Timothy J. McCarty

Texas Rangers — Austin, TX

Felonious

End of Watch January 2, 1878

Age 27

Tour of Duty 1 yrs 3 mo

The Vigil Panel 5 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 121

Incident

On the evening of Tuesday, January 1, 1878, two men who served as teamsters for the rangers, Ben Johnson and George Stevenson, left the ranger camp to attend a dance in town. Stevenson borrowed a pistol from Private McCarty. The two ranger teamsters were confronted by a group of local men who were discharged soldiers from the 10th Cavalry stationed at the fort. When the two teamsters returned to the ranger camp and reported that the men had taken McCarty’s pistol, Lieutenant Reynolds told Sergeant Henry McGhee and Private McCarty to go and get the pistol.

As Sergeant McGhee and Private McCarty approached the dance hall, the men closed the door and defied the rangers to enter. Sergeant Ghee ordered the men to return the pistol and surrender. Sergeant McGhee covered the front door and Private McCarty guarded the back door. George Stevenson was sent to get Lieutenant Reynolds at the camp. Lieutenant Reynolds returned with Privates Tom Gillespie and Dick Harrison. The men again refused to surrender to Lieutenant Reynolds and Reynolds ordered the dance hall cleared of all women and gave the men five minutes to surrender. The women started to scream and the men became demoralized. One of the men poked McCarty’s pistol, muzzle foremost, out of the window and said, “Here come get your damned pistol.” McCarty stepped up and grasped the pistol. The man pulled the trigger and the ball pierced McCarty’s body just below the heart. The rangers opened fire killing three men. One man escaped in the confusion.

McCarty lingered until 1:20 a.m. on Wednesday, January 2, 1878, when he died. He was reportedly buried at Fort McKavett, located 20 miles southwest of Menard, in Menard County. McCarty had enlisted as a private in Company F on June 4, 1875 and served until June 4, 1875. He re-enlisted as a private in Company A on September 10, 1877. No information as to whether he was married or had any children.

Pvt. McCarty, On today, the 138th anniversary of your death I would like to say thank you for your service and sacrifice for the citizens of the state of Texas.

R.I.P. USBP

Anonymous United States Border Patrol January 2nd, 2016

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-TX-2E379A73
Stewardship: Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw: August 2, 2026
Last updated: August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

Are you family? This record can be claimed and maintained by those who knew Timothy. Claim this record.

This page is permanent and free. No fee to view it, no advertising, no tracking, and no account required. It will not be taken down.

Tributes

148 years is a long time for a name to go unread. Not today.
Private McCarty gave the Texas Rangers 1 year.
Thank you for your service to the Austin community. Gone but never to be forgotten.

— 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 2, 1878

Tour of Duty 1 yrs 3 mo

Age 27

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Handgun

Private Timothy J. McCarty is one of 1 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 0% of all 97,772 officers honored here.

In TX, 1,461 of 2,422 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 60.3% of this state's fallen. That is 60.3 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

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

1,461

of 2,422 officers

60.3% Felonious

Nationwide

of 97,772 officers

0% Felonious