Roll of Honor

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Major

Charles Grandison Bryant

Texas Rangers — Austin, TX

Felonious Veteran →

End of Watch January 12, 1850

Age 47

Tour of Duty 2 yrs

The Vigil Panel 1 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Military Department 121

Incident

Bryant, architect and military adventurer, became a well known builder in Maine and was rising through the ranks of the local militia. He and two fellow militia officers opened a school to train volunteers for the Canadian Rebellion of 1837. He was arrested in July 1838 for breaking the neutrality laws, but jumped bail to prepare for the invasion of Canada. The invasion failed and with Bryant deep in debt he fled to Galveston. He later told people he escaped the day before his execution in Canada. He became a builder and architect and joined the local militia. He served in the Texas militia during the Mexican invasion of Texas in 1842.

By 1849 Bryant, now a major in the Texas Rangers, was mustering officer and commissary for three companies called to respond to Indian depredations on the western frontier. These ranger companies included Captains John S. “Rip” Ford, John G. Grumbles and Charles M. Blackwell. Major Bryant had official business in Austin and left Corpus Christi on horseback on January 12, 1850. After crossing Chocolate Bayou ten miles from Nuestra Señora del Refugio Mission, the Bryant encountered a raiding party of Lipan Apaches. In the skirmish that followed, Bryant was killed. In recognition of his service, the Texas legislature awarded his heirs 640 acres of land in Montague County.

Bryant was survived by his wife and six children. His place of burial is unknown. His son, Andrew Jackson Bryant, was wounded during a Texas naval engagement against Mexico in 1843. Later that year he drowned when his ship sank en route to New York for medical treatment.

Survivors

Bryant was survived by his wife and six children.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-TX-C145FABF
Stewardship: Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw: August 2, 2026
Last updated: August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.

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Tributes

I served 1985 to 1993. You served too, before the badge - different uniform, same idea. You go where you are sent and you do not get to pick the call.
Major Bryant gave the Texas Rangers 2 years.
Thank you for your service to the Austin community. Thank you for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.

— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993

Agency

Department Texas Rangers

Type Other

Location Austin, TX

Platform Identity tr.travis.tx.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch January 12, 1850

Tour of Duty 2 yrs

Age 47

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Unknown weapon

Military Service

Charles Grandison Bryant served in the the United States military before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

Major Charles Grandison Bryant is one of 17,559 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 53.9% of all 32,586 officers honored here.

In TX, 1,460 of 2,421 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 60.3% of this state's fallen. That is 6.4 percentage points above the national rate of 53.9%.

At Texas Rangers, 104 of 122 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 85.2% of this agency's fallen.

Texas Rangers

104

of 122 officers

85.2% Felonious

TX — Statewide

1,460

of 2,421 officers

60.3% Felonious

Nationwide

17,559

of 32,586 officers

53.9% Felonious