Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1888-03-25
HEROES OF TEXAS,
Colonel Francis W johnson.

Colonel Frsncis W. Johnson was born
in Loudon county, Virgins, October 5,
1893 He srrived in Texas from Mis-
souri,, landing where Lynchburg now is
(uesr the battle ground Of San Jacinto)
In the month of August, 1926, and in 1928
he surveyed of the town Of Harrisburg.
In 1880 was surveyor in Ayish district. In
1881 Colonel Johnson was elected Alcalde
I OF the jurisdiction of Austin, and
served during the year. His jurisdiction
WAS bounded on the east by the dividing
ridge between the San Jscinto and Trinity
river, on the south by the Gulf OF
Mexico, on the west by the Labaca river,
ana b. the western boundary of DeWitts
colony, and on the north by the "Ssp
Antonio or Kings Road" Colonel John
son was elected to command the colonists
who collected on the Trinity river below
Liberty, to march against the military at
Anahuac, who had imprisoned the AIcalde
Of Liberty, and had arrested W. B.
Travis, Patrick G. Jack, Sam Allen and
Monroe Edwards, without cause, and IN
June, 1882, the military surrendered to
Colonel Johnson the prisoners, and the
civil authority was restored. His COM
psny was known es"J ohoson's COWBOYS. ;"
In 1855, at the siege OF San Anto.
MO, he was Adjutsnt General under Cen
eral Stephen F. Austin, and after General
Austin's resignation, Path of November,
1885, and the election of General Edward
BurlesoD, Colonel johnson was his Adiu-
isn't General. On the 9TH of December
Colonel Benjamin K. Milan, with q force
of 800 men, storned the fortified town Of
San Antonio in two divisions; one divi-
sion was commanded by Colonel J Johnson,
and on the morning of the 7th Colonel
MI am WAS killed, and Colonel Johnson
continued the fight till the morning Of the
9 b, when General Martin Perfecto de Cos
raised the white flag at the Alamo fort,
anc on the 10th capitulation was entered
into, and General Cos in effect surren-
dered.
Colonel Johnson WAS in command at
San Patriotic on the Nueces in the spring
OF 1886, when it was attacked by General
Urres, and he escaped with Judge Toler
and two others, the balance of the COM
mand were killed or captured.
1t seems that the Mexican citizens of
the place had been notified of the aB-
proach of Urres, and advised to keep
lights burning in their houses, so that
their friends might not interrupt them.
AS 1t happened, thst night, Johnson was
writing till late hour, and had by this
means, he, and two or three companions
escaped, and made their Wsy safely into
the interior of Texas.
l have always been of the opinion that
the victory achieved at San Antonio by
the Texans, led by Milan and Johnson, in
effect won the independence of Texas,
Which.was sealed by the great victory won
on April q, 1886, at San Jacinto, and
there are now living only about twelve or
thirteen OF the 301, all told, who stormed
Ssn Antonio under Milan and johnson,
and so far ss know there are less than
100 Of the San Jscinto men on earth of the
1888 reported by General Sam Houston to
President Burnett as having participated
In the eVentful battle Of San Jacinto.
Colonel johnson died at Aguas Calien-
ties, in Mexico, on the 9Th of April, 1884,
and hope the Legislature will make the
necessary appropriations to have the
remains Of Colonel johnson brought back
to Texas and inferred at the cemetery at
the state capital.
Colonel Johnson for several years be-
fore his death was engaged in writing a
history of Texas from the year 1920, to
the time Of annexation to the United !
States in 1S45, and he told me he had |
over 5000 pages of foolscap paper written |
Colonel Swisher, Judge Terrell, Judge |
Lee and Judge Weet-Colonel Johnson |
told me would be lis ext cutors and have |
lis history published l nope some &C.
ion will be taken to have Golonel John
sons manuscript published in book form,
md then we will have a truthful history
If Texas up to the time Of annexation.
We cannot more appropriately close
his short sketch than by appending Ms
or Joe 81. Stewards eulogy on the life
nd character of Colonel johnson, de-
lvered to the Texas Veteran Association
t Dallas, April 81, 1886: |,
iULoGY BY MAJOR JOE h STEWART ON
THE LIFE OF COZ FRANK W. JOHNSON.
Texas Veterans of 1885 and 1856
leroes and soldiers! Ladies and Gen
emen: Having been requested
y your honored president to g,
ddress you upon the subject Of the life r
nd character Of Colonel Frank. W. John
On, Will claim your attention for only
few moments. Notwithstand ding the e
reat disparity of years between us, =
sd the distinguished honor OF ENJOYING
Is friendship and esteem. II one man
In love another, think may truthfully 8
~ such WAS my feeling toward my old .
lend. Frank W. johnson WAS born in
oudon county, In the Old Dominion v
ate, and under the inspiring shadow and
randeur Of the Blue Ridge mountains. q
On the morning of October 8, 1899, lust 7
the god of the morning, in the match !
IS splendor of his glory, arose from his .
I'd in the eastern sea and kissed the '
ountain tops with his liquid, golden g
Us, another bright orb flashed like a :
eteor among the children of men, whose a
sht was destined to shine forth as > II
'acon to the generations of men for all =
me to come. From that glad, rosy n
orning until April 6, 1884, Frank W. p
'hnson was 8 central figure among c
e group of renowned personages Of
at time. Early in life, inspired with II
e love OF adventure, he quit the scenes l
his boyhood and removed to Missouri,
I'd short time after sought the broad
I'd generous plains of Texas, and arrived
're5n the summer OF 1926. AS surveyor s
: