James Hobart Ford

James Hobart Ford
James Hobart Ford
Nickname(s)	"Jim"
Born	May 22, 1829; Painesville,Ohio
Died	January 12, 1867(aged 37); Akron,Ohio
Place of burial	Glendale Cemetery, Akron, Ohio
Allegiance	United States of America; Union
Service/branch	United States Army; Union Army
Years of service	1861–1865
Rank	Colonel; brevetbrigadier general
Commands	Ford's Independent Company; 2nd Colorado Volunteer Cavalry; District of the Upper Arkansas
Battles/wars	American Civil War Battle of Glorieta Pass; Battle of Little Blue River; Battle of Westport; Battle of Mine Creek; Battle of Camden Point; Second Battle of Newtonia; Indian Wars

James Hobart Ford(May 22, 1829 – January 12, 1867) was aUnion colonelandbrevet brigadier generalduring theAmerican Civil War,notable for his contributions in theTrans-Mississippi Theaterof the war.

Early life

James Hobart Ford was born in Painesville, Ohio, in 1829. His uncle wasDavid Tod,U.S. Minister to Brazil and governor of Ohio during the Civil War. Much of Ford's early life is unclear, but sometime before 1861 he moved from Ohio to Colorado. He married in May 1850 to Arabella Stambaugh, daughter of John F. Stambaugh and Sara Beaver. They had 4 children, David Tod Ford, James R. Ford, John S. Ford and Sara Stambaugh Ford.

Civil War

New Mexico

Ford became involved in the Civil War when Confederate forcesinvaded New Mexico.ColonelEdward Canbycalled for reinforcements from the nearby Colorado Territory to help in the defense of New Mexico. The people of Colorado responded quickly^[1]and Ford took command of one company raised inCañon Cityand was appointedcaptainon December 21, 1861. This company would be known as "Ford's Independent Company" even though it received an official designation as Company "A", 2nd Colorado Volunteer Infantry Regiment.^[1]

As Ford marched his company towardsFort Union,he absorbed a number of soldiers from the 1st and 4th New Mexico Volunteer Regiments. Upon his arrival at Fort Union, Ford's company was reassigned as Company "G" of the 4th New Mexico Volunteer Regiment. It is likely Ford and his men never styled themselves Company G, as they continued to function independently of either regiment.^[1]

ColonelJohn P. Slough,another Coloradan, arrived at Fort Union and took command of the Union forces there. Slough planned an advance against the approaching Confederate army, assigning Ford and his company to Maj.John M. Chivington's flanking column. In the ensuingBattle of Glorieta Pass,Ford participated in the action near Johnson's Ranch, which captured the Confederate supply train.

Kansas-Missouri

On November 1, 1862, Ford was promoted to major of the 2nd Colorado Infantry. In October 1862 the 2nd Colorado and 3rd Colorado Infantry Regiments were consolidated to form the2nd Colorado Cavalryand on November 5, 1863, Ford was appointed colonel. For much of the war Colonel Ford was stationed in Missouri operating againstbushwackersalong the Kansas-Missouri border.

Price's Missouri raid

In October 1864, Confederate GeneralSterling Priceled a raid into Missouri. GeneralSamuel R. Curtis,commander of the Department of Kansas, began assembling Union forces to oppose Price. Colonel Ford was placed in command of the 4th Brigade inJames G. Blunt's 1st Division of Curtis' newly formedArmy of the Border.^[2]Ford led his brigade into action at theBattle of Little Blue River.His brigade then held the left flank of the Union Army at theBattle of Westportand was heavily engaged in the fighting along Brush Creek. Blunt used Ford's and ColonelCharles R. Jennison's brigades to lead the Federal assault.^[3]After the Confederate defeat at Westport, Ford took part in the Federal pursuit, fighting in the battles ofMine CreekandNewtonia.

Later service and death

On December 12, 1864,President Abraham Lincolnnominated Ford for appointment to the grade ofbrevet brigadier generalof volunteers, to rank from December 10, 1864, and theUnited States Senateconfirmed the appointment on February 14, 1865.^[4]He commanded the District of the Upper Arkansas for the remainder of the war conducting operations against Native Americans fromFort Larned.

Ford was discharged from the Union army on July 19, 1865. Shortly after the end of the war, he returned to Ohio where he died on January 12, 1867, in Akron.

Ford County, Kansaswas named in his honor.^[5]

Notes

^^a ^b ^cAlberts, p. 13.
^Eicher, 2001, p. 239.
^Monnett p. 99.
^Eicher, 2001, p. 745.
^Gannett, Henry (1905).The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States.Govt. Print. Off. pp.128.

References

Alberts, Don E., & Frazer, Donald S.Battle of Glorieta,Texas A&M University Press, July 2000,ISBN 978-1-58544-100-6
Eicher, John H., andDavid J. Eicher,Civil War High Commands.Stanford: Stanford University Press, 2001.ISBN 978-0-8047-3641-1.
Monnett, Howard N.Action Before Westport,University Press of Colorado, 1995,ISBN 978-0-87081-413-6

[multiple-1] Alberts, p. 13.

[2] Eicher, 2001, p. 239.

[3] Monnett p. 99.

[4] Eicher, 2001, p. 745.

[5] Gannett, Henry (1905).The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States.Govt. Print. Off. pp.128.

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