The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1919-07-04
HOW SLEEP
The DEAD
Interesting Story of Old Fort King
Graves Neglected and Brave
Defenders Forgotten
(By Allan Rodgers)

Memorial Day this year practically
circled the globe, and flowers fell
upon the graves of our heroes in
nearly all parts of the world; and
generally all over the earth, after
the day was DONE Americas silent
soldiers slept beneath a bower of
bloom. -
In strange and con-
trast to the lovtn& memory that de-
luged with fiowefS American graves
in foreign lands@iE soldiers bury
ing ground right near us, upon which
no loving hand kAas placed a flower
in seventy-five xtbrs. The migrate
ful neglect of 1his graveyard is a
black spot uponfthe brightest pages
or American mib{hyy history, dis
grace to the STATE within whose lin
its it has so lonH laid waste, and a
shame to the County that allowed it
TO drift back toxtha primitive forest,
through which a wAgon road for many
years found its Whaling way over the
graves of those htake men who died
for the glory and honor of the land in
which we live. 90
Dlu you ask fHkf location, names,
dates and recordsg Why. my dear.
this disgracefully elected cemetery
lies at the very gafss of Ocala.
A brief letter ffoM the war depart
nent adjutant genefXps office enclos-
ipgfa list of names scf soldiers buried
at Fort King says part:
Referring to y0hH1etter Of the 9Th
ins.', IN Which youssEequest to be al.
Vlsed concerning F0l5 King, Florida
iucruulng lnformatl84 as to the SOL
uiers buried thereSy kam directed by
the secretary OF waE4tD inform you as
follows: IN
me official recuEdS on file in this
department show HAT Fort King,
Florida, was situateH near the Okla
waha river and near Ocala, Florida;
that it was established in the month
of March, 1927; eEaSuated July 8,
1929: reoccupied IN 3he month of
July, 1882, and finally abandoned
as military post Ana relinquiyhed to
the commissioner 0fsthe general land
Office February 24sStS45."
While containing in condensed
form much that isNAluable as Flor
ida history it is nd Intended t. show
that Fort King waaSa large and i'm
pc,'snt gairiscI mhSSl O,aIa was y
very small villagastiiat block hot ses
and stockade, officefas quarters, about
five acres, all enclosed by fence OF
logs set on end, with commissary.
stock stables and ;s0ther military ne
oessities. That Just west of the fort,
and under separate fence, was the
cemetery, with separate lots for In
dams who were killed. in battle or
died prisoners. and for negro SER
wants of officers who died on the res
ervation. The list of the dead fol-
lows: #
Thomas McMahoB
George Wars ~
James Prater.
James Cassidy
James Kelly ga
James McClellanas
John Reeder. IL
Chandler NJ. Warren.
Constantine Smyth,
Calvin Austin
Aaron Desbrough
George L. MaxwHll
James McMillens
Walter Thompso1s
Peter w. ODoa)tAghey.
William Jones.
John Christian.
Richard Fulingtati.
ID. Murphy. 81
Robert Mure. - &
Walter Cannon
Charles Peter
Charles Herring
George H. Smith,
Joshua Kelly.
Richard Grace.
Hugh Kelly. @hs
George w. TheisS
Patrick McNamara.
John Melvin.
James Gaines.
Frederick Meir.
Cyrus Clarke.
James Mellor.
The above list IS complete as to
detail, company, npmber, rank, arm
of service, cause of death, etc.
indications are t6at no care what
ever has been given the cemetery
since the war depsrtment turned it
over to the general land Office in
1S45.
When first visited by the writer in
1881. as guest of Ar. Pomp crutch-