Originally published in 1900 as Early Settlers and Indian Fighters of Southwest Texas, this volume has been praised by reviewers for more than a century. J. Frank Dobie said it is "meaty with the character of ready-to-fight but peace-seeking Texas pioneers." Joe B. Frantz, renowned Texas historian, wrote: "Sowell has a feature writer's eye for a good story and his sensitivity for change of pace and mood." The author was a native of Texas, a Texas Ranger who used a pen as well as he used his gun. His readable volume describes Indian fights and the activities of famous Texas Rangers in detail. Included in these accounts are first-hand recollections of Texas Rangers Bigfoot Wallace and Benjamin F. Highsmith and Mrs. Hannah Berry's description of her encounters with Davy Crockett and Josiah Wilbarger. The reprint edition is a replica of the original 1900 volume, complete with a new index added when State House Press published the book as Texas Indian Fighters in 1986.