Omaha daily bee., 1889-08-11
A LEAF OF EARLY HISTORY.
Fort Calhoun as 1t Was in Other
Days.
WHAT NOW REMAINS OF 1T.
A Graphic Picture OF the Men and
Incidents of One of the Most In
teresting Periods of Ne
brasKa's History.
The Two Calhouns.

grasping young commercial giant living in
the present and for the future.
The other, a pretty, peaceful hamlet in a
quiet vale of surprising loveliness, living on
memory-the things that were, but are not.
Once, Calhoun was the larger Of the two,
and neck to neck with Florence was O
rival for commercial supremacy with the
Gate City.
But all that was unnatural, and has gone
the way of many another dream. To-day
Calhoun, aside from its history, is of i'm
portance principally because wealthy
Omahans, casting about for homes in the
country, look favorably on the northern
suburb.
A few struggling cottages powered in
shade, a weather beaten little church, three
more pretentious mansions, and the small,
old fashioned frame ~hotel-these constitute
the urban side of Florence.
But Calhoun is notable and should be re-
membered, because it antedates all other set
Elements in Nebraska by several years.
Through the courtesy of Judge Crounse,
who Is the happy possessor of a well culti-
waited, park like farm of 500 acres bordering
on the town, the writer was enabled to quote
from a letter written by an army officer
nearly twenty years ago. 1t Is dated at
Omaha barracks, Neb., June IL, 1870. The
writer commences by saying that one of the
most pleasant rides near Omaha, if not the
most pleasant one, is that which leads down
the river, past the barracks aud the town of
Florence, and across the bluffs to the town
of Fort Calhoun, about sixteen miles distant.
every lover of nature" he writes, "must
be delighted with it in this leafy month of
June, when the roads are shaded in many
places by magnificent trees, and the rolling
prairies are clad In their richest garb of
grass and flowers. Upon descending the
hills and coming in sight of the broad plain
upon which the town is situated, a scene of
beauty is revealed which has no equal in
Nebraska, and the fertile plains Of Italy can
furnish nothing to excel it.
THE wide-stretching farms with their
careful cultivation, the deep foliage Of the
trees and the distant blue outlines Of the
hills along the banks of the Missouri, furnish
a picture which enraptures those who gaze
upon 1t for the first time.
but 1T IS not alone the beauty of the
place that renders it attractive. 1t has
Here, fifty years ago, on what Is
the true Council Bluffs, the sixth regiment
of infantry built the first United States fort
west of the Missouri river. 1t stood upon q
bold bluff and the river at that time rolled
its turbid waters close along it's base. Now,
the river is four miles distant and the
ancient channel is filled with a dense
growth OF trees, many of them over a hun
dred feet in height.
Our party" the writer continues, Twas
made up of military men and consisted of
General Palmer, Colonel Bracket, Captain
Munson, Lieutenant lrgens, and several
others, who all felt an interest in the old
and deserted fort, which has gone to decay
and around whose walls the wild flowers
grow, and creeping vines find an abiding
place.
"Half a century since the place was the
scene Of martial deeds where now
repose, and here were cougre-
gated the warriors and leaders of the wild
tribes which roamed over the great prairies
of the west.
at is sad to look on the runs Of bygone
days-to people the scene with the busy act
Ors who have long since rendered up their
account, and a feeling Of melancholy steals
over the mind when we reflect that all Of
and worthy of admiration, here at that time,
has vanished to return no more.
I'm the summer of 1920 Brevet Brigadier-
General Henry Atkinson, colonel of the Sec
ond infantry, took possession of this place
with his regiment and commenced building a
fort. HIS supplies were brought up from
st. Louis, then in fact the nearest settle
ment. This was on the south. Prairie
du Chen, the nearest on the east, and
the Hudson Bay company's fort at Van
couver, ana the Spanish settlement at San
Francisco, the nearest to the westward. 1t
was as far away as can well be well i'm
agined, but it was IN a world Of beauty dur
ing the summer months, and was, all in all,
q mOSU uldRuluCcuu iTOuUleT posi-.
"There were several officers in the regi-
ment who have done good service for their
country and 1t may be well to name them, as
they were, in fact, the first settlers of Ne
braska. General Atkinson had served with
great credit during the war with Great Bri-
tain, in 1Sl2-15. as colonel. He subsequently
commanded the western army at Red Axe
in 1882 and died at jefferson barracks in
June, 1912.
''Brevet Colonel Henry Leavenworth. the
lIaIfnna mt nnINnnl had alup n,x,aC L., th4 x-,.
with Great Britain. and, while commanding
a regiment at the battle of Chippewa, was
severely wounded. He subsequently gained
great distinction"
A long list of the names of the soldiers
now followed.
SIT is probable" the writer continues,
that the only officers in the army who were
regularly stationed here who are now living
are Brevet Brigadier General David II. Vim
ton, assistant quartermasJer general, who
was retired from actice service in 1865;
Brevet Major General George II. Croosman
and Lieutenant Colonel George Andrews.
also retired. They were here from 1923 to
1925.
"While the regiment was here it became
necessary to chastise the Arickaree Indians,
living on the Missouri river. For this pur-
pose Brevet Colonel Leavenworth, with a
battalion of the Sixth infantry, about 22O
s Missoari, with and eighty Br fsant'srsme Gea fe9%
ly 600 Sioux Indians, assembled
the river about seven hundred miles above
the fort, where q battle was fought. 1t
lasted three days. being the SJh, 10Th and
18th days of August. This was a considera-
BILE fight, though the loss on our SIDE was
trihing, while that of the enemy amounted to
fifty killed aud a greater number wounded.
Leavenworth was made a trevet ~brlgadier
general the following year, and died on the
2lst day of July, 1884, in the Indian nation.
He was greatly esteemed in the army and
was undoubtedly one of its brightest orna-
ments.
"The first fort that was built by Genera oil
Atkinson was upon ground that was too low,
and when the water rose during the
summer the works were swept away.
He then moved to the bluff,
which overlooks a magnificent stretch
of country, where he built both sure ana
steadfast, ana the foundations may be seen
to this day. The bricks which were used in
the buildings were made near the site of the
fort, and certainly none better were ever
made, as their present condition will attest.
1t is said that the clay was placed in a large
pan and kept wet, and then a herd Of young
cattle was driven over 1t repeatedly until it
became tit for use. IL was afterward baked
| twice the length of time which Is now given
by brickmakers. That the bricks were good
there can be no doubt, and that the officers
understood their business is equally certain.
THE fort was first named Council Bluff
from its site, subsequently IL was called Fort
Calhoun, In honor OF the secretary Of war.
John q. Calhoun. and still later Fort Atkin-
son. in honor of General Atkinson. From