WHY a new battery? What issue were you chasing? If the battery had gone dead, it is very likely the issue was the alternator not charging properly (or charging all the time).

Sounds like the alternator has failed. The exact same thing happened to me two weeks ago with my Ranger. $149 tow home, $169 for an alternator and $9 for the right 13mm socket and I was good to go.

OH, and my "Battery light" never came on - the battery light is operated by the alternator, sometimes it comes on when the alternator fails, other times it does not.