San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1897-11-04
Col. J. 5. FOQ[d
Death Of The Famous Texas
Veteran.
Short Sketch Of His Busy LIES
Career And Mention of Services
To His Adopted State,

The historian of Texas early days is
no more. Col. John S. Foard, one of the
bravest defenders of the Lone Star
state, in her early struggles, and who
survived to depict in graphic prose the
history of those turbulent times, is
dead. After a struggle of many weeks
with successive strokes of paralysis,
his sturdy frame, weakened by his adj
vanced years, succumbed to the newt
able and at 1920 o'clock last night, at
the home of his daughter, Mrs. Joe
w. Maddox, No. S22 King William
street, he passed away surrounded by
his loved ones.
Col. rip Ford as his comrades in
arms loved to term him for his deeds
of daring in the Texas-Indian wars,
was born in South Carolina in 1915 and
came to Texas in 1886. He was atract-
ed to Texas through it's struggle for in
dependence. His first service was
against the Cherokee Indians under
Chief Bowles, who were depredating
the country in the neighborhood of
Nacogdoches.
He spent part of his time in the field
against the Indians and part at home
providing for his family until 1874,
when he was elected a member of
the Congress of the Republic Of Texas.
Here his patriotism was strongly man
ifested. He fought stubbornly against
the efforts of the English diplomats
who sought to prevent the annexation
of the young republic to the United
States and to induce Texas to enter in
to a commercial alliance with England.
Already conspicuous for his opposition
to England in these matters, he achiev-
ed further prominence in the special
session of the Texas Congress in 1S45,
by the Introduction of the bill in favor
of annexation to the great American
commonwealth.
The Mexican war followed and in
1S47 and 1S4S he served as adjutant in
Col. Hayes regiment operating bet
ween Vera Cruz and the City of Mexi-
co. At the close of the war he was
mustered into the United States army
as captain of the volunteers. In 1850
he organized a scout of forty men and
then began the memorable Indian
fighting career of Col. Rip Foard, the
Indian fighter" In the few years OF
fighting which followed up and down
the Rio Grande valley, are crowded
battles, brushes and thrilling incidents
without number. His services in this
connection were rounded off with his
brilliant work in the famous Cortinas
war in 1859 and 1860, resulting in the
breaking up of this notorious bandits
force and chasing the bandit himself,
into the mountains of Mexico.
Then followed Col. Foard's service in
the Confederate war. and his peaceful
pursuits up to the time of his death
last night
Col. Foard was the author of many
true tales of Texas early days and was
engaged in writing an autobiography
of himself, which will be valuable to
Texas historians, up to the date when
his fatal illness seized him.
The funeral will take place this af-
ternoon at o'clock under the fraternal
auspices of Anchor lodge, A. F. and A.
M, and Albert Sydney Johnston camp,
Confederate Veterans. Interment will
take place in the Confederate Veter-
ans cemeteries. The honorary pail
bearers will be Col. Geo. w. Bracken-
ridge, Maj. John A. Green, Wash Tong,
Col c. Epson, Bone Stevenson and
Capt. VIM. McMaster.
The active pall-bearers will be select
ed from among the Masonic fraternity