Permanent settlement of this area began after the Civil War (1861-65). Frederick William Sibley (October 17, 1852 - February 17, 1918), was a career United States Army officer. Texas State Historical Association (TSHA), Get your copy of the 2022-2023 Texas Almanac.
Red River Forts | Red River Historian A town named Phantom Hill sprang up briefly during the area when buffalo hunting was taking place, but . The vehicle is pulled by four quarter horses. [45][46] From 1869 until the end of the Red River War in 1875, Fort Phantom Hill's ruins were occupied several times by US Army troops as a subpost of Fort Griffin, established in 1867 along the Clear Fork of the Brazos. [14][22][a] Construction of Fort Phantom Hill began immediately and lasted until June1852, and it was followed by the creation of a crude road to Fort Chadbourne, to the southwest. Events like the Rendezvous really give life to historical places and objects, according to historian Henry Crawford, curator of the Texas Tech University history museum in Lubbock, Texas. White settlers along the Rio Grande paid heavily for the misjudgments that led to the Texans' defeat on Dove Creek. By 1900, the town had ceased to exist,[14][54][55] though the fort continued to be inhabited until at least 1913. The garrison had to rely on food shipments from Austin, 250 miles (400km) away, that were occasionally seized by indigenous peoples, and the garrison could not abate the water shortage even by digging an 80-foot (24m) well. This outlines how and why we collect, store and use your personal data when you use our website. Carrying their wounded on crude litters strapped between pairs of horses, the Texans retreated eastward on January 11, after retrieving their dead. Besides the stone chimneys, other remnants of the developed fort remain for visitors to explore at the 38-acre site. Its initial occupation had been relatively uneventful. One couple who saw her at Lovers Lane described her as walking along the road; however, they could see that the apparition had no eyes when she grew closer. Ample parking is provided, and, surprisingly, this rustic site offers nice public restroom facilities. The history of Fort Phantom Hill is an interesting saga of defense, a story of both political necessity and individual hubris, and a tale of human perseverance and shortsightedness. Item status and availability information may not be up to date. A third legend places the spirit much later in the early 1980s. [8], Those migrants moved along routes such as the Marcy Trail,[9] charted by Captain Randolph B. Marcy in 1849,[10] through the territory of the indigenous peoples of the Great Plains. Because its occupation was relatively uneventful, the fort was abandoned on April 6, 1854. The 5th Infantry Living History Organization is currently the only organized living history unit actively portraying the 1845-55 period in Texas. This entry belongs to the following special projects: Sign up for our newsletter and stay up to date on all things Texas. In the late 1850s, the abandoned fort was used as a stop on the Butterfield Overland Stagecoach route which was the longest wheeled trip in the world. Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305. catalog, articles, website, & more in one search, books, media & more in the Stanford Libraries' collections, Fort Phantom Hill : The Mysterious Ruins on the Clear Fork of the Brazos River. Long inhabited by the warlike Comanche Indians, the area was known as the Comancheria. Forgetting about his password or unable to say it, his wife shot him before he cleared the stoop. Gen. William T. Sherman made an overnight stop here during his inspection tour of the Department of Texas. Texas State Historical Association (TSHA) The ruins of the fort were added to the National Register of Historic Places on September 14, 1972. In June, the remaining Confederate forces in Texas formally surrendered to the US Army, who reoccupied the state. Note to historians: Texas State Historical Association Fort Phantom Hill. Physical Description. The first, placed in 1936, generally commemorated the fort and was replaced with another marker after the original disappeared in 2010. The station was managed by a man named Burlington, whose wife prepared meals for the stage passengers. [24] Pestilences such as tuberculosis and rheumatism and the poor supply of food and water also plagued the garrison. If the code word wasnt given, they were to shoot anything or anyone that tried to enter. It was occupied by the U.S. Army from 1851 until 1854. He also draws on historical research, studying diaries and journals of people who lived back in those times. This historic site is one of the second lines of forts from the 1850s which was built with the purpose of protecting the Texas settlement frontier.. N. M. Gillintine (Gillentine) and a militia scouting party of twenty-three, under command of the Second Frontier District, discovered an abandoned Indian camp. The advanced cordon of forts, including Fort Phantom Hill, was established as a result of Marcy's recommendations.
Frontier Forts - Texas Beyond History You can read all you want, but until you personally experience things, you cant truly understand them.. Dogs at the lake have been noticed to go into unprovoked snapping and barking at seemingly invisible visitors. The militia, on horses weary from a forced march, were to dismount and wade the creek for a frontal attack from the north. The Indians' position in a heavy thicket was superior, for it gave the well-armed defenders cover, high ground, and a good field of fire.
Fort Phantom Hill (Abilene) - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go Military History. [52] In 1858, three of the fort's stone buildings were repaired and used for a station of the Butterfield Overland Mail along its route through Texas until it moved out of the state with the beginning of the Civil War in 1861. His first impression was not good, as a wet snowstorm blew in, killing one teamster and 20 horses, mules, and oxen that froze to death.
AllTrails | Fort Phantom Hill: 5 Reviews, Map - Texas [24][25], Fort Phantom Hill and the other outposts of the US Army in Texas were unfortified cantonments, where troops could recuperate after being on campaign.
When the supply of animals diminished and the railroad bypassed the town in favor of Abilene, the town and the fort faded from maps. Fort Phantom Hill. Photos (21) Directions. A militia force of about 325 men from Bosque, Comanche, Coryell, Erath, and Johnson counties gathered under Capt.
Fort Phantom Hill | Texas Time Travel The site is open anytime during daylight hours and is free of charge to visitors.
Col. Ranald S. Mackenzie finally led 377 men of the Fourth United States Cavalry from Fort Clark on a punitive expedition across the Rio Grande in May 1873. Mrs. Emma Johnson Elkins, who as a child lived with her parents at the fort, recalled a ritual held by a group of friendly Delawares in preparation for a hunt. Read more. One day when the man had gone out hunting, he was ambushed by Indians as he approached his cabin. Officially called the "Post on Clear Fork of the Brazos", its everyday name became "Phantom Hill", Yes! Upon being abandoned by the Army, Fort Phantom Hill was the victim of a fire that destroyed most of the log walls and thatched roofs of the buildings. To protect those migrants, the US Army established a line of forts running for 800 miles (1,300km) from Fort Worth, in the northeast, to Fort Duncan, in the southwest, in 184849 and then another, 200 miles (320km) west, from 1850 to 1852. Stone was sourced from a quarry at the Elm Fork on the Brazos River while blackjack oak was transported from up to 40 miles (64km) away. [39] One of McCulloch's officers, Major James Buckner Barry, stationed a portion of his command at Fort Phantom Hill. On sale now, while supplies last. The fort was established in 1851 as part of a line of forts in Texas to protect migrants passing through the state on their way to California. [2] After existing as an independent republic for a decade, Texas was annexed by the United States of America in 1845,[3] which led to the start of the Mexican-American War the next year. Texas History. We need your support because we are a non-profit that relies upon contributions from our community in order to record and preserve the history of our state. Title: Microsoft PowerPoint - Phantom_hill_map Author: S.Dumont
The Ghosts of Fort Phantom Hill - Ghosts & Getaways She has also been said to have been seen at a nearby cemetery as well as along a dirt road called Lovers Lane. (Stanford users can avoid this Captcha by logging in.). 54 b&w photos. He dispatched seventy-five troops under Lt. J. Hostilities declined thereafter. A band of Penateka Comanches led by Buffalo Hump occasionally came calling, as did groups of Lipans, Wichitas, Kiowas, and Kickapoos. Thomas Fletcher Scott, The Memoirs of Thomas Fletcher Scott, Southwest Collection, Special Collections Library, Texas Tech University. During the war, the fort was occupied by Confederate frontier troops until the Confederacy's defeat and surrender. Ray Boeshart (1920-2006) and his daughter Linda gave Rendezvous visitors free rides in their "Butterfield Stagecoach," which is built to the specifications of an original Wells Fargo stagecoach. At the time of its evacuation, the Indian menace had been curbed due to the establishment of reservations on the upper Brazos and the Clear Fork to the northeast. Additional buildings, such as the magazine and bakery, were located away from the parade ground and its surrounding structures. Fort Phantom Hill was a United States Army post that was built to protect the westward-moving frontier of Texas settlement. This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. As to the hauntings of the Fort, its name alone suggests that it would only make sense that the place would be alive with spirits from the past. This gives me more personal experiences to share with people.. Handbook of Texas Online, Request a review copy, Professors:
Capt. Details Open in Google Maps Map. [44] After initially ignoring Texans' concerns about indigenous raiding in favor of reoccupying prewar installations along the border with Mexico, the US Army returned to the frontier and began expanding its presence there in 186667. Visiting the site gives modern-day visitors a feel for what life must have been like here in the 1850s, as people tried to tame the unforgiving West Texas landscape. On Nov. 14, 1851, Fort Phantom Hill was established near present Abilene (120 miles NW) by Col. J.J. Abercrombie and the 5th Infantry. Following the fort's purchase by John Guitar in 1928, there was renewed public interest in the fort that led to its opening to the public in 1972. Originally known as the "Post on the Clear Fork of the Brazos," Fort Phantom Hill was established by the U.S. Army in 1851 and occupied until April 4, 1854.
Fort Griffin > The Most Dangerous Prairie in Texas Others report smells of decaying flesh, perfume, and roses. Im just really glad I was able to experience things like this in a place thats historically significant like Fort Phantom Hill. (Buck) Barry or some of the units under his command used Fort Phantom Hill as a base of field operations. In 2007, the 11th Infantry was reflagged as the 199th Infantry Brigade, as part of the "Transformation of the US Army" effort. State Confederate troops of the Frontier Battalion were dispatched under Capt. City: Baird vicinity Year Marker Erected: 1977 Marker Location: From Baird, take FM 2228 southeast about 8.5 miles. While no accommodations are provided at the site, informational brochures are available, and the major structures are clearly marked.
Fort Phantom Hill - Charlotte's Texas Hill Country Pub Date: 10/24/2013
Mr. Guitars grandson, Jim Alexander of Abilene, purchased the property in 1969. In 1849 the federal government sent Capt. [65] A marker for the fort's graveyard was placed in the graveyard in 2019.[66]. [50], After the Red River War, a settlement was formed on Fort Phantom Hill's grounds that primarily serviced buffalo hunters roaming the region. https://www.tshaonline.org, https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/entries/fort-phantom-hill. Join our growing community of academics, professionals, and history enthusiasts of all levels and ages. The battered veterans spent a miserable night, drenched by chilling rain that turned to heavy snow.
Welcome to Historic Fort Phantom Hill! - Fort PhantomFort Phantom Though he sent word of the poor conditions, the orders were unchanged, and construction on the fort began. Fort Phantom Hill was established during the American colonization of Texas,[1] a process that began in the 1820s with the immigration of Anglo-Americans into Spanish, later Mexican, Texas. Beginning in 1871, the post served as a subpost of Fort Griffin, near the site of present Albany. The Public History Program and the 5th Infantry are dedicated to the historically accurate interpretation of the 1845-55 U.S. Army and the role of the military in antebellum Texas.
Lampasas County Historical Markers - Fort Tours The event was blamed on the Indians or Confederate troops, but many said that it was the garrison members, because of their distaste for the post, who set the fire. Mr. Guitar's grandson, Jim Alexander of Abilene, purchased the property in 1969. [14] The structures of the fort were arranged around a parade ground. So much to see here and I recommend visiti. Fort Phantom Hill, also called the Camp on the Clear Fork,[a] is a former United States Army installation located in Jones County, Texas. [35] In February1861, Texas seceded from the United States and joined the Confederate States of America. Guitar's purchase of the fort attracted the attention of Carl Coke Rister, a historian, professor at Hardin-Simmons University, and secretary of the West Texas Historical Association, who wrote extensively about the fort to promote its preservation. Officers' quarters lined the north and east sides, opposite the enlisted men's barracks, while administrative structures stood on the west side. Acting on orders from General Persifor F. Smith, Lieutenant Colonel John J. Abercrombie arrived at the Clear Fork of the Brazos River with five companies of the Fifth Infantry on November 14, 1851. Indian casualties were even less certain. Subjects Keywords Brazos River; Lake Fort Phantom Hill; University of North Texas Libraries Browse Structure . S. S. Totten (Totton). The plan had been to build the fort at a site in Coleman County, but Smith, unfamiliar with the area, changed the locale to the Clear Fork near its junction with Elm Creek. [27][28] Each building had a stone chimney. Lieutenant Clinton Lear, the posts quartermaster, even went so far as to assert that he could not imagine that God ever intended white man to occupy such a barren waste as was found at Phantom Hill. It was one of the second line of forts laid out in the early 1850s to protect the westward-moving frontier of Texas settlement. As the troops marched out of Fort Phantom headed toward El Paso, they looked back to discover the fort was in flames. After 1875, a town grew up around the ruins of Fort Phantom Hill. All arguments notwithstanding, the post was indeed established, and by 1853, it was transformed into a well-organized and thoroughly developed post. A History of Fort Phantom Hill, The Post on the Clear Fork of the Brazos River, Jones County, Texas (prepared by Martha Doty Freeman in May 1999 for the Fort Phantom Foundation) is available for inspection at the Abilene Public Library, complete with reproductions of historic photos, drawings, and other documents. If Id been here in October of 1852, Im sure they experienced the same kind of weather that I did. Colonel Abercrombie turned command of the post over to Lt. Col. Carlos A. Waite on April 27, 1852. Shortly after the army abandoned Fort Phantom Hill, fire destroyed most of the log walls and thatched roofs of the buildings. Though Lt. Clinton W. Lear, writing to his wife at Fort Washita, deemed the Clear Fork valley beautiful and abundant with game, he felt that it was never intended "for White man to occupy such a barren waste." The 11th Infantry Regiment is a regiment in the United States Army. "The aspect of the place is uninviting," Freeman wrote. Abilene Photo courtesy of Sergio Piumatti This fort was established on Nov. 14, 1851 as a unit in a chain of forts from the Red River to the Rio Grande, to defend frontier settlers and West-bound 49'ers. [39] They were replaced with the Frontier Regiment, who also encamped at Fort Phantom Hill and were also increasingly pulled away from the frontier as the war continued. We have recently updated ourPrivacy Policy. Several legends exist that the place is haunted by restlessIndians of frontier times, who continue to stalk their ancient grounds during the night. Waterman L. Ormsby, The Butterfield Overland Mail (San Marino, California: Huntington Library, 1942; rpt. Elmer Kelton, The company quarters and other buildings were of jacal construction. Dove Creek, Battle of, What was unknown to both Smith and Abercrombie was that the fort was being built at the wrong location. There today youll find the ruins of Old Fort Phantom Hill. "Ooooh!". accessed August 21, 2023, In anticipation of railroad construction, a hotel was built and managed by a man named Smith. Fort Phantom Hill was used again during the Civil War by the Confederacys Frontier Battalion, and in 1871, it became a sub-post of Fort Griffin (near Albany, Texas) and was used by troops engaged in Indian campaigns.
Exploring Fort Phantom Hill in Abilene Texas - YouTube Fort Phantom Hill - TSHA Amid the dangerous Comancheria, the cabin was often attacked by Indians. However, several stone buildings, stone chimneys, and the stone building foundations remain intact today. The story of the "Post on the Brazos River" has all the elements that characterize human activity with its triumphs and . This phantom woman has been seen numerous times, the first of which almost 150 years ago, long be the lake even existed. The remains of Fort Phantom Hill have been celebrated in verse by the cowboy poet William L. Chittenden and in the prose of other western writers. For example, you might look at a musket in an exhibit case in a museum, but its a whole different experience to be able to see a whole line of them firing, as you might at the Rendezvous. [6][7] In 1849, an unprecedented number of migrants began crossing Texas to reach California following the discovery of gold there.
Fort Phantom Hill | Abilene, TX [14][33][34], Following Fort Phantom Hill's abandonment, it was still frequently visited by travelers and US Army troops. . Share. On December 9, 1864, Capt. As the psychic stood there in fright, the men glared at him, seemingly unhappy at his intrusion. Lt. Newton C. Givens assumed command of the post on March 26, 1854, and was commander at the time it was first abandoned twelve days later, on April 6. The 1880 census record shows more than 500 people living at the fort, which had a hotel and the staples of most West Texas towns. Fort Phantom Hill was used again during the Civil War by the Confederacy's Frontier Battalion, and in 1871 became a sub post of Fort Griffin near Albany.
Fort Phantom Hill | Frontier Texas I cannot believe that God ever intended white man to occupy such a barren waste.
About Us - Fort PhantomFort Phantom Injured, he managed to escape and began clawing at the door to his cabin. Smith had recently taken command of the newly organized Texas (Eighth Military) Department from the ailing Gen. William G. Belknap, who had been supervising construction of the fort on the upper Brazos that was named for him. [60] The Alexanders opened the fort to the public in the same year and in 1997 they gifted its grounds to the Fort Phantom Foundation. However, conditions continued to be difficult for people at the fort, and in November 1853, approval was given for the military to abandon the fort. Forts Belknap and Phantom Hill, along with Camp Cooper, represent the U.S. Army's attempts, first, to shield white settlements from Indian raids, then to contain hostile bands on Texas reservations. We need your support because we are a non-profit that relies upon contributions from our community in order to record and preserve the history of our state. The deserted . Rendezvous Fort Phantom Rendezvous, 1999 - 2003.
PDF Phantom hill map - Texas Parks & Wildlife Department By 1880, Fort Phantom had a population of more than 500 and was made the Jones County seat the following year in May 1881. Generally considered an easy route, it takes an average of 13 min to complete. Like most websites, we use cookies to improve our service and make your user experience better. 18 maps. A Living History Re-enactment of 1840-1875 The Texans were routed after a desperate fight. A watercolorportraitof the original fort shows Fort Phantom Hill as it was before the fire. The events of the previous five years had also included a ride in a horse-drawn stagecoach, watching a blacksmith hammer out horse shoes over a coal-stoked fire, and a Native American in full traditional costume demonstrating flint knapping (the art of making arrowheads from stone). The Indians, after crossing the Rio Grande near Eagle Pass, said they had lost twelve in the fight and two more who died after arrival in Mexico. Blackjack oak logs for the officers' quarters and hospital had to be brought in by ox wagon from as far away as forty miles. It had lots of waterfront along Lake Fort Phantom Hill. The Mysterious Ruins on the Clear Fork of The Brazos River, 978-1-933337-58-6 Paperback
According to this tale, a young woman and her lover agree to meet at the lake for an evening of romance. Every dollar helps. They remained the next day, cold and hungry, forced to eat some of the horses in order to survive. William C. Pool, "The Battle of Dove Creek," Southwestern Historical Quarterly 53 (April 1950). The Texas and Pacific Railway routed its tracks through Abilene, fourteen miles to the south. This was meant to give safer passage to immigrants headed for the California gold fields. The fort was occupied by the U.S. Army from 1851 until 1854.
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