The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-01-13
EARLY DAYS Of WISCONSIN.
STORY OF An OLD FRONTIER FORT
AND ITS OFFICERS.
Fort Crawford, nj Prairie da s"'es'
10 Crumbfinx Info Rufns-Anee-
dofe< OF Zach Tay tor-Dnughters
Fus.~me.t With Jen Davis.

The announcement was MADE feeehtiy
that The las, Gss gnsnt oG osd FoFt @tS"
ford. az Prairie Gu Calen. Wis. had
csgEnh. 81 ia:o rCiDz. THIS marks kae Dis
appeagsncs 81 tns last Tsllc OK ina anita
pioneer Gays ana LDels Sans display
OF sow.r as emphasized by the chain 81
forts which oysFa~ed The savage Ilpes
n the nrHf quarter Of the century. Fort
Howard. az Green bay. WIS. which was
s.eiIt a. tae same time as Fort Crawford.
ard orr Wiuncaaso. a. Portage, WIS,
baaGt some time later, disappeared years
age.
Eert GRAVEYARD. whose las. fragment ts
now crumblIng into dust, was the second
Of shAg name and tie laird OF the forts
whIca we're 5ui.t 70 protest the frontier
at that point. The FIRST dated back 70 the
tine % Tire war OF 1872. and was called
Fort Shelby. It's capture In lsii by
force az English and Indians was the
only battle fought on Wisconsin soil Iii
that war. After its capture It's name was
changed 20 Fort Mckay. ana Il was held
b. she British until the peace OF ISIS,
wnen Ii was evacuated.
shortly after 81 was destroyed by FIRE.
ard the settlement 81 French and half
breeds was left unprotected until the next
year. Not that tAis was a matter OF any
nothing to fear from the Indian tribes
surrounding them: Ia fact. they preferred
their society 20 that Of Uncle Sans SOL
dIets. as being less threatening 10 their
interests. Sat the Federal government
WIS., quick 10 grasp the fact that IL IL
WAS 10 hold the Western territory II
would have 70 do so with an armed hand.
ard, therefore. early III ISIS Col. Miller,
he who had been heard from so glorious
u EFf
lsay TO construct Fort Howard. and while
be was making matters safe at that end
OF the line Mai Morgan and four COM
psnies OF rifisfnen were AT work on the
post which was 10 be known as Fort
Crawford
The Fort was erected on the site OF
Fort Shelby OF Mckay. and was built
after the approved style OF frontier forts,
20 wei calculated 10 resist any attack
from the Indians, or anyone else who
came without artillery. The fort was
BUTT In the shape OF q large quadrangle.
with the parade ground In the center.
The officers quarters and the mems bar
racks were built along the sides, with the
storehouses and other buildings with
their highest point TO the outside. and
the roofs siopina toward the parade. all
the light being obtained from windows
la thai side, which left an unhroken
there were any vacant spaces on the
walls they We're filled in with stout oak
palisades. Al the corners on the north
west and southeast were wooden block
houses which gave the garrison a flank
Ing FIRE on any attacking force. The fort
WIS named af'ar Secretary of War Craw-
ford. IL was a nve-company post and
was intended 10 be kept strongly garri-
soned.
.sa "A md nv ha Hcyht
OF contemporary history. for the occu-
pants OF the territory Immediately ada
cent TO the fort when the United States
troops took possession. Among the in
teressing incidents in connection with this
early occupation is reference "to a man
by the name Of Aston" IL appears that
under the orders OF Gen. T. A. Smith.
commanding the department. one Of tho
American Fur Company's buildings was
forcibIy taken possession OF for the In
dian agent. The head Of the company
Was John Jacob Aston. at that time ap-
FaFentlg not so Well known as he became
later In the century. He made complaint
TT the seizure 10 the department, and, in
q letter TO Mr. Calhoun Gen Smith re-
fegs 10 him as "a man by the name OF
Astor." who. according to the depart
ment commander was only an intruder.
holding his lease simply by permission
explain his Views OF the settlement and
It's uhalitants by saying, b,untiy that he
would have destroyed the settlement and
delivered the male portion OF the inhab-
iiants to the civil authorities as tres
passegs but for the impression that they
could bs made useful In providing a post
so remote.
This fcudal style did not meet the ap-
prevail OF the generals supsriors and his
" al al Gar
man by the name of Astor'' was con-
cerne5
II Is only fair 90 say that Gen Smiths
subcrd!nares lived up TO :he spirit
hreathsd by their commander. and made
tie ives OF Tho Inhabitants burden 20
tnsm Ia many ways, Fortunately for
lhem e wss ihat the settlers were 81 the
Iiao'e French stock ana had been accus-
TONED 20 huiiyings iram those in Gem
mau2 from ,he early French times. Had
they been 81 Asglo-Saxon birth. some Of
gle tturujent commanders n.ght have
lssrpad civli'y through a painful course
% instruction
pas II the worst OF tha commanders
who re.Ensd over tho pest ard rommuui-
~ Vas eel. Chambers who leaked upon
1Ne .uhadtauts much as a fcuasl selgnlor
Looked oE 'is vassA!s. as pat there for
E@ oNa pfaayUre uioue Chambers WAS
fuiiy As cruel 80 his soldiers as 70 fhe IN
hSbl{Rats. tEe sad a cheerful naLtl ~
ordering The ears sliced oT soldier for
sau}e slight breach ~ discipline bar
ffl& wa going fan FAR, The news IL h. ;
lfutaAties reached the authorities "a
Washington, and ne was drummed out OF
fHe army. lie WAS saia 70 have gone -
Mexico. ao3 Il Was believed that ne was
So ofaCer lr Santa Ana's army. being IN
A3cxt%o when thr cs,y was taken II so.
he .ook gee5 care % keep out az the way