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Northernmost in the line
of federal forts established in Texas after the
Civil War, Fort Richardson was among the most significant of the frontier
posts and is an important part of Texas' rich heritage.
At the time of the fort's establishment in 1867,
the frontier situation was
critical. Increasing raids by Comanches, Kiowas, and Kiowa-Apaches
had all but depopulated the northwestern frontier of Texas and had
seriously threatened the entire westward settlement. Fort Richardson,
only 70 miles from the Indian Territory (Oklahoma), occupied a highly
strategic position in a new line of forts created to protect travelers
and settlers. Troops of the Sixth Cavalry under command of Colonel
S.H. Starr first set up quarters near Jackshoro in 1866. The garrison
was later moved 20 miles north to Buffalo Springs. Due to unhealthy
conditions at Buffalo Springs, the post was removed to Jacksboro
in the fall of 1867 and located at its present site on the south
bank of Lost Creek. Fort Richardson was named in honor of General
Israel B. Richardson, who died in the battle of Antietam during
the Civil War. |
The boom in Jacksboro which followed the establishment
of the fort brought gamblers, saloons, and camp followers. Numerous frame
and picket shanties, mostly saloons, occupied the opposite bank of Lost
Creek. Tiny cells, 4'/2' x 8'-housed soldiers confined to the guardhouse
for drunkenness, fighting, and similar offenses. The Quaker Peace Policy,
initiated by President U.S. Grant in 1869, placed the Indian reservations
under civilian control and prohibited military movements on the reservations.
Some tribes took advantage of this policy by raiding into Texas and returning
to the sanctuary of the reservation, knowing troops from Fort Richardson
could not cross the Red River in pursuit.
Hospital and Morgue
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Enlisted Barracks
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Consequently, settlers continued to be harassed
by indian raids. In response to their complaints, routine patrols were
dispatched almost every week.
Frequent expeditions were organized to pursue and punish know marauders.
However, unending drudgery was the normal lot of the frontier soldier.
They guarded the military road connecting Richardson with Forts Griffin
and Concho to the southwest, provided escorts for mail and supply trains,
and made it possible for traffic to move along the vital routes in greater
safety.
On occasion 'routine" patrols became
bloody battles; one of the most notable was the fight at the Little Wichita
River in July 1870, when Captain Curwen B. McLellan and a detachment of
56 men were attacked by a war party of some 100 Kiowas. The cavalrymen
stood their ground. Although at times almost completely surrounded, they
retreated under heavy fire to a strong defensive position on the Wichita
where the Kiowas abandoned the fight. Thirteen Medals of Honor were awarded
for gallantry in the Little Wichita River battle.Fort Richardson's achievements can be largely attributed
to her commanding officers, most of them men of great distinction: Colonel
S.H. Starr, Colonel William H. Wood, Colonel James Oakes, and Colonel
Kanald Slidell Mackenzie of the Fourth Cavalry-one of the West's most
successful Indian fighters, who served as post commander from April, 1871
to December, 1872.
Four of Mackenzie's major forays into hostile territory originated at
Fort Richardson. He was in command there when the fort's most celebrated
chapter was written: the Salt Creek Massacre.A wagon train carrying corn on government contract
from Jacksboro to Fort GrifEin was attacked May 17, 1871, on Salt Creek
Prairie about 22 miles from Fort Richardson. A large force of Kiowas led
by Chiefs Satanta, Satank, and Big Tree killed the wagon master and six
teamsters; five others, although wounded, managed to escape with their
lives.
General William Tecumseh Sherman was at Fort Richardson
when the survivors reported the tragedy. Sherman and his escort had passed
over the same spot the previous day. The Indians were massed there at
the time, eager to attack, and were restrained only by the prophecy of
the medicine man, De-ha-te (Owl Prophet), that the second party to pass
would be more easily captured.
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Understandably
alarmed by his narrow escape, Sherman (who previously had been skeptical
about Indian atrocities on the frontier) ordered Colonel Mackenzie
to assemble four companies of his Fourth Cavalry and two companies
from Fort Griffin for an all-out pursuit of the raiders. The Indians
responsible for the raid were easily identified, for Satanta boasted
of his grisly exploit to Lawrie Tatum, Indian agent at Fort Sill,
and named Satank and Big Tree as co-leaders of the attack. The chiefs
were arrested in a tension-filled confrontation with Sherman at
Fort Sill.
While en route to Fort Richardson
and under military guard, Satank was killed attempting to escape.
Satanta and Big Tree were tried for murder in the court at Jacksboro,
found guilty and condemned to hang. Their sentences, however, were
commuted to life imprisonment at Huntsville by Governor Edmund J.
Davis, who shortly granted them parole in 1873. Both chiefs violated
their paroles by leading raids into Texas. Satanta was arrested
in 1874 and returned to Huntsville. He died as a result of a lump
or fall from and upper story window of the prison hospital. Although
Big Tree was arrested in 1875, he was released at the request of
federal officials. Thereafter he kept his parole and died in 1929
at Anadarko, Oklahoma.
The widely publicized trial-the first time
Indians were tried in a white man's court-caused a temporary decrease
in Indian raids, but was not the solution to Indian troubles on
the frontier. Colonel Mackenzie and other frontier commanders continued
to pursue the Indians in Texas, attempting to discourage raiding,
but with no success. In July, 1874, President Grant rescinded the
Quaker Peace Policy, releasing the military to take any necessary
measures to end hostile activity.
Within three months this new policy proved
successful. On September 28, 1874, Colonel Mackenzie ended the Indian
domination of the Southern Plains at the Battle of Palo Duro Canyon.
By 1875 the frontier of Texas was relatively secure, and the services
of the troops at Fort Richardson were no longer needed.
Orders for the abandonment of Fort Richardson were issued March
29, 1878; on May 23 the last troops marched to their new station
at Fort Griffin. Fort Richardson's colorful and useful life as a
military installation had ended. |
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While preparing for a event one Spring, a female
staff member working near the hospital reported that she had heard the
unmistakable sound of footsteps walking around on the front porch of the
building. The footsteps seemed to follow her movements and were always
behind her. When she stopped and looked around, the footsteps stopped
as well. Just as the woman turned to go about her business, she was knocked
up against a wall by an invisible blast of cold air. Frightened and disoriented,
the women also noticed that the “unique sound of knuckles cracking” seemed
to accompany the strange manifestation.
Objects are often moved and relocated
in the old hospital. Figures have also been seen in its windows at night
when the fort is closed to visitors.
Visitors and staff have also reported
seeing a shadowy figure in a blue soldier’s uniform around the morgue,
guardhouse and magazine areas.
The porch of the
hospital |
This was a very simple
ghost hunt mainly designed to be a recon for another investigation
in the future. We arrived just before dusk and after talking to
a few of the staff, we began running EM sweeps of the grounds. Since
the majority of unusual activity had been reported in or around
the old hospital we focused allot of our efforts in that area.
Several sounds heard while investigating
the hospital and morgue, including footsteps and movement of objects
inside the hospital. EM fields that were recorded during these events
registered at 8 milligauss with a frequency of 30HZ.
We located other unusual EM fields
near the enlisted barracks, but only briefly, so we were not able
to ascertain the frequency of those fields.
The majority of the activity was
centered around the hospital and morgue, although we were able to
find a EM field near the guardhouse that registered around 37HZ. |
We returned to the fort the
following day to continue interviews and to take some daytime photographs
of the location.
Photographs
Click on the thumbnail
to view the larger image
Inside the Enlisted barracks
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Enlisted Barracks
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Hospital and Morgue
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Inside the hospital
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Hospital
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The Magazine
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The Magazine
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Officer's Quarters
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Hospital porch
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Activity at the enlisted barracks
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Stairs of the hospital
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Front porch of the hospital
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Approaching the morgue
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Inside the hospital
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Inside the morgue
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The galley, inside
the hospital
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Hospital porch
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Morgue
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Morgue
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The Morgue
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Approaching the guardhouse
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"orb" at the guardhouse
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Guardhouse
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The enlisted barracks
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Entrance to the fort
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Who is in the windows?
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Photo taken after EM field measures
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As with many outdoor locations, dust and
air borne particles are a major problem with photography. However, the
unusual EM fields found near and around the hospital make this site interesting.
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