Roll of Honor
Incident
On Saturday, June 12, 1875, Captain L. H. McNelly requested 22 volunteers to intercept a band of Mexican bandits at Palo Alto Prairie, a few miles from Brownsville in Cameron County. D. R. Smith and his son, Berry, were the oldest and youngest rangers in the company. D. R. requested that his son be allowed to stay in camp with him. He told Captain McNelly that Berry was an only child and if he were killed his mother would grieve to death. Berry protested and told the Captain that every boy’s mother in the company would grieve if they were killed.
The rangers battled the bandits in hand-to-hand combat across the prairie. The rangers killed 16 bandits and no rangers were wounded. As they were re-grouping they saw Ranger Spencer J. Adams near a Spanish pond in a field of grass 6-8 feet high. Adams advised the Captain that he and Berry Smith spotted a bandit, who was shot in the fight, crawl off into the grass. Berry Smith volunteered to dismount and go into the grass after him. Adams stayed on his horse to see over the grass and prevent an escape. Adams said the bandit shot Smith and killed him. The rangers surrounded the pond and shot into the grass, killing the bandit.
The bodies of the bandits were taken to Brownsville, and stacked on the town square. At 3:00 p.m. on Sunday, June 13, 1875, McNelly had Smith’s body taken to the city cemetery under military and ranger escort and afforded a full military funeral. Sadly, no marker exists to recognize the heroics of Ranger Smith.
Survivors
He was an only child and was survived by his father and mother.
In Our Keeping
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BO-US-TX-7B14D3BB- Stewardship
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- Added to badge.nw
- April 2, 2026
- Last updated
- July 23, 2026
Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.
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Tributes
151 years is a long time for a name to go unread. Not today.
Private Smith served with the Texas Rangers.
Thank you for your service to the Austin community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Private L. B. Smith is one of 17,623 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 54.2% of all 32,508 officers honored here.
In TX, 1,463 of 2,421 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 60.4% of this state's fallen. That is 6.2 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.
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.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. L. B. Smith's cause is highlighted.
How L. B. Smith Compares
Offender Outcome
killed by fellow rangers
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. L. B. Smith is highlighted in Jun.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. L. B. Smith was killed by handgun.
Others Who Wore This Badge
121 officers from Texas Rangers are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
