John C. Hays
| John Coffee Hays | |
|---|---|
John Coffee Hays
|
|
| Nickname(s) |
|
| Born |
January 27, 1817 Wilson County, Tennessee |
| Died | April 21, 1883 (aged 66) Piedmont, California |
| Place of burial | Mountain View Cemetery, Oakland |
| Allegiance | |
| Service/branch | Texas Ranger Division |
| Years of service | joined Rangers in 1836 |
| Rank | |
| Commands held | 1st Mounted Texas Rifles Washoe Regiment |
| Battles/wars | |
| Other work | Sheriff, politician |
John Coffee "Jack" Hays (January 28, 1817 – April 21, 1883) was a captain in the Texas Rangers and a military officer of the Republic of Texas. Hays served in several armed conflicts from 1836–1848, including against the Comanche people in Texas and during the Mexican-American War.
Jack Hays was born at Little Cedar Lick, Wilson County, Tennessee. His father Harmon A. Hays fought in the War of 1812, naming his son for a relative by marriage, Colonel John Coffee.
In 1836, at the age of 19, Jack Hays migrated to the Republic of Texas. Sam Houston appointed him as a member of a company of Texas Rangers because he knew the Hays family from his Tennessee years. Jack met with Houston and delivered a letter of recommendation from then-President Andrew Jackson his great uncle. Rachel Jackson was Jack's great aunt of the Donelson family a relative of his mother.
In the following years, Hays led the Rangers on a campaign against the Comanche in Texas, and succeeded in weakening their power. Jack rode with an Apache Chief named Flacco who led the charge into every battle with him. The duo led and inspired the Rangers. In 1840 Tonkawa Chief Placido and 13 scouts joined with the Rangers to track down a large Comanche war party, culminating at the Battle of Plum Creek.
Later, Hays commanded the force against the invasion from Mexico of 1842. During the Mexican–American War (1846–1848), Hays commanded the First Regiment of Texas Rangers at the Battle of Monterrey, established six companies along the northern and western frontier of Texas. He then commanded the Second Regiment of Texas Rangers in Winfield Scott's Mexico City campaign. Later, while fighting under Gen. Joseph Lane, who was defending the American line of communications with Vera Cruz, Hays defeated superior numbers of Mexican cavalry at the Affair at Galaxara Pass and Mexican guerillas in the Skirmish at Matamoros and the Action of Sequalteplan. The Rangers excelled during this conflict, gaining nationwide fame. Jack was the first to use the Navy Colt Patterson five shot revolver. He expedited Samuel Walker to meet with Samuel Colt which led to the design of the legendary Colt Walker six shot revolver used in the old west.
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