The Washington times., 1911-08-27
COMRADES IN ARMS
WILL BEAR VETERAN
FIGHTER TO GRAVE
Sergeant Ford, "Old War
rior," Saw Indian and
Civil War Service.

The funeral of Sergt Patrick Ford,
seventy-nine years old, founder of
three posts of the Grand Army of the
Republic, a guard of President Lin
coin during the civil war, and one of
the prominent veterans in the Sol
diers Home, who died yesterday at
the Soldiers Home, where he had
been gateman for twenty years, will
be held at the Park road gate lodge
tomorrow morning at 10 o'clock. In
terment will be in the Home Gene
terry. The services will be under the
direction OF the Henry Wilson Post,
G. A. r., and the pallbearers will be
old comrades. His long service gain
ed for him the title of "Old Warrior"
Sergeant Ford's first enlistment was
In 1882. when he went with the Third
United States Infantry across the
sands CT the old Santa Fe trail to a
post in New Mexico. where numerous
battles with the Apache Indians were
fought. In one of these conflicts he
was seriously wounded: on another
occasion during a forced march his
command had only rice and a few
beans for seven days.
Re-enlisted for War.
Re-enlisting in Washington in an
other company at the outbreak of the
civil war, he was in command of a
squad of eighteen men who patrOlled
the headquarters of Gen. Winfield
Scott, his command later being de-
tailed 20 maintain the strict guard at
the front of the White House. chal-
longing all visitors to the grounds.
He was again transferred, and with
the Army of the Potomac, under Gen
erals Mcdowell. Mcclellan, Burnside
Pope, and Hooker, saw many hard
battles. At Antetam he was wound
ed again, later being captured and
sent to the Belle Isle Confederate
prison. In a journal which he kept
he tells of what he saw in Belle ISLE
and in Libby prisons, where he also
was incarcerated. After being ex-
changed he was made a sergeant and
saw service until the close of the
war, at which time he was transfer
red to California. From there he was
sent to Alaska, in 1861. and was one
of the command that took formal
possession of that Territory for the
United States. At the Soldiers Home
It was said he was the sergeant who
lowered the Russian flag and raised
the United States flag at the cere-
monies. His family was with him in
Alaska. and one OF his children, born
there in 1857. is said to have been
the first white child born in Alaska
under the American flag.
Organized Three Posts.
Receiving his discharge, he returned
TO the States, and soon thereafter was
admitted to the Home. He organized
q G. A R post in Vancouver. Wash,
and organized Barrett post. in Pres
Cott. AriZ. At the soldiers Home he
organized Henry Wilson post and was
its commander many terms. Since
1891 he has been keeper of the Park
road gate to the Home grounds, and
his figure was a familiar Ole about
the Home and to thousands of visi-
tors.
Sergeant Ford met the woman he
afterward married, while she was
serving as army nurse for the sani-
tary commission, and he was lying
wounded in a New York Hospital
They were married soon after the
close Of the civil war. Beside his
widow, Mrs. AClestine Ford, he is sur
Vivcd by a daughter, Mrs. Katherine
Perkins. of Washington, and two sons
and a daughter in Arizona.