New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1873-09-05
Fort Sill.

A correspondent of the Philadelphia eve
| ming telegraph furnishes the following in.
terestn sinforma ton concerning the mlli-
tary IDst in the Indian Territory, which a
stage 1river-J ohnson, we presume-ot
Waco. oexas, recently reported as having
been catured by the Indians and the troops
massacnd. The fa'sity of the rumor has
since ben demonstrated, bUt the annexed
report islevertheiess interesting:
Fort Sll can be used as ten-company 2
post, andis one of the largest in the coun-
try. The te was located hy General Sher.
idan. in 1885, and the fort was erected by
the Tenth Cavalry. under command of
General Gierson. It is built of stone from
quarrles OF the post reservation. and is
neatly and Substantially built. 1t is sixty
five miles meth OF the Texas border. N tile
southwest crner Of the territory. The
nearest elecric station is that Of Boggy
Station. on tie Missouri, Kansas and Texas
railroad, $50 niles to the eas5. Tie troops
stationed thee at present are five c0nl-
panies OF the Tenth Cava'rT. b. G, H, X
and NJ, one company of the Eleventh, and
two of the Twnty fifth Infantry, with the
headquarters { the Tenth Cavalry, Lieu
tenat Colonel Lvidson ntommandius
The word fot means nothing, in the
sense OF fortresSr prominent tortlfication.
The buildings ae arranged to form tour
sides OF sauae. called parade, from
which it is iinmetately separated by car
rage read, each sic being in length about
equal TO one OF oU long city blocks. This
is the post proper, 7hle the post reserva-
ton includes from twenty-four to thirty
square miles, upo. which are scattered
traders stores. the adiau agency and per-
tanning buildings, hav ricks, grazing
patches. vegetable ardens, etc. The post
proper IS very nealy in the centre of a
square formed by CAGE creek and it's trib-
uraries, the main stram running east to
the Northwestern corne then coursing due
south. Within this OUR natural obstacle
are placed at some disance from the cor
ners OF the post proper Sail inclosed works
OF earth, having Gatlig guns howitzers
and Napoleons. The sizes of the square
formed by the buildings ae due north and
south, east and west. The ,arlacks form the
west side, the company ChcQs, quarters
the east, field and staff quarte sehe north,
while the south side is compose of three
large and three small buildings. The quar-
termaster stoTehouse is the eas.rn head
quarter Offices and post library te centre,
while the western is used bv thaComnlis-
sary Department. The gu2rlGousis south
of the latter, band barracks of IT, centre
building and smltlery of the quaier1nas-
ter's s,orehouse. The garrison grlrd on
ordinary occasions is composed OF w com
missioned officers, three non-commi+oned.
officers and twenty lone men. Besid, thi9
guard there Is constant lookout lport
from signal station on top of Mount Sott
This mountain Is tbs highest in the line
diate vicinity, be@1g about 1890 feet alive
the plain. From the stationLOuse on its sln-
NIT can readily be discovered, on chr
day. parties moving at q distance from toy
to sixty miles. Tue post proper. at nlgi,
IS lnclosed bye Gordon of seven sentlnei
The company stables have Il constai
stable guard and the Indian agency ha
an especial detail for its protection.
The day would have TO be very rnurkI
and the night exceedingly dark, the torc'
the entire fighting population of the terri
tory. and their holiness beyond anythin!
previously developed. to have captured tht
post by regular attack. IL might, possibly
one chance in a thousand, happen to b.
executed by treachery and surprise, bu
such a concerted movement, engaging th'
number OF Indians necessary for its success
tul elimination, could hardly have takel
place without some knowledge, deinita o
rumored coming to the military. The.
have been in the country since 1868, an
know their danger. 1t is mora than proba
bic that the story was started to incite mol
law along the route Satanta and Big Ire
should be travelling at this time, on thei
journey to Fort Sill, to be present at the al
preaching council.