Leander H. McNelly: Difference between revisions

| birth_place = [[Follansbee, West Virginia|Follansbee]], [[Virginia]], [[United States]]

| death_place = [[Burton, Texas|Burton]], [[Texas]], [[United States]]

| allegiance = {{flag|Confederate States of America}}

| branch = {{army|Confederate States of America}}Army

Leander H. McNelly was born March 12, 1844, in [[Follansbee, West Virginia|Follansbee]], [[Brooke County, West Virginia|Brooke County]], Virginia (today West Virginia), to P.J. McNelly and his wife Mary Downey. McNelly suffered from consumption as a child, and in 1860 his family moved to [[Texas]] in the hope that the climate would improve his health. In Texas, McNelly helped his family raise sheep and regained his health.<ref>Davis (1985), p. 103.</ref>

McNelly's methods had been questioned throughout the years, and although he recovered many cattle stolen from the Texan [[Ranchranch]]es while aggressively dealing with lawlessness on the Mexican border, he had also gained a reputation of taking part in many illegal executions, and confessions forced from prisoners by extreme means. McNelly also made himself famous for disobeying direct orders from his superiors on several occasions, and breaking through the Mexican frontier for self-appointed law enforcement purposes. His actions proved to be effective, however, and he was responsible for putting an end to the troubles with Mexican bandits and cattle rustlers along the [[Rio Grande]] that were commonplace during the 1850–75 period.

It was in 1875 that McNelly was faced with how to eliminate several [[Mexican people|Mexican]] [[bandit]] gangs. The first of these gang leaders was [[Juan Nepomuceno Cortina]], who had been a General in the Mexican army during the [[Mexican–American War]]. For years Cortina had raided settlements in the [[Brownsville, Texas]], area, always retreating across the Rio Grande to avoid Texas law enforcement. Cortina was from a wealthy family that owned more than {{convert|260000|acre|km2}} of land in that area, which had once included the location of the town of Brownsville. Cortina commanded a force in excess of 2,000 armed Mexican outlaws and [[gunfighter|gunmen]].

McNelly suffered from [[tuberculosis]], and retired in 1876 due to deteriorating health. He died on September 4 of the following year in [[Burton, Washington County, Texas|Burton, Texas]], survived by his wife, Carey Cheek McNelly, and two children. He is interred in Mount Zion Cemetery near Burton.<ref>[https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/7677129 McNelly]</ref>

In an episode of the radio show, “Inheritance” Captain McNelly (misspelled as McNally) is played by Lloyd Talbott in an episode dramatizing the formation of the Special Forces unit of the Texas Rangers. The Original Radio Broadcast aired June 13, 1954. (<ref>https://www.greatdetectives.net/detectives/inheritance-the-texas-rangers/)</ref>

In the episode of the TV show ''[[Kung Fu (1972 TV series)|Kung Fu]]'' entitled "Empty Pages of a Dead Book" (1974) actor [[Robert Foxworth]] portrays a fictionalized son of Captain McNelly, Clyde McNelly, who tracks down men who at one time were pursued by the elder McNelly.{{Citation needed|date=January 2013}}