Ford arrived in Texas in June 1836, too late to participate in the
Texas Revolution. He served in the Texas army until 1838. He opened a medical practice in the east Texas town of
San Augustine, where he practiced for eight years. He also studied law and passed the bar exam before winning election to the Texas legislature in 1844, advocating annexation by the United States. The following year he moved to
Austin where he purchased the
Texas National Register, renaming it the
Texas Democrat. When the
Mexican–American War began, Ford enlisted in
John Coffee Hays' regiment of
Texas Mounted Rifles. He was promptly appointed a lieutenant and served as an adjutant and medical officer. Ford saw active duty with his regiment in Mexico, commanding a scout company for part of the time. Ford received the nickname 'Rip' for his peculiar inclusion of "
Rest in peace" after each name when composing his company's casualty lists. In 1849, with
Robert Neighbors, Ford explored the country between
San Antonio and
El Paso and published a report and map of the route, which became known as the Ford and Neighbors Trail. Later the same year, he was made captain in the
Texas Rangers and was stationed between the
Nueces River and the
Rio Grande, where he had numerous fights with Native Americans during 1850 and 1851. In 1850, he captured the war chief
Carne Muerto, a son of
Santa Anna. After his Ranger unit was disbanded, Ford participated in
Jose Maria Jesus Carbajal's Merchant's War (1851-1852) as a colonel. In 1852, Ford was elected to the Texas Senate, bought the
Southwestern American, and established the
State Times in 1853, which he sold in 1857. Early in 1858, he accepted a commission as Senior Captain in the state troops and defeated hostile Native Americans in the
Battle of Little Robe Creek on the
Canadian River. Late in 1859, he was sent to the Rio Grande by Governor
Hardin Richard Runnels at the head of 53 state troops (Texas Rangers), where he joined operations with Captain
George Stoneman of the
2nd Cavalry and Captain Tobin's Texas Rangers against
Juan Cortina in the
Battle of Rio Grande City. ==American Civil War==