texas Rangers to clean out the bandits.
Lanham Neal was a ranch boss on the Daingerfield Ranch until bandits rode through, burning the place down and killing the ranch owner. Lanham stays on help the rancher's daughter, Zoe, rebuild, but Zoe is more interested in getting revenge than starting over. Will Lanham be able to protect her and avenge her father's death? Will the Ranger's be able to bring order to the Nueces Strip?

[Jeff · Rating 4 out of 5]

Captain’s Rangers (1968)

This is a carefully researched historical western by Elmer Kelton, though, frankly, the evidence of my claim that it’s heavily researched is that the details match the way the story is told in Wikipedia. But this was written 30 years before Wikipedia, so it must be carefully researched. The frame story is a standard young hero fights for the daughter of a murdered rancher and protects her from the old goat who killed his first wife for her land. But it’s 1875 in the south Texan Nueces Strip where racial tensions dating back to before the Alamo are still raging. So Lanham Neal ends up joining the famous and infamous Captain Leander McNelly and his rangers who have been commissioned to bring peace to the territory. McNelly, here, is a religious consumptive who believes in Duty. As far as I can see, Kelton didn’t write any real bad books, and this one is quite strong.

[Jeff Dickison · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book about the taming of the Nueces Strip, just north of the Rio Grande. Kelton weaves appropriate historical facts in with his fiction and always makes it interesting. Highly recommended to western fans.

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

For me to give a western a 5 star rating is a think that does not happen very often. Thes had unusual characters, an unusual plot and was a pleasure to read. I just ordered 15 more of the authors books on ebay.

[J.R. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kelton is rated among the top writers of Westerns and I have to agree. In this particular book he takes historical fact and makes of it an interesting and fast-moving story.

[Dave · Rating 3 out of 5]

In my opinin ElmerKelton is one of the best writers of westerns we have today. He has a real way of painting the scene in his books I like his characters and they heroic but also belivable people.

[Don · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wished every state had an author like Elmer Kelton.

[Stan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great Kelton western. Almost reads like the border troubles have never changed even to our present day. Maybe we need another Captain McNelly today.

[Richard · Rating 3 out of 5]

Typical Kelton a well told story brisk and conclusive. I liked it.