FORT CHADBOURNE, AN OUTPOST OF THE FRONTIER - Coke Co, TX
by  Vetal Flores

Submitted 4 Jun 2000 by Mary Love Berryman - marylove@tyler.net

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Fort Chadbourne was established October 28, 1852, on Oak Creek, a 
tributary of the Colorado River, some seven miles southeast of the 
present town of Blackwell, Texas.  The United States was ever 
expanding westward as the population increased and imigrants surged in 
from the Old World.  The frontiersmen and homesteaders inevitably became 
engaged in a bitter dispute with the Indians over one main subject:  the 
question as to who had the right to the land.  The government saw that 
its people needed protection thus over a thousand forts were built west 
of the Missouri River.

Ft. Chadbourne was one of these forts on the exterior line of defense in 
Texas along with Fort Belknap on the Brazos River, Fort Phantom Hill on 
the Clear Fork of the Brazos River, Camp Cooper in Throckmorton County, 
and Fort McKavett In Menard County.  Along this line protection was 
offered for a part of the famous Butterfield Trail a route by which both, 
men and mail could move 2,795 miles in twenty-four days.

Indians constantly prowled the route for two reasons:  to see whether or 
not articles moving on the Butterfield Trail would be of any value to 
them and to keep an eye on troop movements.  The now famous Cynthia 
Ann Parker; dressed as an Indian but, hiding her light hair under a 
sunbonnet, often begged bread at the Fort.

The short life span of Fort Chadbourne was marked with killings and 
violence.  In the middle 1850's two soldier mail carriers were waylaid,
tied to a tree, and burned to death.  Major Seth Eastman, Commander of 
the Fort, summoned the thirteen Indian tribal leaders of the area to 
the Fort for questioning.  While the Commander talked with the Indians,
an infantry company drilled in the background.  As the inquiry continued,
the company of soldiers drilled closer and closer.  The Indians denied 
having anything to do with the killings; however, Major Eastman noticed
that under one of the Indian's blankets only partially concealed was a
gun owned by one of the slain soldiers.  The trooper's name was engraved 
on the brass of the stock.  He also noticed that a piece of paper used 
to make a cigarette by another one of the Indians was a part of a letter
carried by the dead soldier. Major Eastman arrested the Indians who 
turned to flee.  Nine Indians were killed in their tracks.  The Chief
rushed into the Commander's quarters and barred the door firing through
it at any noise on the outside.  Lieutenant C. W. Jones ordered his 
men to ram down the door with a rail and rushed in as the door splintered.
He shot the Indian Chief through the head as he rose from behind a table 
to fire at him.

Not all the incidents at Fort Chadbourne were as bloody as this incident.
Some were examples of the humor of the frontier.  In 1858 the Indians
raided the mail station which was only a short distance from the Fort.
They were unhappy about the poor quality of the loot, so they took all 
the livestock, stripped the blankets from the beds, and told the station
keeper that if his stock was no better in thirty days he would be killed.
The soldiers at the Fort did not take the Indians seriously, but true to
their word, they returned one month later, burned down the mail station,
while the station crew had to fight their way to safety.

Another incident deals with a soldier partaking of the local spirits. 
One beautiful, bright moonlight night in September, 1855, soldiers were
awakened by the sounds of someone groaning and calling for help.  After a
short search they found a soldier by the name of Mattock who had been
over the creek to the hut of a Dutchman who sold liquor.  Having filled
up on the local moonshine, he was on his way back to the Fort.  As he
crossed Oak Creek, five or six Comanchees waylaid him.  When Mattock was 
found by his fellow comrades in arms, they rushed him to the hospital.  
He literally bristled like a porcupine with fourteen arrows in his body.  
Three had feathers and pulling the shaft through the man's body.  However,
in two weeks time, Mattock was seen walking around with little or no ill
results of the incident.

Fort Chadbourne was captured by the Confederate Army during the Civil War.
Under the directions that came from Robert E. Lee the fort became a 
rendezvous for Confederate troops.

In 1867 Fort Chadbourne was abandoned.  It was garrisoned from time to 
time as a picket post for the protection of the mail line that connected
the chain of defense.  It was also used as a base for operations against
the Indians and escorts for surveying parties sent out on the frontier
by the government.  It was during one of these garrisons that a sergeant
with ten men escorting a pay-master from Fort Chadbourne was attacked by
a large band of Indians, and after a sharp engagement the Indians were 
driven off.

Fort Chadbourne was turned into a subpost in 1871 in order to facilitate
troop movement that were designed to keep back Indians headed toward the
settlements.  It was garrisoned by a company of infantry and a detachment
of cavalry who were relieved monthly.  Scouts from the Fort went out and
kept the vicinity fairly well under control.

The Fort was abandoned permanently in the middle 1870s.  Little remains
of the Fort today.  The walls of some of the buildings are still intact
The infantryman's barracks are being used as cow sheds.  The hospital
is intact needing little more than a new roof.  The Fort is on the 
privately owned ranch of Conda O. Richards.

The Old Fort's impact can still be noticed.  The country around Fort 
Chadbourne was settled by soldiers who liked what they saw and brought
their families to the country when they were mustered out of the army.
These people brought with them their customs and ideals.  One of these
customs wa a Saturday night dance which continued well into the 1960s.
Although we question some of the actions of the men who lived and died
at Fort Chadbourne, the fact remains that only the strongest survived,
and through their sacrifice we are proof of that fact today.

SOURCES:  Hart, Herbett M. "Old Forts of the Southwest". New York:
                Superior Publishing Company, 1964

          Rister, Carl Coke.  "The Southwestern Frontier 1865-1881.
                Cleveland:  Arthur Clark Company, 1928

Copied from "Stalkin' Kin," Vol. 1, No. 3 & 4 - page 65-66
by Mary Love Berryman, marylove@tyler.net.  
Used with permission by the San Angelo Genealogical and Historical Society