The National tribune., 1901-10-03
OKLAHOMA 50 YEARS AGO.
Soldering in the Southwest After the Civil
War

War.
EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: Having
on several occasions seen in your valuable
paper accounts and descriptions of the
land known as the Kiowa, Comanche and
Apache Reservations, of which Capt. w.
+. Doyle gave a good description in the
issue of Aug. l, but failed to give a de-
scriptiOn of the fort thereon, | shall try
to describe it as | saw it 33 years ago.
Fort Sill is on high rise of land, about
half mile east of the old camp, which
was known as Camp Wichita before it
was established as a regular military post.
1t lies south of Cache Creek and east of
Medicine Bluff Creek and the Wichita
Mountains, and is 200 feet above the level
of the creek. AS to the land. the soil
covers a solid bed OF blue limestone, of
which all the buildings are constructed
the three barracks ON the west side of
square or parade ground, each to accom-
modate or hold two companies of troops,
the Post Library and Commissary and
QuarterInasters store buildings on the
south, and the officers quarters ON the
east and north.
The survey and draft Of the reservation
and fort was made by Capt. Robinson,
panies Of the 10th U. ). Cav. were the
first troops stationed there after the re-
bellion, when it was called Camp Wichita.
Soon after part of the 9th u. $. Inf. and
9TH u. $. Cav. were stationed there sub
sequcnt to their fight with Black Kettle
and his bands of savages.
We were stationed ut Fort Arbuckle,
so miles east in Chickasaw Nation, in the
Fall of 1868. Gen. L. ii. Sheridan, with
part OF the 9TH Cav, part of the 10Th
Kan, and California Joe, the great In
dian Scout, came to Arbuckle with the
body Of Maj. Elliott, of the 9TH Cav, who
was killed in the fight with Black Kettle
at Washita River. | helped TO bury Mai.
Elliott at Arbuckle by the side of the
wife of Capt. j. b. Rife, of the 9th Inf,
who died there in 1867. Maj. Elliott's
body was horribly mutilated by the In
dians.
That was the first time I saw Gen.
Sheridan. He was Il great fellow to tell
Jokes and stories. L remember hearing
him tell one while standing outside of the
Adjutants office. 1t was concerning one
of the green Kansas Cavalry. He said:
Il rode along the line one afternoon,
when l came to a man on picket. He had
his carbine taken apart, spread on a
blanket, and was busy cleaning it. | rode
up; he did not know me. Who are you,
my man? %, I'm Il sort r Kansas Cav
Jayhawker. Who the devil are your
%, I'm sort of Gen. Sheridan. We'll,
General, II you wait till l stick my gun
together, I'll give yer a sorter salute
told him to put his gun in shape and
watch for Indians, or they would soon
have his scalp. L did not wait for the
salute"
After they arrived at the fort, big
siX-footer came numbering over to our
company, and Durham, of our company,
said: Look at that big Indian-kiler."
thinking he belonged to the Kansas Regi-
ment, | told Durham TO keep his trap
shut, or he might get it punched, as the
wore large slouch hat, army overcoat
and buckskin pants stuffed in a pair of
heavy boots. He said: "Howdy, gentle
men, / answered, How are you, STRIP"
One of the boys put the question, BE
long to the 10Th Kansas?''
mo, don't belong to no regiment; just
travel along with Custer and Sheridan for
my good health"
L was smoking pipe, when he turned
to me with, Got any hacker to spareY'
| gave him a pipe full.
Got anything to drink around here in
way of whisky?"
My bunkey got a canteen out of a box
and handed it to him with the remark
that it was the best Texas lightning in
the shanty. He took Il good pull, lighted
his pipe. and said, Gentlemen, l am
much obliged to ye"
We talked a little while, when he got
up and said, We'll, l must go and re-
port to the Gineral"
remarked so you are under the Gen
erals orders" ~
20, yes | be; l do his scouting when
we are out on march, l reckon We have
all hearn of California Joe"
We assured him we had, but had never
seen him. ~
well, this is the critter yer are look
ing at now. l am Ghieral Sheridan's
scout. Good-day, gents
He looked a powerful man of about So
years. A heavy, dark-red, full beard
covered his face.
L have strayed from my subject. The
land is high prairie and bottom land; the
latter, along the creeks and Washita
River, is very fertile. There is not much
timber along the creeks, and what is there
is used mostly for fuel and but little for
building purposes.
The long dry spells in the Autumn of
each year are drawbacks to farming
When we were stationed at Fort Sill
we had piece of land along Cache Creek
as a garrison garden, and raised lots of
vegetables, though it was not half cult
waited. The old saying, Soldiers, will Won
work" Sooner sell my shirt" was our
motto.
Medicine Bluff is curiosity, with its
hundreds of rattlesnakes- Capt. Doyle
gave such good description of it that
II is OF no use to mention it again.
Mount Scott Is three miles west of the
Tort. 1t is high peak shaped like q
pineapple. In 1870 we had a signal sta
nm q fnr, . l.