Roll of Honor
Incident
Ranging companies were established after Texas gained its independence from Mexico in 1836 to protect citizens from raiding Indians and lawlessness. On August 5, 1841, Ranger Captain Eli Chandler, like the other commanders on the northern frontier of the Republic of Texas, believed there was a major Indian village somewhere on the upper Brazos or Trinity. Chandler's Robertson County Rangers met the Milam County Minute Men, led by Captain George Erath, at the lone village Captain Chandler had just discovered. The Rangers moved up the Brazos River, but they found no trace of any Indian settlement or camp, and the expedition camped on the upper edge of the Cross Timbers, their supplies exhausted.
During the wait, Indians were seen near the ranger camp and Captain Erath. Twenty men went to track them. He split his party into two squads, and one of them soon picked up a fresh trail. Following these prints, Captain Erath came upon a party of either Cherokee or Kickapoo, who opened fire at close range from atop a rock cliff, killing Private A. T. Smith, and grazing several other men. Ranger sniping killed two Indians and may have wounded others. The other ranger squad arrived, having heard the shots, and shortly reinforcements came in from the main ranger camp. A ranger charge carried the cliff, but the Indians slipped away in the woods, taking their dead and wounded.
Private Smith’s brother and nephew served on the same expedition and carried his body away from the battlefield to bury him in an unmarked grave. Smith had enlisted on Aug. 2, 1841 in the Milam County Minute Men and served only 3 days before being killed.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife, Elsie Parks Smith, and six children.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-TX-0D01E27D- Stewardship
- Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
- Added to badge.nw
- April 2, 2026
- Last updated
- July 23, 2026
Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.
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Tributes
185 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 Abram Trigg 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. Abram Trigg Smith's cause is highlighted.
How Abram Trigg Smith Compares
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Abram Trigg Smith is highlighted in Aug.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Abram Trigg Smith was killed by rifle.
Others Who Wore This Badge
121 officers from Texas Rangers are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
