The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1867-06-18
Ar x An 3 AS.


Early History Of Fort Smith-General Zach
TaylOrss Old Headquarters Turned into
Oonvcut-JeH Davis's Elopcment wtth the
Generals Daughter and tho Subsequcnt Re.
conciliasion- escription Of the Present MIL.
itary Post and City-Choico Medley Of views
of Prominent Arkausans on shc Political ait.
uation-A Day Among tho Iudinns and the
Indian War-Dcstitution and Starvation.
FoRr SIXTH, Ark. June 4. 1857.
or dimnutivs sixs irregular in shape, rough stone
wall enclosure three feet thick and SIX feet high
but three buildings inside. for ocers quarto
other the soldiers barracks and the third guardhouse
two small tho only artillery defence. part Of IN
infantry company the garrison and no embrasures or
moat or dravbrdges 70 give impress Of strength and inn
PROBABILITY and Fort Smith, interesting rs u s from It's
past associations and In the fullest sense Historical does
not present very formidable or imposing appearance
Il s very finely situated, however on the south bank Of
the river the ground being high and forming part Of
extended plateau the chief requisite and beauty OF
permanent military post AT two angles Of the walls and
outside arc several buildings belonging the fort which
though showing Heterogeneous mixture Of material and
architecture doubtless fully the purposes for which
they were built connection with the Quartermaster.
Commissary and other departments Fort Smith, az IL
stands was commenced in 1888 by Major Thomas, now
General Thomas, Of the Quartermasters Departments,
and completed years later At tho breaking out OF
the rebellion 1t passed into the hands OF tho rebcs and
was held by Thorn until 1862 when General Blunt then
commanding tho FIRST Division Of the Army Of the From
tier after taking Van Buren,, occupied It with federal
force The enemy however, as will be remembered,
fed without battle, only stopping to burn buildings
containing Confederate stores blow up magazine and
destroy the seamboats the wharf Thor not destroy
ing the fort can only DO attributed 10 their hasty flight
Subsequent the surrender. whom General Hunt, Chief
Of Artillery in the Army Of the Potomac during the war.
md hovo If ha bu
accidentally caught fire and was burned. This
building was counterpart Of tho now occupied by
the oficrs-a two story BRICK buiding hun
dred and Hfy feet long by forty wide, with double
porticoes on the front and rear Its loss was serious
one Is well a. largely de,racsng from the artistic
beauty ana completeness cf ,hs fort The chief
importance now attaching to tho fort Is - the
distributing point for several posts in tho
Indian Territory also throughout the stala It's pre-
sen. garrison consists OF the headquarters aud Company
r. Nineteenth United States infantry Colonel Do Lancey
Floyd Jonse Nineteenth infantry in command assisted
by Captain Charles W. Miner Twenty infantry
A Quartcrmaser, and Lieutenant John O. Leefe Nine
,een,h infantry, Adjutan-all officers who made nne
| and brilliant records for themselves during the war
Everything 10 kept In the finest order uncommon neat
mess and system show themselves iu every department
md the soldiers svince thorough dr and discipline
i sidsrably back Of the dates given
The posi- OF Fort Smith was established a. early a.
| 1918 by Major William Bradford, Of the rinea The
buildings which then constituted the garrison
located ct the junction Of the Poeau and Arkansas
rivers Afterwards the fort abandoned, and new
military post, called Fort Coffee established twenty-five
miles further up tho river In turn this was given ~
and the post reestab'ished herr. was here General
Zachary Taylor had for long time his headquarters,
and Il was likewise the rendezvous OF troops sent TO
Mex leo during the Mexican Wharf.-The barracks they
oupied, though melancholy waste OF ruins, being still
visible. The building which General Taylor had his
headquarters still standing though greatly rcuvenated
aud altered from what II BY the addition OF
story, fresh coat OF paint neat white picket fence and
an octagonh tower with bell inside Instead OF being
occupied for military purposes, however Il Ii used
a. convent-S Annes convent OF the order Of Mercy.
Gering brass buttons snowy epauctts changing swords
and the old fashioned cockade hats imperiousy maes
TIC with waving plumcs have given place TO clustered
cells small, exquisite chapel long sarcedola robe,
and the severely strict toilet Of nuns and In Hen OF
card playing and drinking whskey and the jocund song
and pleasing joke 10 TO be presumed the young on
Gers Of those days INDUCED in these modern pastimes
OF the armyare prayers and penanccs, and counting
beads and rigid exorcsms Of the world Us sfres want
ties, joys, ambitions, and al that On the edge OF an
extensive oak forest 10 snugy sheltered from the
fierce heats OF by the boundless contguiy Of
shade, ~ well a. protected from the rudcr blasts o.
Of most comfortably inviting permanent boarding place
| Tor young ladies'
| Sad, rich and tired Of The world
liza foies and its pride,
Who'd leave the haunts Of buy men,
And all ,hats dear beside.
Adjacent 70 the convent Il original once occupied
hy General Tayior's Adiuaas GsssrsL lei aitls once