Roll of Honor
Incident
Private J. G. Wood enlisted in Company C of the Frontier Battalion of the Texas Rangers on April 28, 1885 under the command of Captain George Schmitt. The rangers were troubled with fever and illness, which resulted from high water caused by heavy rains. Many men were sick from exposure to the weather and having to swim the rivers. After only 15 days of service, Private Wood became ill and died. Captain Schmitt received a very terse letter from Captain John O. Johnson of the Adjutant General’s office in Austin regarding expenses incurred by the company while on recent duty in Fredericksburg, including the cost to bury Private Wood. Captain Schmitt replied on June 13, 1885, which reads in part, "I don't make any unnecessary Expence [sp] and do not allow my men to make any, and if the State can not pay any expence [sp] to live decently I will have to quit. I am not to blame for the expence [sp] of Wood, I was not in camp when he died, he died while in the service of the State and if only one day, the State are compelled to pay the burial Expence [sp]…I stopped $16.00 all pay due him as part of payment on burial Expence [sp] and the balance to be paid by the State is only $26.05. Lt. Grimes contracted and bought coffin and C. and it was my duty to settle it." On June 22 a second ranger, Private William M. Bohanon, became ill with typhoid fever and died on July 2.
Private J. G. Wood enlisted in Company C of the Frontier Battalion of the Texas Rangers on April 28, 1885 under the command of Captain George Schmitt. The rangers were troubled with fever and illness, which resulted from high water caused by heavy rains. Many men were sick from exposure to the weather and having to swim the rivers. After only 15 days of service, Private Wood became ill and died. Captain Schmitt received a very terse letter from Captain John O. Johnson of the Adjutant General’s office in Austin regarding expenses incurred by the company while on recent duty in Fredericksburg, including the cost to bury Private Wood. Captain Schmitt replied on June 13, 1885, which reads in part, "I don't make any unnecessary Expence [sp] and do not allow my men to make any, and if the State can not pay any expence [sp] to live decently I will have to quit. I am not to blame for the expence [sp] of Wood, I was not in camp when he died, he died while in the service of the State and if only one day, the State are compelled to pay the burial Expence [sp]…I stopped $16.00 all pay due him as part of payment on burial Expence [sp] and the balance to be paid by the State is only $26.05. Lt. Grimes contracted and bought coffin and C. and it was my duty to settle it." On June 22 a second ranger, Private William M. Bohanon, became ill with typhoid fever and died on July 2.
Many decades ago Private Wood you gave the ultimate sacrifice and never forgotten. Rest in peace.
Rabbi Lewis S. Davis May 13th, 2025
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- July 23, 2026
Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.
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Tributes
141 years is a long time for a name to go unread. Not today.
Private Wood 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 J. G. Wood is one of 2,974 officers lost to illness connected to their service across the full record of this memorial — 9.1% of all 32,508 officers honored here.
In TX, 204 of 2,421 officers were lost to illness connected to their service — 8.4% of this state's fallen. That is 0.7 percentage points below the national rate of 9.1%.
At Texas Rangers, 7 of 122 officers on record were lost to illness connected to their service — 5.7% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Illness compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. J. G. Wood's cause is highlighted.
How J. G. Wood Compares
When Illness Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Illness deaths across the full memorial record. J. G. Wood is highlighted in May.
Others Who Wore This Badge
121 officers from Texas Rangers are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
