Reviews
"Rick Miller's record for outstanding biographies continues with this superb life of the man who turned rough and tough frontier militias into a highly effective group of men--the Frontier Battalion. John B. Jones and his six companies of Rangers stopped the threat of the Indian raiding parties, reduced significantly the onslaught of raids on Texas ranches and forced a number of feuding families to settle their differences peacefully. Jones and his Rangers forced Texans to respect the law. If any Texan deserves a statue erected in his memory it is Major John B. Jones."-- Chuck Parsons , author of Captain John R. Hughes, Lone Star Ranger and The Sutton-Taylor Feud: The Deadliest Blood Feud in Texas, "Rick Miller's work on John B. Jones should stand as the definitive biography of this key figure in Texas Ranger history. Without the reputation Jones helped to build, the Rangers might not have survived the turn of the twentieth century."-- Mike Cox , author of Wearing the Cinco Peso: The Texas Rangers 1821-1900 and Time of the Rangers: The Texas Rangers 1900-Present, "This is a major contribution to Ranger history. The coverage is complete in every respect, with attention to details gleaned from every conceivable primary source. Miller's research has been prodigious."- Robert DeArment , author of Bat Masterson and the Deadly Dozen series, "Sweeping Texas Ranger histories have long been fodder for non-fiction writers. It is high drama to be sure-Rangers skirmishing with adversaries throughout the Lone Star State during a generically dubbed Wild West Era. Historians' payment of an overdue debt has stood in arrears for years. Although often mentioned in passing, Major John B. Jones, commander of the famed Frontier Battalion has not received his due-until now. Rick Miller, in this rich biography brings Jones out of the shadows, impartially measuring the man and meticulously analyzing his contributions to the State's history. Miller's research is masterful. Miller's writing is clean and crisp. This is Texas Ranger history at its best."- Bob Alexander , author of Rawhide Ranger, Ira Aten: Enforcing Law on the Texas Frontier and Winchester Warriors: Texas Rangers of Company D, 1874-1901, "The Texas Rangers have lived a storied existence since their inception, and author Rick Miller has given us a detailed account of the first years of the Rangers' Frontier Battalion. . . . Perceived as performing well, the Houston Telegram in December 1977 called [Jones] 'the bulwark of the border and the terror of the frontier foragers.'"-- Roundup Magazine, "[U]ntil now no one has written a full length biography of the 'Frontier Battalion's' first commanding officer John B. Jones. That is no longer the case as Texas historian and author Rick Miller has written a fine biography."-- Wild West History Association Journal, "Rick Miller's record for outstanding biographies continues with this superb life of the man who turned rough and tough frontier militias into a highly effective group of men-the Frontier Battalion. John B. Jones and his six companies of Rangers stopped the threat of the Indian raiding parties, reduced significantly the onslaught of raids on Texas ranches and forced a number of feuding families to settle their differences peacefully. Jones and his Rangers forced Texans to respect the law. If any Texan deserves a statue erected in his memory it is Major John B. Jones."- Chuck Parsons , author of Captain John R. Hughes, Lone Star Ranger and The Sutton-Taylor Feud: The Deadliest Blood Feud in Texas, "This is a brilliant book written by one of the best historians in the business, and it is a necessity for anyone interested in the Rangers."-- Journal of South Texas, "This is a major contribution to Ranger history. The coverage is complete in every respect, with attention to details gleaned from every conceivable primary source. Miller's research has been prodigious."-- Robert DeArment , author of Bat Masterson and the Deadly Dozen series, "Sweeping Texas Ranger histories have long been fodder for non-fiction writers. It is high drama to be sure--Rangers skirmishing with adversaries throughout the Lone Star State during a generically dubbed Wild West Era. Historians' payment of an overdue debt has stood in arrears for years. Although often mentioned in passing, Major John B. Jones, commander of the famed Frontier Battalion has not received his due--until now. Rick Miller, in this rich biography brings Jones out of the shadows, impartially measuring the man and meticulously analyzing his contributions to the State's history. Miller's research is masterful. Miller's writing is clean and crisp. This is Texas Ranger history at its best."-- Bob Alexander , author of Rawhide Ranger, Ira Aten: Enforcing Law on the Texas Frontier and Winchester Warriors: Texas Rangers of Company D, 1874-1901, "Rick Miller's work on John B. Jones should stand as the definitive biography of this key figure in Texas Ranger history. Without the reputation Jones helped to build, the Rangers might not have survived the turn of the twentieth century."-- Mike Cox , author of Wearing the Cinco Peso: The Texas Rangers 1821-1900 and Time of the Rangers: The Texas Rangers 1900-Present, "By including the many strategic and sensible decisions that Jones made for the battalion, Miller conclusively supports his objectives of writing a full history of the force and a biography of Jones."-- Southwestern Historical Quarterly, "Rick Miller's work on John B. Jones should stand as the definitive biography of this key figure in Texas Ranger history. Without the reputation Jones helped to build, the Rangers might not have survived the turn of the twentieth century."- Mike Cox , author of Wearing the Cinco Peso: The Texas Rangers 1821-1900 and Time of the Rangers: The Texas Rangers 1900-Present
