The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-11-09

Erp,st,s or tns late Gel. sehu .. Fora In per-
der warfare.

in tho Granville district Of South Carolina on
May 25, 1915, his father removed with his
family to Tennessee In 1877, and there Col. Ford
resided until .ho was 81 years old. Early in
1896 his zeal was aroused by the struggle for
independence in Texas, and he recruited a COM
pany, in advance Of which no came to Texas, |
reaching the scene OF action too late to particle
pate in tho battle Of San Jacinto. In ls38-7-s
no rendered military service TO Texas, conduct
ing campaigns al various times against the In
dams and never making a fight without win
ming. In one ski-mish with the Comanches he,
Capt. Hays and fifteen other mon charged the
redskins, killing thirty-hvo OF them. In 1s4A
no was elected to tho Congress of the Republic |
Of Texas, and was the FIRST to introduce a bill
for the acceptance Of tho annexation resolution.
Col. Ford settled at Austin in 1sl5, establish |
ing the Texas Democrat. In the following year
he went to tho Mexican war as Adjutant OF Col.
John c. Hays's regiment. After many engage
ments with guerrillas, in tho vicinity OF Vera
Cruz, he was selected to command a company
Of spies. When Gen. Patterson advanced to
the city of Mexico no commanded the front
guard and took an active part In all the subsc-
quent engagements in the Valley Of Mexico. For
gallant services while thus engaged he was
recommended to tho War Department by Gen.
Joe Lane.
In March, 1s49. Col. Ford accompanied Major
Robert 8. Ncighbors in tho expedition to FL
Paso. a valuable report Of which no prepared.
In lsi9 he was made Captain of tho Rangers,
stationed between tho Nueces and the Rio
Grande, and in that and succeeding years he
had many engagements with the Indians. in all
of which he was victor. 1t is related that in
single combat he killed an Indian chief and
captured his little boy. whom no educated, in.
tending that the redskin should make a mark
in the world ~ poaaihla Tho Indian how did
not wait to graduate. Having learned of how
his father died. he quit school, tried to assassi.
nate Col. Ford. and failing in it fled TO the for
est, where he resumed the ways Of his race.
In 1852 COL Ford was elected to the Senate
to succeed Gen. Edward Burclson. and in that
year he purchased the Southwestern printing
establishment. merging it the following year
with the State Times. with Capt. JocWalker, as his
partner. He pursued his editorial labors until
1883. when he was called to the command of the
State troops. In May of that year he was Or
dered to penetrate the Comanche hunting
ground with an expedition consisting Of 100
rangers and Ill friendly Indians. On May IL
he struck the camp of the hostiles. The State
troops charged impetuously. The famous Co.
manche chief. Iron Jacket, who appeared In
full war dress, was killed by a friendly Indian
named Pock Mark. The coat Of mail worn by
this chief is now in the library Of the State Cap
itol., The second chief next advanced and fell
at the end of the village, whereupon the Ran
village. In This contest tho ,Comahches lost
horses, all Of their lodges, buffalo robes, &c,
while the Texans only lost two killed and
During the fall of 1859 Gen. Juan n. Cortina
organized a force in Mexico Rrofesscdly for ser.
H BEawh IN fhst f country A,ef s%s d 5ar ESsniitky to oD 's sSs
morning OF Sept, 80 he pst entered that Ra1" city oi killed iei
six Of its inhabitants, and was preparing TO
draw. by Gen. J. Nj. Carvajal and Col. Miguel
Tijerina. He then waged war without restraint
States mail, burning houses, and shedding
willie he had a decided advantage. 1t took the
citizens three days to march to a fort and three
hours to get home. Cortina slowly moved up the
Rio Grande, devastating the country as he
at the head of a force. OF regulars and Rangers,
who. on Dec. 20, made a forced march with a
Was sies sent foPW ard by by cow GaVu' hu mn L, Got occupy c%py
the road to Roma in advance OF Cortina, with
c clnsig Msns sschan He m Shots s% %i Y sng Rnrty ns Of
threw his force between them and Rio Grande
City: Co: Ford advanced, charged Cor.
my. When Gen. Heintzelman arrived with
and Col. Ford was in pursuit Of Cortina's body
guard; He captured Cortina's artillery and
C%ortina's force in this engagement consisted
Of 900 men; cavalry and artillery, whose defeat
by une-tcltn their NUMBER OF lcSanS shows the
stuff of which the latter was made.
Col. Ford generally judged of a mans mill
,Mry G]maiitiHs BY y his mS. eye. ca a young man wh no
a spirit Of adventure, drifted to Brownsville
and found himself stranded; In the latter con.
six miles south OF the city. and, addressing him
self to the commander, said:
Colonel. I have nothing to do and want to
Il like the color Of your eyes. and will eiye
you an opportunity to distinguish Yourself"
the eyes of the young man. which were steel
gray.
Brownsville with dispatches. Returning, he
captured n noted Mexican desperate, who had
had eiuded the Hangers Wv The ob tGif t%
brought the desperate to the Colonel. who
II don't care to see him."
Come along" said the Ranger, addressing
his prisoner, whom he forced to go in front Of
raj, in which they disappeared. A moment
later a shot was heard. 1t was the death knell
Of the Mexican criminal. The classical young
ported;
IT'S we'll" was the Colonel's reply.
In those days when the road TO civilization
had to be blazed with the six.shooter or carved
with the sword the trial OF desperadoes was
good results.
and then moved down the Rio Grande. occupy.
ing a bend called La Bolsa. thirty-six miles
northwest OF MataInofas, where no intended to
capture. the steamboat Ranchero,. which was
descending the river with a valuable cargo and
100000 In silver coin. Lieut.. LOOMS Lang
don was on board the steamer with a detach-
mcnt OF regulars and StoneInan and Ford
were moving up the river. The steamer was
attacked by, Cortins early in the day. Lang.
don used with good effect two pieces Of artil-
lery which he had mounted on the hurricane
deck, where he constructed a fort out of cotton
bales.
The steamer was driven to shore and tied up
at tho convex extremity Of the bend. while
Cortina commanded tho river above and below
her. He being on the Mexican side, the only
way to save the boat was to dislodge him. A
force having been left with the steamer, forty:
eight Rangers crossed the Rio Grande, gained
a well-covered position, attacked 800 Mexicans,
turned their left flank, charged them, and
drove them from behind u picket fence and
from houses. The loss Of. the Texans was one
killed and three wounded, and that OF Cortina,
as subsequently stated by one of his officers,
twenty-nine killed and forty wounded.
The next fight occurred at La Nosa, where
tho Mexicans had set a trap for tho Rangers.
Official information having been received that
Cortina was In camp there. Capt. .Stoneman
started after him with two companies of cav
airy, and about two hours before day a crossing
was effected. The MexicanS were routed In a