Early Days at Fort Gibson Post

The United States established the military post at Fort Gibson in the spring of 1824. The officers and men stationed there immediately began constructions of quarters while also sending out patrols to become familiar with the surrounding countryside. The post sprang up on the western flank of the Boston Mountains where the American plains begin.

White families following the leading edge of the American frontier were establishing homes in the area without any government. Upon riding up to a lone cabin, the officer leading a patrol asked for the head of the household. If the family father did not hear the troops ride up, a young child ran to fetch him. The houses were all small, one-room log homes with dirt floors.

If the household claimed Indian kinship, they were allowed to remain. Otherwise, the officer instructed the family to return to the United States. After 1828 when Arkansas' western boundary was surveyed, that meant the settlers went to Arkansas Territory.

Army patrols were often away from Fort Gibson for many days on end. Patrols found most intruders living in the eastern area just west of the territorial line. At this time, the northwest corner of Arkansas was attracting large numbers of immigrants seeking new homes. As new families settled in a clearing, they often had no knowledge they were in the newly established Indian Territory.

Soldiers on patrol, however, had instructions to remove settlers by force if they did not move willingly. When an intruder and his family refused to move, soldiers went into the fields and cut down corn plants. Soldiers also drove livestock away.

In many cases, fathers followed their livestock. As soon as the military felt they were far enough away, the intruder's animals were abandoned. Of course, the intruder herded the animals back home as soon as the soldiers were out of sight. After days of living in the field, officers and enlisted men relished returning to Fort Gibson post.

Col. Henry Dodge was preparing to depart with a unit of US dragoons to survey southwestern Indians. Also at the post was an English portrait artist named George Catlin. He accompanied Col. Dodge on the expedition. Catlin drew sketches and painted portraits of individual Indians and their homes. His 1841 publication of his drawings in London, England established Catlin's reputation.

As a footnote, it should be noted that the following summer was the hottest in decades. Beginning in the 1830's, medical officers recorded climatic conditions in their post reports sent to the War Department in Washington. While reports for Fort Gibson are spotty, there is a record for August 15, 1834. That day the temperature rose to 116 degrees in the shade.

The soldiers at Fort Gibson fell out into formation at the end of day on August 15th as usual. After the lowering of the American flag, soldiers removed their woolen tunics immediately afterwards.