Copyright © 2004 by Carol R. McIntyre
All rights reserved.
LOCATION: 173rd Brigade Memorial Highway (formerly State
Hwy 173), between Kerrville and Bandera, just south of the Bandera-Kerr
County line. As you drive down 173, you?ll see a high and narrow,
V-shaped natural erosion cut in the limestone ridge, measuring roughly
100 yds. wide by 500 yds long by 50-75 ft. high. A State of Texas
Historical Marker is on the west side of the highway.
BATTLE OF BANDERA PASS
Happened in the spring of 1841, 11:00 a.m. (some reports place Battle
in 1843) at a time in history when pioneers were settling on the Texas
frontier. The Republic of Texas gave Captain John Coffee Hays authority
to protect Texans from Indian attacks. At Bandera Pass the Indians
ambushed Hays and 40 Rangers, but the Rangers? Colt Paterson Five-Shot
Revolvers turned the attack into a bloody battle that ended in a bitter
retreat for the Comanches.
GRAVE SITE LOCATION - SOUTH END
Grave sites are located at the lower
south end of the Pass (Bandera end) near where a large water hole was at
the time of burial.
FOUR (4) TEXAS RANGERS, NAMES UNKNOWN
TEXAS RANGER LEE JACKSON
GRAVE SITE LOCATION - NORTH END
Grave site is located near the upper
north end of the Pass (Kerrville end), through the mountains.
Rocks are covering the grave.
COMANCHE CHIEF, NAME UNKNOWN
UNKNOWN BURIAL SITES - WARRIORS MOVED
TO OTHER LOCATION(S)
100 ± COMANCHE WARRIORS
The graves are on private property and
are not accessible to the public.